My Friend Is a Teacher, And The Boss Sucks! Advice?

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by Sliver

lol at the whole school year. Average the hours they work over a full year. It's a part-time job with a full-time salary and one of the best benefit packages any human in the history of the planet has ever recieved.

You've gotta be kidding me. Have you ever been up until 2am working on lesson plans? My mom's a teacher and I'd say 75% of the time we wouldn't even see her for dinner because she was trapped in the office working on LP's and marking papers. True summers are pretty sweet, but I almost view that as bank time.

True some teachers can be whiners, I've found that too. But I've never seen a profession take so much flak. Do people really think teachers just walk in the door with no material prepared and just wing it, and then go home, plop on the couch and watch Sportscentre? Not to mention all the classroom management that goes with it for learning disability and problem kids. It's very much a full time job, and then some.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

You've gotta be kidding me. Have you ever been up until 2am working on lesson plans? My mom's a teacher and I'd say 75% of the time we wouldn't even see her for dinner because she was trapped in the office working on LP's and marking papers. True summers are pretty sweet, but I almost view that as bank time.

True some teachers can be whiners, I've found that too. But I've never seen a profession take so much flak. Do people really think teachers just walk in the door with no material prepared and just wing it, and then go home, plop on the couch and watch Sportscentre? Not to mention all the classroom management that goes with it for learning disability and problem kids. It's very much a full time job, and then some.

Well we can both agree I'm sure that teachers should be compensated fairly for their efforts.

[bcb]

Thanks Sliver, or should I say, DESS V.2.0

The original question had nothing to do with teachers complaining, and everything to do with one teacher unhappy with the Principal.

In answer to that question, the teacher may have to stick it out until June, when one of two things may happen. If projected enrollment is slated to decrease, The teacher could volunteer to be surplussed. Another option is to transfer out during the open posting process, which I believe occurs in May.

[tanguay'sstillgood]

Originally Posted by jolinar of malkshor

You know what, I am not going to debate this again, it has been done on CP many times, you are welcome to go search through those threads and read all the points about how teachers put in enough if not more hours than a regular work week.
.

This is probably the best way to deal with our friend Silver, otherwise this certainly will degenerate into the exact same argument been had so many times on this forum.

If you're gonna derail a thread, Silver, at least do it with something funny/entertaining.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Sliver

lol, thanks Oprah.

He makes a fair point. Their job is more important than yours (and mine), and they should be looked after.

Anyway, I always love these arguments. A bunch of private sector hardworkers bickering with strangers on the internet in the middle of a work day. It really drives home the point that we work hard and they don't.

[bcb]

Originally Posted by Sliver

I'd imagine being a principal is one of those crappy jobs like being a middle manager. You get the crap from the bottom and the top and you can't make everybody happy.

The principal is not a middle manager. He/she is the principal teacher in a school. Principals/AP's/teachers must work on the same page. If teachers and administrators are in constant tension with each other, a toxic environment develops quite fast.

[moon]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

They dont get paid well but the summers off make up for it for the most part.

Since when do they not get paid well?

[Ashartus]

Back to the original topic - my wife went through something similar a few years ago. Your friend might have to tough it out for this year, but should still discuss it with the ATA (and possibly the assistant or vice-principal if they can keep things confidential). At the end of the year, presuming the principal is staying, your friend could ask for an administrative transfer, or apply for positions at other schools. It's probably too late to move schools at this point of the year.

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by Sample00

as the husband of an Assistant Principal, I can tell you to take heed in Antithesis words. He is bang on especially when it comes to ATA stuff. the last thing your friend is going to want is to be charged with "unprofessionalism". It is an offense under the ATA code statue and is very serious!. I suggest that your friend make the best of it. Cross your t's and dot her i's and put her head down. roll with the punches. If it gets worse, she can always move on next year.

wow..gotta be something better than that!

[BuzzardsWife]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

They dont get paid well but the summers off make up for it for the most part.

Nursing is the biggest cake job in the province IMO.

their paychecks are deducted every month to save for the summers off..they are NOT paid for the summer

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Well I don't want to derail this thread, but give me a break. I don't see teachers doing ANY work all summer long, or over Christmas, or over Easter. It's a well-paid gravy job that requires no more overtime during the 2/3 of the year they actually work than any other job. In fact, I believe it requires less work. Ever seen the staff parking lot at a school at 4:30? All the cars are long gone. Marking at home you might say? Well most professional jobs keep going long after the day is done as well. That's life, teachers.

Plus the pension is incredible. Teachers have nothing to complain about. Being a teacher in Alberta is probably one of the best jobs in the history of mankind yet they complain all the time about it.

/rant

well, i'm a teacher and I got home to my 4 week old son at 7:00 tonight. I find your sweeping generalizations insulting. that's all i'm going to say.

[Hack&Lube]

Last year I had my grade 3 reunion (yes, awesome) and we even invited our grade 3 teacher and she was one of those teachers that was fresh from university and all the kids loved her and we all thought she was great but she left the next year for another school. I didn't find out until 15 years later about the kinds of politics and placement issues and senority and issues with principles, etc. there are behind the scenes for probationary new teachers.

[Bobblehead]

I'm good friends with a few teachers. We've gone skiing at Lake Louise and one was marking papers in the back the whole way up and back. From what I have seen, yeah, they get summers, Christmas spring break, but they make up the time during the school year. And they don't have the option of scheduling a week off in January or November - they go when the school year says they can go.

It is like most jobs; there are trade-offs. But it is a vitally important job and especially the good teachers who care, they deserve everything they get.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

well, i'm a teacher and I got home to my 4 week old son at 7:00 tonight. I find your sweeping generalizations insulting. that's all i'm going to say.

No need to be insulted. I said teachers don't work more overtime than other professionals, not that they didn't work any overtime. I also think the overtime you clock is more than made up for with the vacation time you receive versus any other profession. I don't see why this is contentious; isn't it just a plain fact?

Guys you sure are upset just because I think teachers have an unusually well compensated position (salary, time off, pension, etc.). I'm also not surprised that not many are willing to side with me considering the nasty responses I've been getting because of this opinion.

Anyway, if you want to keep going on this I'll keep voicing my opinion but that will just add to the derailment of this thread which is probably the last thing the OP wants. For my part, I would like to apologize to the OP for the direction his thread went.

Hopefully we can agree to disagree.

[Hack&Lube]

My buddy is a new teacher this year and he is doing homework, lesson planning, preparation, his own studying, marking, etc. until 10 PM at night on weekdays. This isn't including extra-curricular work after school. Keep in mind, teachers are not compensated for overtime like in other professions. There is no clock, it's on their own time isn't it?

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

There is no clock, it's on their own time isn't it?

yes, it is.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Anyway, if you want to keep going on this

uuuum...

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

that's all i'm going to say.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

uuuum...

Directed at everybody, Rico, not just you.

[Sample00]

Originally Posted by Sliver

Well I don't want to derail this thread, but give me a break. I don't see teachers doing ANY work all summer long, or over Christmas, or over Easter. It's a well-paid gravy job that requires no more overtime during the 2/3 of the year they actually work than any other job. In fact, I believe it requires less work. Ever seen the staff parking lot at a school at 4:30? All the cars are long gone. Marking at home you might say? Well most professional jobs keep going long after the day is done as well. That's life, teachers.

Plus the pension is incredible. Teachers have nothing to complain about. Being a teacher in Alberta is probably one of the best jobs in the history of mankind yet they complain all the time about it.

/rant

Originally Posted by Sliver

No need to be insulted. I said teachers don't work more overtime than other professionals, not that they didn't work any overtime. I also think the overtime you clock is more than made up for with the vacation time you receive versus any other profession. I don't see why this is contentious; isn't it just a plain fact?

Guys you sure are upset just because I think teachers have an unusually well compensated position (salary, time off, pension, etc.). I'm also not surprised that not many are willing to side with me considering the nasty responses I've been getting because of this opinion.

Anyway, if you want to keep going on this I'll keep voicing my opinion but that will just add to the derailment of this thread which is probably the last thing the OP wants. For my part, I would like to apologize to the OP for the direction his thread went.

Hopefully we can agree to disagree.

see Sliver, this is where you lost me in your argument. You make a generalization that is without having any knowledge of the profession.

People here are politely trying to tell you that your opinion is inaccurate and you continue to keep derailing the thread with it.

focus on the discussion at hand.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Sample00

see Sliver, this is where you lost me in your argument. You make a generalization that is without having any knowledge of the profession.

People here are politely trying to tell you that your opinion is inaccurate and you continue to keep derailing the thread with it.

focus on the discussion at hand.

I hear you, but I'm not sure that everybody was being polite. Regardless, I didn't intend for it to be insulting and I do believe my opinion is based on facts and representative of what many people think in spite of mine being a minority opinion on this board.

I'll just leave it at that (for real this time). lol