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Did you even try handing over you final eval along with your past good ones?
As for what happened you aren't going to be able to blame the admin. You need to find a way to admit you have responsibility in the situation, you've learned from this, and you would like to move on. Admin don't like excuses that make other admin look bad. If you're willing to talk about other admin behind their back what will you say about them? Also no one will be looking to hire someone that's going to being negativity to the building. The fact is you do have responsibility in the situation. You were warned and didn't comply with the requests. You seem to have these issues every year. I get that you love teacheing but the political part if it is huge. You have to learn how to get along with and earn the respect of your admin. I'd also say something about the fact you were not let go because of the evaluation but due to a reduction in force. I agree with the poster who said carry it with you when you interview so you can explain it on the spot. You're not the first teacher to go through this, you will work again, but positivity is key.
Are school administrator egos really that fragile that they think if you say one is bad they all are? People know about the Peter principle in industry. Do educators really think it doesn't apply to administrators?
I will be carrying my last four evaluations with me from here on out along with a dozen letters of recommendation from coworkers who are just stunned at my most recent evaluation. One of my students asked if she could write a letter for me but didn't know what to say so I told her what I was downgraded for. She looked puzzled and said "But you do all those things". I told her "That's what I need her to say."
I do think you're right about not going on the offensive with a potential new boss but this is going to take some work to do that. This evaluation isn't right. Here's an example: I spent 6 weeks in training classes last summer and then spent time doing my own research which I applied to my teaching, I go out of my way to learn new things to improve my teaching, I select half a dozen lesson plans per year to upgrade, I don't abuse sick days, I almost never say no when they need me to sub my prep, I volunteer to do things like cover detentions after school (I did double detentions so some of the girls in my classes could work theirs off in time for prom), I stay 2-3 hours after school to tutor students and make sure I'm doing robust labs, I chaperone dances, and I was told I have classroom management "down pat"...yet I was given a minimally effective for commitment to professionalism??? How do I explain that and make it look like it's my fault? What should I apologize for? I still don't now whether to scratch my butt or pat my head on that one. I want to see what teachers are doing who got effective on this one. My professionalism is one of the things my coworkers have always complimented me on both in and out of education.
So, if this were you, how would you play this? I have another interview next week so I need to figure out how to address this last evaluation. It's already cost me one job when the interview went great. I really need this. If I get a job I can forget going to court. All I have to do is get an effective evaluation next year and I'm golden. I really would rather just walk away but I need a job to do that.
Last edited by Ivorytickler; 06-13-2017 at 06:38 PM..
Getting my evaluation thrown out. Once that is done I'll be able to work again.
The way I see it I have two choices:
1) Accept my career is over which means 10 years of lost wages, having to purchase medical insurance at full cost and no pension because I need three more years to vcest at a loss of about $1 million in wages, benefits and pension.
2) File lawsuit at a cost of about $50k that will most likely clear my name and leave me able to find work again. Part of the settlement will be a gag order so I expect I will be able to find work again. I just want the eval over turned and a reference letter from my principal so I can find a job.
What would you suggest for a story? I have no idea why I was targeted or why the other teacher was targeted. Fortunately for her she was not laid off so she's not headed for the unemployment line. Both of us feel like no matter what we did it wasn't what they wanted this year. I'd rather not have to come up with a story at all. I don't have to if the court overturns my eval. That is worth way more than $50k to me.
And no I'm not going to use an ambulance chaser lawyer. The lawyer I'm talking to next week comes highly recommended and has already declared that this will be a win. The question isn't whether we'll get the eval overturned. The question is whether or not I can recoup any of my legal fees. Honestly, if I can't recover my expenses $50k is a small price to pay for being able to work for the next 10 years. Not that I want to spend it or that it's not wrong that I'm put in this situation but you gotta do what you gotta do. What I can't do is roll over.
Sometimes life limits your choices. I don't like it and I wish it were different but it is what it is. I was mad when it first happened but now I'm scared I'll never work again. I won't work again if I can't get this overturned. Michigan has a law on the books that basically puts me at the back of the line for hiring. It's not right and it's not fair but life often isn't fair or right.
While you might be able to prevent your principal from giving you a bad reference, you can't force someone to write you a good reference letter or even write you a letter at all. Your best case scenario is a ruling that any references be handled at district level and neutral.
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Last week I was tentatively offered a job as an English teacher, specialized position, pull kids out and work with them on getting back up to grade level, not a full on classroom job.....sounded pretty good.
Found out yesterday that NC rules state that unless you have a Master's IN the exact content area you are teaching, you can't get the Master's pay. I have two masters' degrees, but none in English specifically.
So, in addition to changing school districts and losing $2,500, which I was ok with, I would now lose an additional $6000-$6,500, which is what I get for my master's pay.
UGH. I was wiling to take the $2,500 pay cut, but I am not wiling to lose $8,500-$9,000 total.
I was told this by 3 different people so far, but plan to call the NC DOE tomorrow when I get a chance and verify.
NC already pays teachers so little, I still don't make what I made in CA 12 years ago.
Last week I was tentatively offered a job as an English teacher, specialized position, pull kids out and work with them on getting back up to grade level, not a full on classroom job.....sounded pretty good.
Found out yesterday that NC rules state that unless you have a Master's IN the exact content area you are teaching, you can't get the Master's pay. I have two masters' degrees, but none in English specifically.
So, in addition to changing school districts and losing $2,500, which I was ok with, I would now lose an additional $6000-$6,500, which is what I get for my master's pay.
UGH. I was wiling to take the $2,500 pay cut, but I am not wiling to lose $8,500-$9,000 total.
I was told this by 3 different people so far, but plan to call the NC DOE tomorrow when I get a chance and verify.
NC already pays teachers so little, I still don't make what I made in CA 12 years ago.
I can't imagine going back to my 1999 salary.
NC declared a war on teachers a couple of years ago and did everything in their power to strip their pay. The fun part is they now wonder why no one wants to teach there.
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I was offered the COUNSELING position this afternoon!
YAY! I am both shocked and excited!
Yeah! Congrats!
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