A.B.

Posted on 10/24/09

File this under the heading "paying immediate dividends." :)
Thank you for your responses and input, I'll address important
parts here.

On 10/24/09, 2nd Year Teacher wrote:
> A few times they had gone to the principal
> saying that I wasn't doing my job correctly and
> I wasn't following the rules. They sort of
> ganged up on me too, but I just stuck it out
> and kept on doing what I knew was right.

My principal went out of his way to say, "I have 5 new
teachers in the school this year, and you're the only one I
think isn't going to make it." Way to give a pep talk there,
chief.

On 10/24/09, did he give you any specific examples? wrote:
> Did the principal tell you what specifically
> you said or did that seemed arrogant or pompous?
> Do you have any idea where these comments are
> coming from?

The original use of those words came from my co-teacher in her
initial email to the principal. The principal just suggested I
talk to my colleagues in general and find out how I can
improve. I pressed for specific names of who'd come to him,
and actual instances of what was going wrong, and got nothing.
I didn't say this outright to him but I believe that was an
incredibly unfair move on his part. I'd much rather address
these issues one-on-one with people who have the issues and
use the knowledge going forward with everyone else, instead of
this shotgun approach that might plant seeds of doubt in
people's heads where none existed before. Also, you know, it
just kinda leaves it *hanging there.*

On 10/24/09, female career changer wrote:
> And you bring real world knowledge... that will
> be threatening.

Possibly to some of the other teachers, not to my co-teacher.
She still does freelance work on the side, as do I.

> There is a pecking order in schools... most
> teachers spend their career as teachers -
> there's no ladder to climb and it makes them
> more than a little batty. Thus, the pecking
> order and the extreme sensitivity and the very
> easy to raise the hair on their backs stuff.
[snip]
> Indignation abounds in schools - it's a first
> response reaction to almost everything.

I came into my position able to concurrently pursue CTE
teaching certification, which I'll then parlay into a
Master's. So although I'm teaching and going to school at the
same time, there's not really any "student teaching,"
practica, etc. My sister (former teacher) and mother (teacher
and district employee for 20+ years) suggested there might be
a bit of professional jealousy at play here.

> Are you sure you want to work in this place?
> By now you're rethinking the dream job idea...

Let's just say I'm in an ideal public school situation, and my
time in front of the students has ranged from O.K. to
fantastic. Time behind the scenes with stuff like this, not so
much.

> Never speak of what you did before. Try to be
> humble, humble, humble. As a woman, apologies
> come fairly easily to me even if I didn't do
> anything.

That was one key word the principal used: "humble." Which I
thought I was -- I feel/know I'm blessed to be at this
particular school, and understand I have a long way to go and
a lot of stuff to learn. I'm not sure what made it appear that
people believe I come across like God's gift to the school,
and so far I have no guidance (yet) on what I'm supposed to
track down and fix.

Is it possible my enthusiasm for coming to this school is
manifesting itself in some negative way that I'm not seeing

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