Dear, we are teachers.
Less than a month in the summer, my principal just announced that he wants our entire ELA team to conduct four weeks of training in July. His email specifically said that the training was not optional. But, why did he need such a late notice? I have no plans – I just don’t want to spend half the summer on PD! what should I do?
– Summer, pd purge summer
Dear PDS,
I rarely have things to do, but the teacher’s time and peace are one of them. This message will bring my eyebrows all the way to heaven.
Your response is based mainly on your teaching situation. This situation is similar to a message we received a few months ago, and I’ll pull it out from there:
“If you are in a public school, please contact your union representative. What you describe may be in violation of the union contract in some way. If the agreement is violated, the union can support you in trying your best to move forward. Or, the representative should explain this to you if the union allows it.”
“If the union does not protect you, you need to look at your contract. You want to look for language about ‘mandatory activities’ or language that may exist ‘external normal working hours’. If it exists, your school may belong to your contract.”
So if you are joining a union, I highly recommend you contact them as soon as possible.
If you are not in a union and your contract does not support such work, I will tell your government calmly and respectfully that when you want to attend the training you have already made other plans during the break required by the contract. Be as kind and kind as possible and say you will be happy to find another way to participate in the training. If they continue to push, you need to decide how far you want to take (i.e., higher administrative chains, legal agents or looking for new schools).
If your contract does not protect you, unfortunately, you have fewer options. You can try to pay attention to how late the request is and say you have other plans in place. You can also try to get compensation for the time you spend on PD as it takes up a lot of time in the summer.
Overall, this situation sounds frustrating. I hope there is a good solution. Good luck, I believe in you!
Dear, we are teachers.
I’ve been teaching for 30 years and usually have stable classroom management, but this group is tough. If the principal and counselors’ behavior continues for a certain period of time, they have begun offering rewards (mainly candy) to a small number of students. I have explained to kids and adults why I think food rewards are a bad idea – unhealthy habits, external motivations and the fact that we don’t train kids like dogs. How can I firmly convey my concerns?
-Their children are not dogs
Dear tknd,
charm. Thank you for your honesty and gain insight into your reservations. Intent may be good; after finally doing the right thing, I have memories of catching a happy rancher from a math teacher. Sometimes, candy or external motivation is not innate.
But, as you pointed out, the larger culture created by these suggestions, such as candy for students who are presumably “misbehaving”, may be problematic. I spoke with Alex Venet, an education researcher, writer and consultant who builds unconditional learning, who noted: “This type of external motivation actually undermines the intrinsic motivation. They don’t help. The reward is just a band-aid that covers the real problem.
Venett also noted that these reward systems can create unhealthy relationships between students and food or students and teachers. The self-evident news is that food or acceptance is related to obedience. We are not looking for unconscious obedience of students, we want them to be compassionate and enterprising members of our class community.
One suggestion is to come to the table with a solution: “Sometimes the best way to disrupt these cycles is to name them,” Venet notes. “Say, ‘Hey, I want to try something else. Let’s try a new energy or a new direction.'” For this reason, are there any other teachers who can visit who might have a good relationship with these students? Letting another teacher rely on and learn can help generate some new ideas that are better with your values.
Venett points out that coming up with a solution will help because it is difficult to change a deeply rooted belief, especially if they don’t seem to accept the change. That is, you can provide evidence if you want (and some examples here and here). While you don’t want to be rude, you also want knowledge that suits you for your students.
Good luck, I believe in you!
Dear, we are teachers.
I am an experienced teacher who spent some time outside the classroom (although still in education) and now I am my third year as a middle school teacher. While I really like it, I will be judged by some team members. A sophomore teacher in another topic constantly turns fragile conversations into coaching lessons, although her own teaching is mostly small bags while she sits behind the table. I’m all growing and improving, but that’s weird. I won’t meet the principal, either – I’m not a thief. Now, is this judgment of young teachers normal now, or is there something else going on?
– Not guiding me
Dear DCM,
Congratulations on returning to the classroom! This situation presents interesting dynamics. Personally, I can’t imagine trying to mentor a teacher without explicitly requesting resources, especially in the first few years in the classroom. So, I understand why that doesn’t feel good.
Here are some options. One is to treat it head-on. Next time the teacher starts guiding you and you are not interested, you can say, “Hey, thank you for sharing. I’m not actually looking for a coach right now. I just want to share my feelings.” If they push back, you can continue to keep the boundaries: “I thank you for wanting to share. I’m not looking for this kind of conversation now. Thank you!” Then you can leave.
This boundary (requires the support you really need) is a very important one. My husband is also educated and I sometimes start a conversation and say, “Can you listen instead of giving me feedback?” While it may feel uncomfortable at first, we both feel that it is much better than being outraged at his good will. I think this can apply here.
Another option is to share your ideas with others. I understand you don’t want to be the principal. Does your colleague have another trusted tutor teacher? If so, you can share feedback with them gently. I hope it will help to hear it from a trusted source.
Finally, you can avoid this teacher as much as possible. It sounds like they don’t have the skills to help you. They may one day, but until then, you can also save conversations that are more susceptible to those you trust.
Overall, teaching is challenging and hopefully you can find someone who can verify and support you! Good luck, I believe in you!
Do you have a burning problem? Send us an email at AskWeareTeachers@weareteachers.com.
Dear, we are teachers.
I’m in eight years of teaching in high school, especially this year, and I take me very seriously. I needed tangible tips and tricks to see me until the end of the school year. Things like “remember your “why” or “find positives” are actions that I can do (ideally based on research) to relieve stress, reinspire and thrive. Any ideas?
– Exciting seeking motivation
