The First Day

  

 



Everyone hurried through the halls, finding familiar classrooms or looking for new ones.  Old friends hugged and caught up on all that had happened since they last saw each other.  Others, introduced themselves and gave directions to the bathroom, coffee machine and offices.  Teachers and students alike were full of smiles and happy to be back.  The program administrator walked into each and every classroom, welcoming and checking for problems.  All were happy to see ehr.

In case you are wondering,it was the first day of Si Beagle retirement classes, one of the happiest places on earth. 

Unhappiness, The Administrative Way To Cleanse Staff



According to Wikipedia, happiness is a mental or emotional state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy.  Intense joy was not always something I felt while teaching, but I know I always felt pleasure while in the classroom and while interacting with my students and my colleagues.  This happiness flowed helped me became what I hoped was a good teacher.

Unhappiness , or depression, is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can have a negative effect on a person's thoughts, behavior, world view, and physical well being.  Depressed people often lose interest in activities that were once pleasurable.  Many of today's teachers are in a state of depression caused by conditions around them.  Many are caused by the administration.  School Principals and Assistant Principals can't control the crap coming from outside, they can't control paychecks but they can control work environments.  They can stop empowering the wrong people, and they can stop putting one teacher above another.  There is a lot they can do to relieve unhappiness, yet they choose to do nothing.  Is it laziness?  Is it apathy?  Or, is it a desire to push out people who have done no wrong and can't be gotten rid of traditional ways?

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Joy Of Not Teaching High School



Bozo was in a wicked mood and would not stop being disruptive and clowning around.  I said one more outburst and he was gone.  He didn't believe I would follow through, but I did.  I told him to go for a walk and come back when he could control himself.  The class snickered as he left.  Bozo returned five minutes later, head hung low and cooperated for the rest of the class.

Teaching college is great.  There are no teacher penalties for asking someone to leave.  A dean is not necessary and a call home is not even permissible.  Teaching college is great!