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Qualified? More details, and an apology

August 23, 2006 pm31 1:36 pm

Two days ago I wrote here about Renee Cloutier, the new principal at PS7 in Riverdale who has, as I saw it, alarmingly little experience.

I based what I wrote, in part, on what Leo Casey wrote in Help Wanted on Edwize. Leo in turn used Inexperienced but Trained, an article in the August 16 NY Times by Samuel G Freedman.

Since then I found the Riverdale Press‘ [their homepage is just a little slideshow, with nothing to click. sorry – 2718] coverage of the leadership change, which has given me pause about the tone of my remarks (though not the general thrust). The Riverdale Press is unabashedly liberal, pro-public education, etc etc.

For more details, and my apology, click ———>

1. Cloutier, according to the Times, taught for 4 years and was an Assistant Principal for 9 months. The Press has her start teaching in ’99, outside of Albany. They also mention she was a ‘coach’ (sort of a teacher of teachers). The year in Colonie brings her years teaching to 5, but the time coaching reduces at least one year to part time (from a teacher’s point of view. The Board would count the year coaching as a year of teaching).

2. And of course I know that being an AP for 9 months is part of a general slur against teachers, that we don’t work a full year. I would argue that those 9 months are a full year.

3. I mentioned that the outgoing principal is the wife of Andy Wolf, who writes about education, saying things I often don’t like in a newspaper I don’t like, and as well he publishes the Riverdale Review, another newspaper I don’t like. All true, but…

It was grossly sexist of me to measure the woman in any way by her spouse. I apologize to all of my readers for having done so.

I have no idea if Dita Wolf was a good principal, but the Riverdale Press certainly said kind things about her 20 years as a teacher, librarian, assistant principal, and principal, all at PS7. They quote a teacher praising her tenure. And it seems that she has earned a reputation through her promotion of the arts.

Further, though it may not be a direct measure of Ms. Wolf’s leadership, I have taught at the high school level some well-prepared students who passed through her school, and perhaps even her classroom.

I have embarassed myself, and will endeavor to not repeat this behavior

from → Bronx, NY, Education, New York City, nyc, Teachers, The Wide World
2 Comments leave one →
  1. nani permalink
    August 27, 2006 pm31 2:13 pm 2:13 pm

    Do you live in Riverdale?! (Sorry for leaving this in the comments but I didn’t see any contact information in your sidebar)

    Anyway, don’t be so hard on yourself. We all have reason enough to be skeptical. She really doesn’t have much in the way of classroom experience. I suppose she has enough, combined with administrative training, to do her job. Some people are just born to be managers and maybe she is one of them. For that matter, I am a good manager but I would never deign to be an AP with only 5 years of teaching under my belt… but to each, her own!

    Reply
  2. jd2718 permalink*
    August 27, 2006 pm31 2:27 pm 2:27 pm

    Not in Riverdale, but within walking distance, with a sufficiently generous definition of “walking distance.” The Riverdale Press is sold at one of the local bodegas.

    I’m not really sure that 6 years in education should be enough to be a principal, even for a good manager. So much knowledge comes straight from experience…

    Thanks for the kind words. But I know better.

    Did you find the congratulations I left under the wrong post?

    And you can reach me at [jd2718] [at] [gmail] [dot] [com].

    Reply

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