chatboard - Teachers.Net

Join Teachers.Net

Chatboards

Recent Groups

Beginning Teachers

MEMBERS

6 Members

+ Join Group

Pinned Posts

ALLAll Teachers

Teachers.Net LIVE CHAT Support group - Tues eve!

Featured Jobs

Full-timeMontessori Teacher

Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada

TemporaryTeachers, rural schools

Peace River North School District

Full-timeHead Teacher: 2nd/3rd Grades – Mills College Children’s School

Mills College

Teaching Jobs on Teachers.Net

Featured Job special only $39!

https://teachers.net/jobs

Become a Teachers.Net sponsor!

Beginning Teachers Chatboard

Asst Principal is a nightmare

by anonymous

Jan 14, 2012

I'm a .. art teacher in a small school. I have had numerous issues and it just keeps getting worse. I hate my AP and I feel like he's looking to get me to quit my job. When testing came around we were told to not "NEVER" let students out of the room. I had told students to go to the bathroom beforehand and was told by my AP that I "have no common sense" when a student told him what I had said after I was just following what was told to us. I feel like I do what I think is right and then it's thrown in my face. I've been told to follow the handbook and then when I do I'm told "it's not black and white. Not every infraction has the same punishment." It's like they tell you one thing and then when you do that you're told it's the wrong thing. I honestly feel like screaming. I was a student teacher before this, a substitute, a waitress, etc. I have never been so disrespected or made to feel so small. My AP has this smirk like he's laughing inside when he calls me into the office to speak w...See More

Comment

(3)

report post

Do you have a mentor? Take a deep breath. Is there anyone on the faculty you can trust? Is there a union rep you can speak with? I wish I could offer advice but maybe someone else can help.

On 1/14/12, anonymous wrote: > I'm a .. art teacher in a small school. I have had numerous > issues and it just keeps getting worse. I hate my AP and I > feel like ...See More

Jan 14, 2012

report post

teacher who's been around the block for 30 years think is right and then it's thrown in my face. I've been >> told to follow the handbook and then when I do I'm told >> "it's not black and white. Not every infraction has the same >> punishment." It's like they tell you one thing and then when >> you do that you're told it's the wrong thing. I honestly >> feel like sc...See Morethink is right and then it's thrown in my face. I've been >> told to follow the handbook and then when I do I'm told >> "it's not black and white. Not every infraction has the same >> punishment." It's like they tell you one thing and then when >> you do that you're told it's the wrong thing. I honestly >> feel like screaming. I was a student teacher before this, a >> substitute, a waitress, etc. I have never been so >> disrespected or made to feel so small. My AP has this smirk >> like he's laughing inside when he calls me into the office >> to speak with him. I am tired of being brought to tears and >> unsure of what to do. >> >> I love teaching but hate my AP... What would you do?

----> Sorry to say this but this is what teaching is often like in many schools. Your AP probably isn't really smirking at you but under a bunch of pressure and handling it extremely poorly. Not an excuse for your AP but it helps to put it in perspective in terms of how you see yourself if you realize your AP is in over his head.

You will be disrespected in teaching...that's a given..by students, parents and administration. So it's best to develop a very thick skin that will allow you to stay calm through all this. (and it takes time and experience to get your skin nice and thick).

In this case after the AP got it all their system I probably would have calmly asked "How best should I have handled the situation? I went by the handbook but maybe I missed something and there's a better way?

btw....I'm willing to bet loads of money you're not the only teacher going through this. Unfortunately teachers tend to clam up and take it personally when administrators act like this. But I bet as you search around for some good mentoring (that suggestion previously was excellent) you're going to find stories of it happening to others. That also will help you get this in perspective.

Good luck and keep in mind you WILL develop the skills you need to survive admins like this. It just takes time.

Jan 15, 2012

report post

Prof Phil On 1/15/12, teacher who's been around the block for 30 years wrote: >>> think is right and then it's thrown in my face. I've been >>> told to follow the handbook and then when I do I'm told >>> "it's not black and white. Not every infraction has the same >>> punishment." It's like they tell you one thing and then...See MoreOn 1/15/12, teacher who's been around the block for 30 years wrote: >>> think is right and then it's thrown in my face. I've been >>> told to follow the handbook and then when I do I'm told >>> "it's not black and white. Not every infraction has the same >>> punishment." It's like they tell you one thing and then when >>> you do that you're told it's the wrong thing. I honestly >>> feel like screaming. I was a student teacher before this, a >>> substitute, a waitress, etc. I have never been so >>> disrespected or made to feel so small. My AP has this smirk >>> like he's laughing inside when he calls me into the office >>> to speak with him. I am tired of being brought to tears and >>> unsure of what to do. >>> >>> I love teaching but hate my AP... What would you do? > > > ----> Sorry to say this but this is what teaching is often like > in many schools. Your AP probably isn't really smirking at you > but under a bunch of pressure and handling it extremely poorly. > Not an excuse for your AP but it helps to put it in perspective > in terms of how you see yourself if you realize your AP is in > over his head. > > You will be disrespected in teaching...that's a given..by > students, parents and administration. So it's best to develop a > very thick skin that will allow you to stay calm through all > this. (and it takes time and experience to get your skin nice > and thick). > > In this case after the AP got it all their system I probably > would have calmly asked "How best should I have handled the > situation? I went by the handbook but maybe I missed something > and there's a better way? > > btw....I'm willing to bet loads of money you're not the only > teacher going through this. Unfortunately teachers tend to clam > up and take it personally when administrators act like this. > But I bet as you search around for some good mentoring (that > suggestion previously was excellent) you're going to find > stories of it happening to others. That also will help you get > this in perspective. > > Good luck and keep in mind you WILL develop the skills you need > to survive admins like this. It just takes time.

I am in higher education, so it is different than K-12, but I think the advice above is well stated. What is common to all education is basically poor leadership and too many big egos. If you want a career in education, you have to mature and develop a thick skin. You need to develop a network of peers that you can lean on and use for mutual support. The experienced teachers know how to cooperate, but also how to keep what is good and discreetly reject advice that will not work. Sometimes it is persistence on your part that will ease the problem. In my 40 year career (10 as an engineer and 30 as a professor) I found that waiting things out worked a majority of the time. I have worked with some good administrators, but the farther people get from the classroom, the more they seem to lose track of reality (e.g. adding time-wasting requirements to teachers and/or micromanaging).

Jan 16, 2012

report post