Showing posts with label deans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deans. Show all posts

Thursday, April 16, 2015

Class Room Management


The class was hard to handle and I called the deans more times than I was comfortable with, but, I was at my wits end and needed help.

At the end of the semester I went to the head of security and apologized for calling so often.  He told me not to worry.  Every student I had called about had a file two inches thick in his office.  He said I called less than other teachers and I actually had done a good job dealing with them.

My AP did not agree.  He never stopped letting me know how bad I was at classroom management and to this day, 4 years after I retired, still takes time from department conferences to remind the staff of how awful I was.

I learned never to call him.  Several years later I had another hard to handle class.  This time I went to the Principal for help.  After paying the class a short visit he told me some of the students were incorrigible.  Of course, to my AP, I was at fault again.

Another teacher in the department had a rough class.  She went on sabbatical and he gave the class to a new teacher.  But, before handing over the class, he removed the 3 biggest trouble makers.  The class was well behaved and he never stopped telling everyone how the new teacher did what the experienced teacher could not do.  He never even considered removing students for the old timer.

Judge teachers, but judge them fairly.  Realize some kids are just going to do the wrong thing and no one can stop that.  Stop stacking class and stop blaming teachers for things they cannot control.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Double Standards


Ajay came into class extremely late. When asked for a late pass, he responded, "I was with Mr. Dean" in the dean's office. He said to call him if I had a problem with his being late. I did not believe Ajay. The dean's office is always telling us to make sure we give late passes and to make sure we get them when the kids are late.

Not wanting a big confrontation with Ajay, I just told him to go sit down. On his way out, I told him to go see Mr. Dean and bring me back a pass. Ajay said, "No problem" and scurried down to the dean's office. At this point, I was almost believing him.

Within five minutes of Ajay's leaving, the phone in the room rang. "Hello", the voice on the other end said, "this is the dean's office. I am calling to confirm that Ajay is telling you the truth and he was here with Mr. Dean."

Now, I had to interrupt my class to let Ajay in late, I had to speak to him after class about the same issue and I had to interrupt my next class to take a call from the dean's office because Mr. Dean could not interrupt his activities to write the late pass in the first place.

Where else but in a public school would you find these double standards?