Okay. So, we are midway through the school year, and I have to take time to reflect on where I’ve been, where I am at, and where I am going.
First off, let me say that I love teaching. It’s my first year, and I absolutely love it! My kids are lovely, and I’m finally comfortable with using the Reading and Writing Workshop model–I still have my issues with it. But, I have been able to incorporate what I want to do with the kids in addition to following what the region wants. It’s been a slow, but welcomed period of adjustment.
However, I am really frustrated with middle school. Not with the kids. But, I am so frustrated with how middle schools are managed. And, I am very unhappy with the one I am at. I have struggled for months about whether or not I want to return here for my second year, and I don’t. I really don’t. It has been a difficult decision to make–I’m teaching in one of the honors academies. My students are great kids, and I love them. They love me. But, I’m just bothered by the lack of respect the administration has for teachers AND the kids here.
For instance, I had a student in my class who was extremely disruptive and mean. He argued with other kids, and teachers. I followed the proper protocols for disciplining him: I took him aside to talk to him about his behavior, I called home. Nothing worked. I talked to my dean about the situation. He basically dismissed me. I went to my boss, and I was ignored. It wasn’t until the student actually beat up another kid in FRONT of my dean and boss that something was done. He was removed from my academy and put into one of the “general ed” academies.
But, I was singled out by faculty members in my academy for recommending that the boy leave. “We need to save our kids. We need to help them at all costs”, etc. was what I was told. But, I did help him to the best of my ability. And, nothing was done about it until he physically assaulted someone else. the kicker: the boy who was beaten up (who didnt provoke the fight) was suspended for a week. I’m still trying to make sense of that since my student was placed in in-house suspension for two days and was back in class..???
Its not just that. I just don’t have a really positive outlook on whether or not I can truly be successful as a teacher at this particular school. So, I’ve started the process for looking for another position for september 06. I’m making sure that I have a successful second semester (i.e. strong observations, daily improvement in my instruction, etc.) so that I can end my time here on a good note.
But, I will admit that my tenure here hasn’t been rewarding… coming in everyday to kids who are ready to learn is priceless. But, coming to a place where teachers bicker between academies, my boss seems to get a kick out of being rude to everyone and making everyone’s life here miserable. *Sigh* I’m trying hard NOT to take this personally. This is just how it is in middle schools, right? But, I know that if I intend to improve as a teacher, I need to be somewhere that I will be and can find support at my job. I haven’t found that here, and I feel that it is time for me to find it somewhere else.
7 Comments:
1 Persam1197
· Jan 26, 2006 at 10:04 pm
Hang in there! There’s a lot wrong with the system and it will probably continue like this because in most cases your adminstrative staff have no idea what they’re doing. The DOE manufacturing supervisors who are unseasoned educators is coming at a price: burning out new teachers.
Now for the positives: if you have kids learning and you are making a difference, that’s what matters. You clearly have great interpersonal relationship skills and your kids need you. When you close the door to your room and it’s just you and your kids and if there’s magic, it’s worth it!
The first year is always tough. If you can hang in there, do so for the sake of your kids. However, if you feel that you are going to burn out, the SBO transfer list should be coming out very soon. Should you decide to transfer, don’t make the same mistakes many of us have made in the past. Appearances can be deceiving. Talk to the staff at the school, especially the chapter leader to get the real deal at the new school. Check out the school report cards on line to see how well the school retains its staff. Also look for a balance between new and experienced personnel. A school with all newbies is not a good sign; they’re easily abused because they don’t know the system yet. If it’s an old age home, that’s not good either. Check out the educational philosophy of the school to see if its compatible with yours.
Finally, network with other teachers throughout the system via the UFT Teacher Center (an invaluable resource), professional development days, etc. Networking can mean the difference, whether it’s an opportunity to vent or to make a transfer to better environment.
2 jd2718
· Jan 26, 2006 at 11:07 pm
Persam,
there is no more SBO transfer. I don’t have any guidance yet on the new transfer plan. Stay tuned. And be alert. There may be funny wrinkles.
That being said, your advice will (likely) still be good: there will be a list of schools, teachers should do due diligence before applying.
& bxms teacher: the first year is often awful. I swear mine was the worst (but I know that that is not true). You probably do not want to consider transferring multiple times in your first few years: principals will have the final say over most transfers, and if they see a resume with several schools… well, it won’t go well. So the questions I often prompt first year teachers to ask are: How bad is this year? Could you survive one or two more in your current school? Would the extra experience gained by staying put a little longer help land you a better job when you do finally move?
Jonathan
3 NYC Educator
· Jan 27, 2006 at 7:57 am
“there is no more SBO transfer…”
Gee whiz. Why not?
4 jd2718
· Jan 27, 2006 at 2:49 pm
“there is no more SBO transfer…”
Gee whiz. Why not?
Because the new contract did away with them. Strange. I understand why the Board wanted to get rid of seniority transfers, but I thought they liked the SBO. Anyhow, with the new system what was taking place in most places (principal chose) is now official. I cannot see why a committee would even bother to meet under the new system.
We should watch out for principals who reject all transfer applicants and then hire the kid of a friend of a friend from outside the system. We should also watch out for systematic age discrimination. It’s only school-based personnel who will be able to see the pattern. I hope chapters are alert for this.
Jonathan
5 mvplab
· Jan 28, 2006 at 3:17 pm
transfers:
But the new contract requires that every opening has to be posted not just 50 percent of the positions as was the case before. It is true that now principals have the final word after a school committee interviews applicants, but I suspect that was almost always the case anyway.
Now that I have the “age,” age discrimination could be a problem and school committes should keep careful records to see if the principal creates a pattern of abuse/discrimination.(Not only age, but race, sex, and ethnicity.)
6 NYC Educator
· Jan 28, 2006 at 7:56 pm
The old contract required complete posting also. Whether or not rules were followed is a different matter entirely.
Now that the principal is no longer required to accept incoming transfers, there is no reason for them to hide openings, legally or otherwise.
For UFT members, this represents a step backward, and no benefit whatsoever. I was particularly troubled that the same folks who trumpeted the benefits of the UFT transfer plan were willing to stand and make the absurd argument that we are somehow better without it.
That speaks to their utter lack of integrity.
7 jd2718
· Jan 28, 2006 at 8:45 pm
With seniority transfers, half of all vacancies went to transfers, to UFT members. Under this plan there is no guarantee of any going to transfers.
Under SBO transfers, the committee had, theoretically, control of hiring. This theoretical control allowed them to balance the principal’s practical power, at least a bit. In most SBO schools the committee really met and interviewed the candidates.
Under the new contract the commmittee is both practically and theoretically powerless – it will be hard to get members to sit on these committees… I’d guess that committees will meet and conduct interviews in about 20% of schools… max.
I hope that chapters track hiring practices.
Jonathan