Thursday, January 04, 2007

Rant

My friend, and loyal reader N.Y.F. has been kind enough to tell me that my blog now is more of a rant than anything else.
I totally see it, but I can't do anything about it. I'm just being honest about how my school days are going.
This week has been getting worse by the day.
I ran late in the morning, and I made it on time to the carpool by the skin of my teeth.
In school, I rushed like mad to print something from my Internet file, and then later got yelled at by the Principal for going online in school. I explained to her that all my files are backed up on the computer and that I left sheets I needed her to approve at home, so I printed them out here.
She told me that although the secretaries were online all day, the school did not like when the teachers went online as it encouraged the idea that using the Internet was OK. They were trying to build the name of the school as being the kind of place where the kids did not see these kids of things.
I hated to do it, but I pointed out to her that all my kids had email addresses and TVs in their homes, so I didn't see why my backing up my files on the Internet was a problem.
She told me that this went back to the regards she had gotten about me earlier this week, and she was concerned about the image I was giving over to the class.
I'm so angry.
I have no idea who is filing these complaints, but I have a strong idea that Hebco is behind some of it. (Tell you more about why I think so in a minute.) I feel it's so unfair that just because one complaint was given, they are getting so uptight and strict with me. I keep wracking my brains to try and see what I'm doing wrong, but I can't seem to figure it out. I don't mean to sound like a 10 year old, but I get the feeling that I'm being picked on.
Now I know that this is not coming from the principal. She is nothing like my old one, and every time she tells me off for something, she apologizes. But I do know that the Hebrew principal doesn't like me, and that Hebco can't take anyone she thinks is a threat to her success.
I don't know who's behind all this, but it's the last thing I need right now.
Anyway, the principal asked me again if I was coming to the Shabaton.
I told her that I had already explained to her earlier that I had a close family simcha that same night, and that there was no way I could make it.
She was upset about that, and told me that Hebco had complained that she was doing all the work.
I gave it to her.
I told her that if it were up to me, there would be no Shabbaton to begin with. But of course, no one had asked me, and they made one anyway.
Not only that; but they didn't approve the dates with either myself or my co. Both of us can't make it this week.
They didn't tell us about the Shabbaton at all, and we had to find out about it from the girls in the class.
Hebco was encouraging the girls to miss my class for their Shabbaton work, and I was not asked for permission or sought after for my approval on anything. No one had asked me to contribute, and no one had even bothered to let me know I was wanted or needed. Until now.
I told her that as much as I would have loved to be a part of this; this was not the way to go about things.
And then the nerve of Hebco to go and complain about me?
I told the principal that I didn't want any of Hebco's credit; she deserved all of it, what I did want was a little respect and consideration.
The principal was at a loss.
I think I got my point across, and then went on to tell her that I was having problems with C.F.C.'s attitude, and T.B.N.'s as well. She explained to me that T.B.N. was emotionally abused at home and that's why her attitude about school was so bad.
That cleared things up for me. The truth though is, that I guessed as much just by meeting her parents at PTA. The way Mrs. N. had washed the floors with me, I could see her doing it 100x more with someone she was more familiar with.
I informed the principal about an inappropriate discussion C.S.S. had begun in my class. I warned her that she might get calls from some parents, but this was the way it came up in my class.
Thankfully, she understood.
I told her that I was concerned about C.S.S. and R.B. starting to become friends. I was sure I was imagining it when I first saw it, but then I kept seeing them pass notes in class and chat after school.
It's odd to me because R.B. of all people is the most fine girl, and her mother was so against C.S.S. in the class.
I am keeping an eye out and I warned the principal as well.
Anyway, I wanted to start Tuck Everlasting with my 8th grade, and turns out that after we had ordered all the books for them, they told me that their teacher last year had done it with them as a read aloud.
The principal is upset, and so am I, but I think I will teach it anyway, and during their ELA prep today, I wrote up a sheet for them to fill out after they had read the first couple of chapters. I plan on doing the book quickly; and then have the sub start something new with them.
The ELA prep today was OK, but the girls got confused a frustrated when I had them highlight all the points in their essays that were required for them to write about.
I did that so that they could make sure at the end of the test that they had included everything they were supposed to. I also did that so that it'd be easier for me to mark. ;) I'm a lazy gal these dayz.
Seventh grade was so good today.
They spent the entire day writing their photo essays, and now I have them all sitting here waiting for me to mark. :(
R.A. gets on my nerves (no kidding). She thinks she is a teacher too, and that she can talk to me as such. She didn't finish rewriting her essay on time and came over to me to tell me that she'd have it for tomorrow. She didn't ask; she told.
She also got a homework mark for not having handed in her journal last week. I felt great giving it to her! LOL
Whatever it is, I'm coming home more and more depressed each day, and today I finally told my husband something.
I waited all week, because I didn't want to complain, but today I just couln't take it. I'd had a rough morning at the doctor's, and there are some personal family things I have to deal with, and I just have too much on my mind to be able to handle school problems normally right now.
Not that talking to my husband got me far LOL, he thinks problems with other teachers can be solved by punching their lights out....Men.
Hope tomorrow goes OK.

3 comments:

Thinking Outside the Box said...

Ranting can be good for the soul, especially for us teachers who really do have major issues when it comes to the yeshiva system. Glad that you got your point across with your pricipal. So glad I dont have such an issue with the hebrew rebbes.

Anonymous said...

i agree wt "thinking outside the box"....imagine if you didnt rant on ure blog...ud have to rant to ure friend..husband..family..so let your friend NYL know that ranting is good..and if she feels otherwise... she should not read this blog...this actually teaches me how to deal wt my class sometimes...keep it up!!!!

Anonymous said...

*NYF