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I would definately start looking for alternate options that allow you to have a good working relationship with the teachers. You are there to help the children, and having a contentious relationship with the teachers does not help the children. Keeping that is the ultimate goal, talk to some senior teachers, look around the school, talk to the new resource teacher, look at alternative options.. and then present this to the principal.
Remind the principle that your ulimate responsibility is to the children, you need a working enviroment with some confidentiality, and you need a good working relationship with all the teachers.
I would be upset if my lounge were taken away as well, and if I sensed that you were "pleased" with your new digs, it would only make me more upset that you didn't understand how important it is to teachers.
I agree with asking to have the school resource officer moved to the lounge. He/she should be spending most of the time out among the kids anyway and more than likely has a laptop in the patrol car.
You are not alone. I am hated right now too. If I had fully understood that before I had accepted the job I would not have taken it. Seriously, I am a "one of the gang, hang out" type of person, it is not my personality to be the hated one.
I pull kids out of their regular classes 3 times per week. The teachers all ask me, "you aren't pulling them out of MY class are you?" But I have to. I don't have a choice.
I really don't like it and hope to get a different job at some point because this just doesn't work with my personality. A couple of teachers won't even speak to me and they just met me!
Tell the teachers you didn't pick this and to ask the principal why you had to be placed there.
Wow we must work at the same school! LOL But seriously, I like my job and (when I shut the door) I actually enjoy my working conditions ). Now that I've been at school for almost 3 weeks, I realize that in this new location, I can have very little interaction with the teachers and still get my job done (on time). I make requests via email -the teachers check their messages at the beginning of the period and just send the kids to me. We work well when we don't have to face each other. I spoke with the prinicpal and she was not going to budge- she wasn't willing to meet the teachers halfway with any of the ideas I presented to her. Yes, they're a cheery bunch to work with. One big happy dysfunctional family. Well since I am the redheaded step child in this situation, I'll deal with things the way they are.
And yes, I've been asked that exact question "You aren't pulling them out of MY class...?" I've been tempted to say, 'well I could leave Johnny in here and allow him to continue to raise holy hell OR I could talk to him and try to make some progress in this situation..." LOL.
If it weren't for helping the kids, I would definitely prefer not to work with this bunch.
I'm sorry to hear what you're going through but, you have to stand up for yourself. Let them understand what you do and why you need the space. Be sympathic about them need additional space. If you give up your space where will they put you (outside). May you can suggest them sharing a room with another department or club where privacy isn't a concern for them
Was this seriously the only teachers' lounge in a school of ~2,000 students, or are they just upset because you are in space that was "theirs"?
And, as to teachers "must" have a place to eat lunch, relax, etc, why is it so many private sector employees manage to work all day without having a lounge and/or lunch room? Hmm, maybe because we are generally required to work our entire day rather than only so many minutes or periods (at least here in this area), so a lounge is not really necessary?
And, as to teachers "must" have a place to eat lunch, relax, etc, why is it so many private sector employees manage to work all day without having a lounge and/or lunch room? Hmm, maybe because we are generally required to work our entire day rather than only so many minutes or periods (at least here in this area), so a lounge is not really necessary?
If people in the private sector are spending all day with 30 hormonal 12 year olds, I'd hope they'd have a child-free space to be too!
I can relate to this too, I work for an agency half time, and I work as sort of a consultant to one of our member agencies the other part of my time. I started in their office this summer. I was shocked. I thought they thought of me as one of their employees but they are careful to make the distinction that I am "not one of them" and I was actully given the worst work space, no one said hello to me and there was no orientation and very little help. I had to figure everything out on my own, including the objectives for the huge project I had to do, that they did not even understand. I have to admit I kinda felt like I was in a sweatshop!!! And it was like night and day from my other office, where I am treated with dignity and respect....and I have a nice office all to myself. (forgot to mention that I had to share my awful workspace with another person, considered almost as lowly as myself)
Its been a few months now....okay more like 9.
I've realized that the management there is awful, no one is really happy and it is very dysfunctional!! my cube mate and I have been moved to fancier quarters (a nicer cube, with drawers and more space!! woo!) and we laugh and laugh about how lowly we are treated and it does help. I have found most people in the organization feel this way and everyone deals with it differently.
Some people take things out on the new people....but especially if the new people are considered a consultant or more highly paid. They probably think you dont have to deal with the management they have to deal with and they probably think you are rich because you are from an outside agency (I know I get paid more than some of the people who treat me like I'm an idiot....and they HATE IT).
ITs nothing at all personal, I really think these people don't know how to deal with the fact that they had to fight so hard for what they had....and maybe they think they could have gotten a better deal but somehow gave up in life....then you come along and you are pretty, maybe younger, and probably make more money....yes, you are probably the object of a few people's hatred....but a few probably realize how stupid that is and they are really mad at the principal, themselves....and the ones that are mature enough to realize that probably are just so caught up in their day to day, the school culture etc, they have not taken the time to talk to you and make you feel more welcome.
I'd say give it time...for find a better situation and do your best to be nice...but don't go to far. In my situation, it has worked better to just be myself. I've found myself commiserating with a few people who are also low on the totem pole....it can be pretty fun to poke fun at the mangement behind their backs! I guess I mean, I dont think you need to be a total kiss up -- they wont respect you. They will eventually realize you deserve to be treated like a human and you are working hard just like they are.
I'm just doing some simple math here. If you have 2000 students in your school, where are the other counselors housed? I'm in a 5-8 school with about 600 students and we have 2 full time counselors so I find it very difficult to believe that there is only one contract counselor for 2000 students. If your teacher:student ratio is close to ours, then you must have about 120+ teachers/staff in your building!!! How in the world can a school misplace that many teachers out of their lounge for the benefit of one contract person? Doesn't make sense to me. The numbers just don't "add up"! If that many people lost the one place they have to take a break from their classrooms then I can surely understand them being upset. I also don't understand how that many people can be "against you" if you've done your job and attempted to get along with everyone, especially for the kids' sake. I'm not judging you personally, it just seems that there are some missing facts here that make the whole scenario hard to fathom. I'm trying to put myself in the shoes of the teachers there and trying to help you all come to a logical conclusion, but I think I need more info!
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). Now that I've been at school for almost 3 weeks, I realize that in this new location, I can have very little interaction with the teachers and still get my job done (on time). I make requests via email -the teachers check their messages at the beginning of the period and just send the kids to me. We work well when we don't have to face each other. I spoke with the prinicpal and she was not going to budge- she wasn't willing to meet the teachers halfway with any of the ideas I presented to her. Yes, they're a cheery bunch to work with. One big happy dysfunctional family. Well since I am the redheaded step child in this situation, I'll deal with things the way they are.
back bone
