A.B.

Posted on 10/24/09

Good afternoon, everyone! I have landed a dream teaching
job and I need some advice before it turns into a
nightmare.

After 15 years in industry I joined my local school
district this year to teach graphic design at the high
school CTE/"vo-tech" level. I emerged from a bunch of red
tape to co-teach with another teacher who had been there 3
years. Just prior to the start of school I had an
orientation with the principal and voiced my concern about
my fellow teacher and I not stepping on each others' toes.
His response was an expectation for us to be professionals
and "work it out" -- a fair enough directive.

A few weeks ago and without prior warning, my co-teacher
let me know that we did indeed hit such a bump in the road.
In spite of my request/suggestion to work it out
face-to-face the co-teacher documented grievances and
emailed them to the principal. Among them were criticisms
of me as "arrogant" and "pompous" -- words I've never heard
associated with me during my time in front of other graphic
design coworkers, supervisors, or clients. We did
eventually talk about the documented issues and
understandings were reached, responsibilities were
determined, behaviors were dialed back.

This week I was a few minutes late to covering another
class, where I apologized and explained the comedy of
errors leading to it to the [different] teacher I was
covering. Later that day the principal called me down to
his office, and instead of an expected discussion of this
class coverage mishap he went on about how *multiple*
teachers consider me "arrogant" and "pompous."

Needless to say I was devastated and blindsided by this
revelation. My co-teacher and I seemingly had put this
issue to bed. Plus, I've only interacted regularly with a
handful of other teachers in my first two months; only two
have been significant (our testing coordinator in re:
PSATs, and taking over for an advisory teacher-turned-class
sponsor), and speaking with anyone else has been informal
-- cordial, professional, or both.

I don't understand what's going on here. Are there other
teachers who were in this position when they started, where
they didn't see something in themselves that others saw or
perceived as detrimental to staff support or students'
instruction? I'm at a very good school -- is it possible
there's some sort of insular/protectionist attitude with
the goal of getting me fired or getting me to quit?

I'm at a total loss here. I need some help.

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