Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Not sure if this should be in work and employment, but since I"m in a school I figured fellow teachers would understand better.
My team had a disagreement over a particular issue. At the end of the disagreement, a teacher with 21 years of service says pointedly, "I don't think anyone should go to administration about this issue."
How would you feel if you were in your 2nd year in the district and have someone who has no supervisory role say that to you?
There could be so many different reasons why that seasoned teacher said that.
Being it's just your second year there you probably don't know the politics yet of the administration.
I'd just go to that teacher in private and ask them why they said that.
You never know..it could be to protect you all from being micromanaged in the future.
Having been in several different school districts I have come to see that they are like little independent countries with their own bureaucracy. Some are run like dictatorships while others are more democratic. Sure they all answer to the state and fed but the day to day is left up to them.
Not sure if this should be in work and employment, but since I"m in a school I figured fellow teachers would understand better.
My team had a disagreement over a particular issue. At the end of the disagreement, a teacher with 21 years of service says pointedly, "I don't think anyone should go to administration about this issue."
How would you feel if you were in your 2nd year in the district and have someone who has no supervisory role say that to you?
I'm not a teacher, but my gut reaction is this 21 year experienced teacher has gotten your administration figured out. This may come as a shock, but principals and superintendents aren't necessarily your friend. Without knowing any real details, I would weigh what this person said very closely before I (with only 1 year teaching experience) go shuffling off to the administration office.
This person also didn't TELL you what to do. It was merely an opinion. Why not talk one on one with the experienced teacher as to his/her reasoning?
If no conclusion has still been reached regarding your team's disagreement on whatever the issue is, I'd attempt to reconvene to discuss.
You didn't say what the issue was, and that matters. Some issues belong "in house" others, because of the potential impact, need to be shared. If this is something petty, unless you want to isolate yourself from your coworkers, you need to keep quiet. If it is something serious, you probably have a moral obligation to report. It may well be that one of your colleagues is notorious for running to the administration every time something doesn't go their way and her words were directed to that person. Again, the subject being disputed matters.
I only taught a few years and fortunately with no problems worth mentioning, but, you've received really good info for your question. Especially, be mindful the administration isn't necessarily your friend.
Not sure if this should be in work and employment, but since I"m in a school I figured fellow teachers would understand better.
My team had a disagreement over a particular issue. At the end of the disagreement, a teacher with 21 years of service says pointedly, "I don't think anyone should go to administration about this issue."
How would you feel if you were in your 2nd year in the district and have someone who has no supervisory role say that to you?
Please don't take this the wrong way, I'm just trying to get this clear in my mind. First you said it was a team disagreement which had me thinking there were several involved, but then you said she said it to you. Also, would you feel okay giving more info about the issue and circumstances? I mean was it a disagreement over what colors to use on the hallway bulletin board or was it about students bringing knives to school.
I'd also like to know more about the 21 year veteran. Did you work with her last year and is this par for the course for her?
1) The Principal is not your friend.
2) He may like you but if a bus comes along he will throw you under it. Unless you're a coach (with a winning record and regular appearances in championship games) or a frat brother. Or he or one of the VPs is sleeping with you. The operative phrase for most teachers vis a vis the Principal is "What have you done for me today and what have you done to make me look good? My bonus depends on you.".
3) You're a 2nd year teacher. One with 2 decades has given you sound advice.
4) Refer back to #1.
I have 30 years and have invited additional scrutiny this year because I've decided to be an ass. In the first 5 days of school last week I was observed 9 times. Was given a Teacher Compliance Form afterwards twice by the P and a VP for the same "offense": Bulletin Boards do not adequately reflect the subjects taught.
1) The Principal is not your friend.
2) He may like you but if a bus comes along he will throw you under it. Unless you're a coach (with a winning record and regular appearances in championship games) or a frat brother. Or he or one of the VPs is sleeping with you. The operative phrase for most teachers vis a vis the Principal is "What have you done for me today and what have you done to make me look good? My bonus depends on you.".
3) You're a 2nd year teacher. One with 2 decades has given you sound advice.
4) Refer back to #1.
I have 30 years and have invited additional scrutiny this year because I've decided to be an ass. In the first 5 days of school last week I was observed 9 times. Was given a Teacher Compliance Form afterwards twice by the P and a VP for the same "offense": Bulletin Boards do not adequately reflect the subjects taught.
I am really astounded to read about the huge number of teachers that get dinged for their bulletin boards.
I guess those bulletin boards have come quite the way in stature when what's on them can make or break a teaching career.
"Why were you let go from your last position ?"
"My bulletin boards were out of date."
On the other hand maybe that should be a top item on your resume:
Always kept bulletin boards updated daily.
I am really astounded to read about the huge number of teachers that get dinged for their bulletin boards.
I guess those bulletin boards have come quite the way in stature when what's on them can make or break a teaching career.
"Why were you let go from your last position ?"
"My bulletin boards were out of date."
On the other hand maybe that should be a top item on your resume:
Always kept bulletin boards updated daily.
Well it started out with my schedule being changed. I have been teaching the same elective for over 20 years and built the program up over that time. Over the course of those years several students have gone on to get their PhDs in the subject and parents I've taught insist their kids take the class.
Well this year, to accomodate a teacher who stops coming in at Halloween, he was given that elective and I was given his core classes to teach (I've also taught one or another core every year so the issue wasn't my skating with those). Putting on my Principal hat I can understand why, his leaving an elective and the kids having a sub the rest of the year is less disruptive. When he did it a couple years ago I picked up his AP class and my elective kids had the sub.
Although I knew this happening was a possibility at the end of the year in June I stayed pissed off all summer (which isn't really hard for me to do anyway).
Long story short, first day of pre-service a couple weeks ago I mentioned to the Principal that every Principal I worked for over the years had gotten rid of people, many times just because they didn't like the teacher. Including him. Also mentioned the sexual harrassment issue one of the VPs has which drove a teacher out.
One Principal I had and her main VP went after a teacher one year because they didn't like her shoes, they joked about it.
Add to my general pissiness is the fact that parents are coming in and demanding that their kid be pulled out of the class because the teacher doesn't come in (this is his 4th year at the school, he's left and not returned by the middle of November all 3 years so far) and the Principal is feeling some heat. Upshot is that I'm being observed multiple times per day.
And I do have my hostile work environment file started. Have to drop that word to the right person this week so it filters back downstairs.
My team had a disagreement over a particular issue. At the end of the disagreement, a teacher with 21 years of service says pointedly, "I don't think anyone should go to administration about this issue." How would you feel if you were in your 2nd year in the district and have someone who has no supervisory role say that to you?
Have you gone to administration about other issues? That was my first reaction, that they were trying to give you a nickel's worth of free advice because you'd made some rookie mistakes already. You are in your second year there. The other teacher has 21. Whether or not they're your favorite person in the world, if you're smart, you'll try to learn from them. Clearly they've figured out how to stay in the profession. Teachers in their first 3 years tend to have the most trouble because they sometimes don't understand how the system works and how to float along in it.
The administration is not your friend. They are not your ally. Out of the six principals and countless assistant principals who have shuffled through over the course of my career, I can think of about two I sort of trusted. And even those, I was smart enough not to get on their radar unless I really had to. You do not EVER want to get on the principal's radar unless it is for a good thing, like your teaching was recognized as outstanding. Sometimes it simply can't be avoided. However, 99% of disagreements do not need to go in front of the principal. Part of being a success in this business is knowing how to work with people, and how to steer clear of trouble when you don't particularly get along with someone.
Imagine the teacher who goes to the principal to complain that: 1. The staff was held five minutes over on a staff meeting. This is against union rules. 2. They don't like the fact that Susie keeps moving their lunch down a shelf when they put it in the staff refrigerator. 3. They disagree with Bob about what to do during a team meeting... is it becoming clear to you now how that comes across? The complainer looks like the problem. They are constantly bringing up issues when the principal expects teachers to not only NOT bring up issues, but actively SOLVE them. The last thing they want are teachers who have petty complaints like the kids.
What was this "disagreement" on the team about, anyway?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
