Sometimes I agree to things without having enough information...such as agreeing to be Team Leader.
In August, when I accepted the position at the new school, the principal asked me if I'd agree to be co-Team Leader. I agreed, assuming that the other person would actually be helpful. Turns out, he says he never heard anything about being co-team lead. I'm very annoyed by that.
It's not that the position is all that hard or incredibly stressful, but my team can be...difficult sometimes. Here in TX, a team is composed of all the core course teachers - English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. My Science teacher is cool; she's laid back and will step up and do what has to be done with a minimum of whining and complaining. The Math teacher, well, she gripes about everything but doesn't want to be the one to actually complain to the principal about anything - very passive-aggressive. And the Social Studies teacher is very pragmatic - he complains if everyone else does but can be relied up on to just get on with the task at hand.
Overall, I've started to feel like I'm wrangling cats at some times. I'm not the most organized person in the classroom and I don't really care to have to make other people do something, particularly when I don't really understand why we're required to do it. However, I also believe that if the principal asks for it to be done, so long as it isn't illegal or endangers a child, we might as well do it and get it over with, regardless of how much more work it will create. It's part of the job, after all, so get over and on with it.
Mostly, being Team Lead is more work and aggravation but I suppose if I want to be an Administrator at some point in the future then this is one of the first steps in that directions and I'll just have to get used to it.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Team Leader
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Football
I am not a fan of the sport. I know a lot about it because I have 3 brothers and grew up in Texas. That doesn't mean that I enjoy it; I just know most of the rules and how to play the game.
However, I make it a point to attend at least a few of the school's football games during the year since I have students who play and they like knowing that their teachers come to the games to cheer them on. Middle school football is not exciting. Nor does it make me like the sport any better, but it's fun to watch sometimes.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Sometimes squirrels behave better
Today was trying...for a variety of reasons, not least of which may be: my students are ill-mannered, obnoxious little monsters?
Okay, maybe not. But I was out for trainings a significant portion of last week and, while I wrote detailed instructions concerning homework and due dates on the board, today when we came back, less than half the class had done the work. Now, I understand the attraction of blowing off the sub's words of instruction and having a good time, difficult to resist to tell you the truth, I get that. But you'd think they'd remember that I'm gonna come back on Monday and mention the homework...in a "Let's review and grade the homework" kind of way.
So today, I got to do the whole yelling and glaring thing because now we're even further behind. Plus they were chatty and disruptive which I hate more than anything else. I could say I don't know why I hate it except that I do know why - it's rude and disrespectful. And it's not just one or two kids, it's a whole class . One kid says something stupid and the whole class suddenly has to pipe up and respond, next thing I know they're all chatting about some ridiculous thing or another despite my efforts to keep the class on task. Then I have to yell and berate and all of a sudden class isn't fun anymore, for them or for me.
What makes it worse for me is that I feel like I'm being a total bitch and mean to them but they have no memories, or attention spans, to speak of and forget that I even said anything to them at all the day, weak, month before.
It's aggravating.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
New year, new school
I got so busy last year that I didn't have time to keep this blog up and running. That's kinda sad since I have very few places to comment about my teaching experience other than at my friends/relatives. So now I'm back (thank you, Gloria Gaynor) and will try to be a little more regular with my posts.
So let's see, as the heading says, I've changed schools. Around about November, last year became just horrific. By March, I was positive that I wouldn't be coming returning, even if it meant that I'd have to give up teaching. The long and short of it is that I found it difficult to work with the administrator who oversaw the English department and the 8th grade. She was rarely helpful and more often than not dismissive in her suggestions/requirements for the teachers. Discipline of the 8th graders was non-existent unless they were directly disrespectful of her. It was not a good year.
In my opinion, our principal ignored the whole situation, unless a parent become involved. (Apparently she had more important things to worry about, like the fact that she was being sued by a former teacher. Marvelous.) When, at the end of year, I received an email...an email...telling me that I was being transferred to the sixth grade, I was done. No questions of whether I wanted to make the change, just an email saying I would and if I didn't agree then I was out of a job. Nice. And so not happening. Add to this the cost of the commute and you can see that I needed to get away from that place.
Anyway, during the summer, I applied for a position at a school about 5 minutes (literally) from my house and got it. So now I'm at a new school in a new school district. The new school is a lot different from the old place; a little more touchy-feely, a little more middle class, and a lot smaller student population. I miss my friends/teacher family at the old school but I'm much happier and hell, that's worth a mint right there.
The new school is also an International Baccalaureate middle school, which is a lot of work but will make my eventual move overseas a lot easier, at least for the job search. For now, it's a lot to take in and the transition is difficult at times, but I like it a lot. I'm making it work and we'll see how it goes.
Stay tuned...I promise to do better with the posts!
