It has been 5 years since I left Packeminm, and even more since some others have left but you still are talking about us at department conferences. While I am thrilled to provide you with material for your long, often boring and always useless and incomprehensible meetings, I am impelled to speak to you now, and give you some words of advice.
First off, my fellow retirees and I are gone a very long time and most of the teachers in the department have no idea who we are or why you hate us so much. But, since we both know many of them read this blog, I will fill them in on all that they are missing.
Mr. AP only likes the young and innocent. He likes the ones who revere him and call him uncle and who cower and bow when he speaks. Mr. AP also needs a punching bag and there always will be one of you ready to fulfill that need. You see, many of us, the ones he talks crap about were once well liked too. We were the ones who created programs, wrote curriculums and made sure everyone was being educated to the highest level possible. We stayed late and came in early and were responsible for the department's reputation. You think you are safe but you are not.
And now back to advice for Mr. AP. Start conducting meetings that will actually help your teachers and in turn, the students. Prepare your remarks and make sure they are making sense. Try to understand, as you once did, that different teachers have different methods just as different students learn differently. I remember when you told me you didn't understand how I conducted my class, but it worked and I should keep on doing it. You even entrusted me to teach a class of 28 seniors who had never passed a math class and was more than pleased when 27 out of 28 passed.
Mr. AP, I remember sitting with my colleagues and being bored to death at your conferences. We counted the seconds until we could leave and walked out making fun of everything you said and suggested we do as most made no educational sense. I remember being in the math office late one afternoon and was surprised to hear the newbies, the little angels, the teachers you put on pedestals making fun of you too. Most of them see right through you but humor you to keep their jobs and their good programs. So, as a final suggestion I suggest you observe other Assistant Principals and learn the proper way to conduct a meeting and treat the teachers who work in your department.
I trust you will take this advice and give up your practice of bad mouthing retired teachers and focus on things that will help the teachers and students under your care, especially if you don't want posts like this to keep appearing.
Sincerely yours,
Gone but not forgotten
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