Dilbert Does It Again

I saw this cartoon and thought about a supervisor who had know idea about anything she was supervising.  She picked the brains of the experienced and knowledgeable and then tossed them aside when there was nothing left to gnaw off.

You young ones beware.  She hired you because you are smarter than she is and you make her look good but she will toss you aside too once she has extracted all the good you have.

Dread

This is my 5th year free from returning to work after the summer but those memories are still clear.  I was sad to see my days of lingering in bed and having lots of free time end but I was also excited about the new year, seeing colleagues and former students and meeting new ones.  Oh, don't get me wrong even after 30+ years I still got butterflies in my stomach and didn't sleep much the night before but walking in that door the first day was a high I will never forget.

I am blessed because I still get that feeling the first day of classes in the college and whenever I get a call to cover another class.  I won't say I don't enjoy the money because it is very nice but I wouldn't work if being there didn't make me feel so good.  (Thank you pension for providing me with the means not to work, the pension that cost me blood, sweat and tears.)

I listen to teachers who went back this week who dreaded going back.  They knew no matter what they did the year would not go well.  Supervisors who had been gunning for them last year have already written up this year's review.  Their fate has been predetermined.

Principals and assistant Principals are supposed to care about the students in their charge.  They are supposed to want the best for them but how can this be when they make the people in their immediate care so miserable?  How can a teacher be expected to do a great job when their is someone pointing a smoking gun at their head?

All you incompetent, miserable APs and Principals, you guys know exactly who I am talking about.  You, with little or no experience.  You, who took licensing exams multiple times.  You are getting your kicks now but your time will come.  May you have as many sleepless nights and stomach problems as the ones you are perpetuating on good, caring teachers.

Department Memo

Dear Teachers,

Today is a great day.  I have succeeded in making another one of you old timers leave.  I have harassed him non stop, gave him U ratings and labeled him ineffective two years in a row.  I wandered into his classroom multiple times, making sure to stop by at the end of days, immediately after fire drills and the last and first day back from vacations.  I don't care how many extra hours he gives his students.  If he did his job correctly, he would not need to spend so much time helping them outside of school.  I have finally won.  He is gone.

I am now one step closer to creating the department I want and I deserve.  You veteran teachers better take this as a warning.  You all know who is next on my hit list.  I have already started writing up your observations for next year and they are not pretty.  I also know exactly how I will berate you at department conferences and insist you observe the 22 year old who has been out of college and teaching for three weeks.  You can't win against me.  Just leave now and save us a lot of work and save yourself heart ache.

Have a nice summer.  It might be your last stress free time for months to come.

Your Loving AP

Not A Good Principal

A good Principal works to create a pleasant environment for students and teachers.  Everyone does better when they are happy.  Teachers who are taken care of take better care of their students.  Yet, not all believe this.

When a Principal and an AP join forces to undermine the teachers in the school, they are working together to destroy morale and to bring the school down.  I never got to know the Principal of my first school, the one who came on board while I was on child care leave.   He realized the tenured 25-year AP was U-rating some good teachers and making life unbearable for others.  He joined forces with our UFT chapter leader and took control. He stopped the detrimental behavior instead of feeding into it.

And that my friends, is one of the things a good Principal does.  Too bad there are almost none of these around anymore.

Here is to another snowy day in paradise.  It is so good to not be a part of that craziness anymore.

Barbecue Time

Several years ago, a math teacher was very upset about barbecues her supervisor was having.  She was never invited.  He told her his yard was small and he only invited his friends.  She told him she thought she was his friend but he said his house and his guest list.  She wouldn't give up pestering him for a future invite.  I think he might have eventually given in.

These "invite only" parties caused lots of bad feelings in the department.  The blatant favoritism was not good for morale and it took a toll of the staff.  Something must have happened because this year's invite just went out and almost the entire department was invited.  I did notice at least two names missing, the names of senior teachers.  Those who have been around will have to get their Memorial Day hot dogs else where.

(Long Island City and Roosevelt Island pictures here.)

Dealing With The Undealables

Regents proctoring reminds me of one of my all time least favorite APs.  I dreaded proctoring exams in her department and always begged for any other assignments.  Anyway, this post is for those who work in schools where the administrators have sticks a little to high up their butts with a little bit of advice on how to deal with them.

Prunella was in charge of one of the larger departments in our school. As you can see from her name, she was not a happy, smiling person. She terrorized her department and tried to do the same to everyone she came in contact with.

Prunella tried this on me a number of times. She was never successful.

Time 1: I returned regents exams. Although there were no instructions in the envelope, Prunella expected certain things to happen before she accepted the exams. We had to wait on long lines to hand them in. When my turn came, she complained that my papers were not in alphabetical order. I told her that there was no place that said I should alphabetize them. She said I had to sit and put them in order. I told her the only thing I had to do was go to lunch as I only had 30 minutes until my next assignment started and I left. She threatened to report me. I laughed and kept walking.  Nothing happened.   She knew I was right.

Time 2: Prunella came into a room was proctoring in and started screaming at me for some exam infraction she supposedly saw me commit. I went to the principal (pre-Suit) at that time and said that even if I am wrong, I should not be admonished that way, in front of students. He agreed. She ended up getting spoken to for her actions.

Time 3: I was teaching a 7-8 split program with a living environment teacher. The kids were difficult. Without notice, Prunella changed the days each class met. I found out about the change from the kids, was not prepared for the group I was given and the class was a disaster. I went to the principal (different one). Prunella was really given it this time and she apologized to me. She even was nice to me for a few weeks.

I used to see Prunella walking down the hall and hold the door for her. I watched her burn slowly. I always said you are welcome to her unsaid thank you. I managed to beat her at her own game.