Many teachers give principals low grades

Second in a series

This four-part series evaluates the results of the citywide Learning Environment Survey at local schools. Last week 'The Press' reported that parents are bypassing school parent coordinators when they need information. This week we look at teachers' relationships with their principals.

By Kate McNeil

One-third of the teachers at local public schools don't trust their principals and question their effectiveness as managers. Teachers also say they trust their colleagues more than their schools' leadership.

These findings were among the results of a recent citywide Learning Environment Survey, which 413 local teachers responded to. The survey opened a Pandora's box of information about local schools, with topics ranging from communication to school safety. It solicited the opinions of parents, teachers and middle school and high school students.

According to the results, teacher/principal relationships were most strained at the Sheila Mencher Van Cortlandt School, PS/MS 95, PS 207, PS 310 and John F. Kennedy High School.

Sixty-seven percent of PS 207 teachers do not believe Principal Maria Rosado is an effective manager and at PS/MS 95, three-quarters of the teaching staff distrusted Principal Elizabeth Lopez, who has since stepped down.

One teacher has already expressed frustration with Serge Davis, the Van Cortlandt Village school's new principal.

"Trusting him? Not a chance," the male teacher said in an email. "But, he's not the only one to look out for. His administrative cabinet also has members who like to 'shoot the breeze' with teachers about other teachers. How unprofessional."

The teacher said his colleagues have been put on the spot to clarify their lesson plans. "Mr. Davis should allocate his time and energy to those that seem to be struggling at this school and leave those with their lesson plans as they are," he said.

Although this teacher expressed frustration at Mr. Davis' micromanagement, 83 percent of PS/MS 95 teachers complained that they did not receive regular feedback from his predecessor.

Feedback from leaders was also a problem at John F. Kennedy High School where more than half of the teachers say they were not given constructive criticism.

In contrast, PS 24 teachers responded positively about their former leader, Mark Levine. Nearly 100 percent trusted him and believed he was an effective manager.

Quality assurance

The 43 teachers surveyed from the David A. Stein Riverdale/ Kingsbridge Academy, MS/HS 141, responded favorably in most areas. Nearly 100 percent believed former principal Daniella Phillips placed a high priority on the quality of teaching at the school.

But while teachers at feeder schools PS 24 and the Robert J. Christen School, PS 81, reported high trust, 40 percent of MS/HS 141 teachers responded that they did not trust Ms. Phillips.

"I was a fan of Phillips," one teacher said. "She really cemented ties with the parents. This year it's an unknown quantity. We need time to learn more about [Ms. O'Mara]."

Two MS/HS 141 teachers, who wished to remain anonymous because they are "vulnerable," said they are giving new principal Lori O'Mara the benefit of the doubt but still feel "too much pressure" from the top.

'Bureaucratic'

"You have these bureaucratic demands on top of teaching demands," a male teacher said. "I wish [the administrators] would come in and teach for a day."

The teacher expressed frustration with the data-driven era of public education. He said he spends hours a week "reporting" data and can barely keep up with his crowded honors classes.

And teachers say they lack guidance on how to use the data to improve their teaching. Two out of every five local teachers surveyed said they did not receive training last year on the use of student achievement data.

One teacher said since honors classes aren't capped, regular students are thrown into his class. One of his classes has 34 students in it.

"They think, 'If it's not broke, push it til it breaks,'" he said. "Electives and honors classes have turned into dumping grounds."

Because his students are at such varying levels, he compared his lesson plans to teaching an orchestra one instrument.

Teacher-student ratio

"The single most important factor in student success is teacherstudent ratio," he said. "I don't know why parents aren't talking about that more."

Moving beyond his own classroom, the teacher was perturbed at the changes in city public education since Mayor Michael Bloomberg took control of schools in 2002.

"Klein and Bloomberg, what a bunch of idiots!" he exclaimed. "They put all these initiatives into play and they only last three or four years. Then, all of a sudden it's a new flavor and a new sheriff. The teachers are tired of it. They figure, 'this too shall pass.'"

One of the survey's bright spots showed three-quarters of teachers feeling that their principals support them, but some questioned the results - both positive and negative - because the local response rate was lower than the city average, which was 48 percent. Additionally, the survey asked questions about the 2006-2007 school year, when four principals announced their resignation. No teachers at PS/MS 37 answered the survey.