As the head of the English and reading departments, it is my job to schedule work days for small groups of teachers. Monday was the designated day for the three sixth grade Enflish teachers- and me- to correct and score the sixth grade students mid-term writing prompts.
That's the background info in order to understand how mean I am.
As we looked at the papers, it became obvious that the students of one teacher were exceptional. They were far and above anything the students wrote for the other two teachers.
At the end of the session I broached the subject of how superior the papers were from teacher A.
I also said that this is a chance to ask teacher A how she goes about teaching writing. It seemed a no- brainer to me that if a teacher is finding success, the others should and could learn from her.
But did they get the message? Uh, no, for they went to the principal and complained that I was mean to them.
This is exactly what is wrong with education.
The principal actually told me to treat the complainers like the reluctant srudents who I teach.
That's when I told her they can kiss my ass. For to me, if, as a teacher, my students are doing less than acceptable work, wouldn't I want to find out what to do?
Here they had teacher A who could have easily explained what plans she uses. Why is it so hard to ask for help?
The point of teaching is that we all want the students to learn and to succeed.
And I can assure you that the two complainers will get extraordinary evaluations.
I simply can not understand the acceptance of an administrator who obviously understands these two complainers were acting like children, not doing their job well, but still deserved to be schmoozed and coddled.
That's when I said they can kiss my ass. If you teach, you strive to be the best - for the sake of the students.
Anything less is unacceptable.
It is teachers like the complainers who aggravate taxpayers and those that demean teachers.
Sorry- these types need not only to be demeaned, but removed from the classroom if they refuse to do their job.
As far as I am concerned, teachers never stop learning, and somerimes the best lessons come from those with whom we work.