Re: No one will help me.

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Nichole,

What your principal did/didn't do was such a copout. It sounds
like you're doing a brilliant job and should be commended up
one side and down the other. If your principal had been on the
side of fairness and objectivity (not even "your" side), he
would have said something like, "Even though she has only been
teaching a short while, Nichole has one of the best and safest
classroom atmospheres on campus. Her reviews are glowing, and
the kids love her."

If your principal had a backbone, s/he would said that this
had nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the
stabber ... who needs professional counseling.

There is no way to prevent such instances from occuring again.
The teacher is NOT THE ONE IN CONTROL of each student when you
get real about it. Who's in control? Each student is in
control of him or herself!

If your classroom is both safe and warm, you have the best of
both worlds. Keep up the good work--your kids are lucky to
have you as their teacher.

What you might consider is getting a few more letters of
recommendation from other administrators, teachers, parents,
and (even) students, documenting your classroom atmosphere.
While I can't imagine anything punitive could be done on the
basis of this isolated (and bizarre) incident, it wouldn't
hurt to cover your bases. Especially since the principal is so
concerned with covering their *ss rather than fairly
representing you.

Best of luck!

Tom

On 9/29/11, Nichole wrote:
> I am a second year teacher and on my yearly evaluation last
> school year my principal stated that I " foster a warm,
> friendly and safe learning environment". I also believe I
> have great classroom management as I am a strict teacher. I
> am not being arrogant, I know I still have much to learn. I
> do not feel the advice given to me by my administrators was
> fair or just, and other teachers tell me to just "deal with
> it". I want to know how to prevent another incident like
> this one, this year.
>
> The incident: last school year round April I had an
> incident in my classroom. I work at a notoriously "rough"
> middle school with gangs and many fights occur weekly at my
> school. The incident last year occured with my 6th grade
> class. This class was a great class, no problems all year.
> I was giving a written exam that day and all the students
> were silent, working on their exams. The day before I had
> rearranged the seating chart and put two boys next to each
> other. Both boys were quiet and good students.I haden't had
> any probelms with either of them all year. I was walking
> around the classroom making sure that noone was cheating
> when all of the sudden the one boy in the very front row
> seat turned around ( without being provoked) and stabbed
> the boy behind him with a pencil. Thank the Lord it ony
> left a bruise. I followed protocol and he was taken to the
> nurse. That very day I was called into the principal's
> office to meet with the parents of the boy who had been
> stabbed. There was also an administrator there who had
> spoken to the boy who did the stabbing.
>
> The administrator started off by explaining to the parents
> that she had spoken to several students who where in the
> classroom during the incident, and that yes, the class was
> quiet and the boy, without warning, turned around and
> stabbed the other boy. When asked why he stabbed him, the
> boy explained that " he does not know.....he just snapped".
> Well, the parents ( of the boy who had been stabbed) looked
> at me and asked how long I had been teaching. I explained
> that this was my first year and they laughed at me. The
> mother was actually a person who worked for the school
> board in the school district in which I worked. The mother
> stated to me that if I had better classroom management the
> one boy would have never "had the nerve" to turn around and
> stab her son. My principal did not say anything and just
> sat there. The mother continued to lecture me on getting
> training for better classroom management until she felt
> vindicated. The principal ( in front of everyone) agreed to
> "get me into training as a new teacher".
>
> What?! This statement coming from my principal who had just
> given me a glowing evaluation. I am upset because I
> personally feel that I could not have done anything
> different to prevent what happened. Can I control what
> other students do to one another? How do I prevent this
> again? I am seriously considering quitting my career after
> this year. Any advice? Thanks, Nichole.
 

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