And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going
This time next week I'll be greeting a new batch of third graders, my fourth batch to be exact. It's hard to believe it's been only three years since I wrote this post or this one. For those of you who've been playing along at home you might know that the fourth year of teaching in the same district is also a significant one. That's because as soon as you walk through the door the first day of your fourth year, you are officially tenured.
Tenure is a sticky subject. For teachers, tenure means you can finally breathe a sigh of relief that, barring any unusual circumstances, your job is now and will always be, safe and secure. Security in the job market is next to impossible to come by these days. Teachers are one of very few groups that have that going for them, and still many districts find ways to make their newer teachers jump through hoops before letting them get the big T. Sometimes they lay out all the hoops and let them go right before acquiring tenure. It seems the world of education has "learned" a thing or two from corporate America, too.
What makes it sticky, however, is the fact that it can give a get out of jail free pass to teachers who never should have made it that far to begin with. Even worse, it can take good teachers and make them lazy. It's like the Hollywood mentality. Even actors start to phone it in once they know they've got a fan base. Some teachers do that, too. Once they don't have to dress to impress, they start going through the motions. This is why tenure, depending on who gets it, can be both a blessing and a curse.
But tenure is not the only new thing this teacher is getting this year. In fact, my school is literally overflowing with changes. Last year a lot changes started occurring towards the end of the year with an overabundance of transfers, maternity leaves and garden variety changes. I sat by quietly and watched all of these changes happening around me, hoping that when the dust settled, I'd still be staying put.
Back tracking a bit, all non tenured teachers in my district have to get observed four times their first year, and then three the next two years until they receive tenure. Once they are tenured, they only have to be observed once, although the powers that be can technically come in whenever they want to watch you. You would think it would go four, three, two and then one, but see, that would make sense.
At any rate, as usual, my administrators "forgot" about me until mid May when it came time to shuffle some paperwork. This is when they realized I had only been observed once. So, with deadlines looming, they decided to squeeze in two observations of me on the same day. Not only is this ridiculous, it's defeating the purpose you are supposed to be "observing" to begin with.
At my school there is a principal and a vice principal, also known as the classic "good cop vs. bad cop". When my VP observes you, you know when he's coming and that he's just there going through the motions. When my principal observes you, you never know when she's coming and nine times out of ten, she's out for blood. We call these her "drive by's. On the day I was observed not once, but twice my vice principal asked if it was a good time to come and stayed for a bit. Never expecting to be observed again that day, I began rehearsing for the third grade show after lunch. Imagine my surprise when my principal walked in, all disappointed that's what we were doing because it didn't fit in to "her" schedule. Never mind the fact there were a good 155 days or so she could have come in through out the year. No, come in on a Friday afternoon after lunch in mid May. That's when you see kids at their peak learning experiences.
Long story short, she didn't want to watch us rehearse, so she told me she'd be back at the end of the day. This required me moving around my schedule and getting all flustered. This was because knowing what I knew about her dictated that the damage had already been done. She was in a bad mood walking in and definitely in predatory mode. When she came back in a second time I knew that she'd find something, anything to complain about.
The lesson went off without a hitch and I had an answer for all of her questions about my plans. So since there was nothing to pick apart there, she decided to zone in on a kid who was having a bad day and had removed himself from the group a bit. Needless to say, she wrote an entire observation around this one kid's bad day and how I had "ignored his distress". Also, needless to say, I was livid and hurt, mainly because I knew about her erratic behavior, but I was *this* close to having survived all three years without getting caught in the crossfire. The fact that it was unjustified only made it more vivid.
At this point I didn't know what to do. I wanted to stand up for myself, but I didn't want to jeopardize my job in the process. But if I hadn't said anything at all, or at least explored my options, I felt I would have been telling her that it was "ok" to walk all over me and giving her license to do it again. So I contacted a union rep and went over all of my options. The union rep assured me that I had more than enough ammo to have a case, not only on this issue but on many things, but understood that as a relative newbie, it was not my battle to face. She told me the final decision was mine but advised I stick it out considering that everyone in the district knows her reputation and that her days were numbered due to near retirement or transfer one day anyhow.
Weighing all of this I decided to keep my mouth shut, however some of my dissatisfaction did get back to her. In an uncomfortable year end review she tried to discuss the issue with me and I remained closed off. I told her that I didn't wish to discuss it and tears started to swell in my eyes. Sure I was upset, but I was biting my tongue more out of fear about what I would say, rather than the tears I would cry. Little did I know that my tears would have a profound affect as someone who doesn't deal in emotions didn't know how to react. Suddenly she started bursting out how she could change parts of the observation and that she really is happy with my performance. I couldn't believe that silence actually got this woman to stammer, but it did. In my own little way I realized I had won the battle. Under my circumstances I suppose tenure might be considered my war.
All of this, though long winded and perhaps tiring, is important to know considering what happened next. A few days after the school year ended, news spread that my principal and been transferred to another school in the district. This was the sorta stuff only dreams are made of. Rumors had been going on for years that perhaps "someday" this might happen, but someday always seemed to be something in the unforeseeable future. Finally that someday had arrived. Collectively, ninety percent of our staff's population breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Now comes the hard part. My principal transferred, we received the middle school principal instead. Early reports about him are that he's the exact opposite of my principal; things like he's nice, fair and approachable. Although for all of my old principal's "tyrant" ways there were, believe it or not, things she did well, too. She had a good head for facts and figures and more than anything, was excellent at getting what she wanted. This was great for our school because she managed to pull of the impossible. The trade off with losing that is we are getting someone a lot nicer, but as we all have heard before, sometimes nice guys finish last. Only time will tell us if we should have been careful for what we wished for. At the very least, it should be interesting.
As if all of this post wasn't exciting enough, I have one more "act now!" bonus offer to add and no, it's not a pair of Ginsu knives.
At the end of the school year, right in the middle of my "bad observation craziness" I received a phone call from my vice principal asking me if I wanted a student teacher. I was floored by this giving the emotional turmoil I was in, but I didn't show this to him. In fact, I probably came across as overly excited considering that this simple question took on much more meaning to me: Not only did this mean I would be getting tenure, it also meant I would be staying in the same school and the same grade considering I couldn't teach someone about something I had no experience in. Of course I said yes and luckily, my student teacher showed up before the end of the school year to meet me and see the school. She's been in a few times already to help me set up and it seems like it's going to be a good match.
And so now this post has come full circle. You can't get a student teacher unless you are tenured so the fact that my tenure and my first cooperating teaching experience coincide is pretty cool. I'd love to say that it's a testament to my "excellent teaching standards" that I received tenure and a student teacher hand and hand, but I know better than that. I have, after all, been around the block a few times. This is my fourth remember? But then again, who's counting?
Tenure is a sticky subject. For teachers, tenure means you can finally breathe a sigh of relief that, barring any unusual circumstances, your job is now and will always be, safe and secure. Security in the job market is next to impossible to come by these days. Teachers are one of very few groups that have that going for them, and still many districts find ways to make their newer teachers jump through hoops before letting them get the big T. Sometimes they lay out all the hoops and let them go right before acquiring tenure. It seems the world of education has "learned" a thing or two from corporate America, too.
What makes it sticky, however, is the fact that it can give a get out of jail free pass to teachers who never should have made it that far to begin with. Even worse, it can take good teachers and make them lazy. It's like the Hollywood mentality. Even actors start to phone it in once they know they've got a fan base. Some teachers do that, too. Once they don't have to dress to impress, they start going through the motions. This is why tenure, depending on who gets it, can be both a blessing and a curse.
But tenure is not the only new thing this teacher is getting this year. In fact, my school is literally overflowing with changes. Last year a lot changes started occurring towards the end of the year with an overabundance of transfers, maternity leaves and garden variety changes. I sat by quietly and watched all of these changes happening around me, hoping that when the dust settled, I'd still be staying put.
Back tracking a bit, all non tenured teachers in my district have to get observed four times their first year, and then three the next two years until they receive tenure. Once they are tenured, they only have to be observed once, although the powers that be can technically come in whenever they want to watch you. You would think it would go four, three, two and then one, but see, that would make sense.
At any rate, as usual, my administrators "forgot" about me until mid May when it came time to shuffle some paperwork. This is when they realized I had only been observed once. So, with deadlines looming, they decided to squeeze in two observations of me on the same day. Not only is this ridiculous, it's defeating the purpose you are supposed to be "observing" to begin with.
At my school there is a principal and a vice principal, also known as the classic "good cop vs. bad cop". When my VP observes you, you know when he's coming and that he's just there going through the motions. When my principal observes you, you never know when she's coming and nine times out of ten, she's out for blood. We call these her "drive by's. On the day I was observed not once, but twice my vice principal asked if it was a good time to come and stayed for a bit. Never expecting to be observed again that day, I began rehearsing for the third grade show after lunch. Imagine my surprise when my principal walked in, all disappointed that's what we were doing because it didn't fit in to "her" schedule. Never mind the fact there were a good 155 days or so she could have come in through out the year. No, come in on a Friday afternoon after lunch in mid May. That's when you see kids at their peak learning experiences.
Long story short, she didn't want to watch us rehearse, so she told me she'd be back at the end of the day. This required me moving around my schedule and getting all flustered. This was because knowing what I knew about her dictated that the damage had already been done. She was in a bad mood walking in and definitely in predatory mode. When she came back in a second time I knew that she'd find something, anything to complain about.
The lesson went off without a hitch and I had an answer for all of her questions about my plans. So since there was nothing to pick apart there, she decided to zone in on a kid who was having a bad day and had removed himself from the group a bit. Needless to say, she wrote an entire observation around this one kid's bad day and how I had "ignored his distress". Also, needless to say, I was livid and hurt, mainly because I knew about her erratic behavior, but I was *this* close to having survived all three years without getting caught in the crossfire. The fact that it was unjustified only made it more vivid.
At this point I didn't know what to do. I wanted to stand up for myself, but I didn't want to jeopardize my job in the process. But if I hadn't said anything at all, or at least explored my options, I felt I would have been telling her that it was "ok" to walk all over me and giving her license to do it again. So I contacted a union rep and went over all of my options. The union rep assured me that I had more than enough ammo to have a case, not only on this issue but on many things, but understood that as a relative newbie, it was not my battle to face. She told me the final decision was mine but advised I stick it out considering that everyone in the district knows her reputation and that her days were numbered due to near retirement or transfer one day anyhow.
Weighing all of this I decided to keep my mouth shut, however some of my dissatisfaction did get back to her. In an uncomfortable year end review she tried to discuss the issue with me and I remained closed off. I told her that I didn't wish to discuss it and tears started to swell in my eyes. Sure I was upset, but I was biting my tongue more out of fear about what I would say, rather than the tears I would cry. Little did I know that my tears would have a profound affect as someone who doesn't deal in emotions didn't know how to react. Suddenly she started bursting out how she could change parts of the observation and that she really is happy with my performance. I couldn't believe that silence actually got this woman to stammer, but it did. In my own little way I realized I had won the battle. Under my circumstances I suppose tenure might be considered my war.
All of this, though long winded and perhaps tiring, is important to know considering what happened next. A few days after the school year ended, news spread that my principal and been transferred to another school in the district. This was the sorta stuff only dreams are made of. Rumors had been going on for years that perhaps "someday" this might happen, but someday always seemed to be something in the unforeseeable future. Finally that someday had arrived. Collectively, ninety percent of our staff's population breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Now comes the hard part. My principal transferred, we received the middle school principal instead. Early reports about him are that he's the exact opposite of my principal; things like he's nice, fair and approachable. Although for all of my old principal's "tyrant" ways there were, believe it or not, things she did well, too. She had a good head for facts and figures and more than anything, was excellent at getting what she wanted. This was great for our school because she managed to pull of the impossible. The trade off with losing that is we are getting someone a lot nicer, but as we all have heard before, sometimes nice guys finish last. Only time will tell us if we should have been careful for what we wished for. At the very least, it should be interesting.
As if all of this post wasn't exciting enough, I have one more "act now!" bonus offer to add and no, it's not a pair of Ginsu knives.
At the end of the school year, right in the middle of my "bad observation craziness" I received a phone call from my vice principal asking me if I wanted a student teacher. I was floored by this giving the emotional turmoil I was in, but I didn't show this to him. In fact, I probably came across as overly excited considering that this simple question took on much more meaning to me: Not only did this mean I would be getting tenure, it also meant I would be staying in the same school and the same grade considering I couldn't teach someone about something I had no experience in. Of course I said yes and luckily, my student teacher showed up before the end of the school year to meet me and see the school. She's been in a few times already to help me set up and it seems like it's going to be a good match.
And so now this post has come full circle. You can't get a student teacher unless you are tenured so the fact that my tenure and my first cooperating teaching experience coincide is pretty cool. I'd love to say that it's a testament to my "excellent teaching standards" that I received tenure and a student teacher hand and hand, but I know better than that. I have, after all, been around the block a few times. This is my fourth remember? But then again, who's counting?
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