what's worse than stupid students is stupid teachers. I teach science, and we have this "PLC" model where we plan together etc.

well the teacher i work with, we will call her Ms. Brown... her idea of planning a lesson is "they do chapter ten"

now, i'm all about using the textbook as a reference, but that is ALL she wants to use. not only that, every unique lesson/lab/activity for the past two years has come from me. Additionally, I have to type up every lesson plan and send it to the administration because she is incapable. Not only that, but I have to respond to EVERY email, because she checks her email once a week at most, and still has no idea who sent what and when.

This afternoon, after I left school after a very long week, she calls my cell phone saying "we have to meet today"... we gave a test (which of course I made), and she is demanding to get the key. i tell her "i don't have a key" and she just doesn't understand. IT IS FUCKING 8th GRADE SCIENCE. MAKE A DAMN KEY YOURSELF.


i know, teachers suck ass, but i like my profession. it just sucks when i get dragged down by someone i'm supposed to be working with.

oh, and i'm in grad school full time and yet i have to do all of the planning other than book work, because that is all she fucking knows.



end rant...


how would you handle this situation professionally?

2/19/2010 11:45:05 PM

in on page 1.

2/19/2010 11:45:34 PM

let me guess... government (public) school?

2/19/2010 11:46:17 PM

keep fighting the good fight
drop a few bugs in people's ears to let them know you're doing someone else's work for them
wait
profit.

2/19/2010 11:47:30 PM

^^yes, but I don't want to say which school system.

^That's what I'm thinking, but I don't want to throw her under the bus, and I don't know if it will come across as me "making excuses"

2/19/2010 11:48:29 PM

2/19/2010 11:49:06 PM

I'm going to make it my life's work to see that this Ms. Brown sees this thread.

2/19/2010 11:49:12 PM

Is it an older person? Someone that's just on autopilot until retirement? I hate those people.

2/19/2010 11:49:51 PM

^^she can't even check her email properly. it probably would take a lifetime effort to direct her to this thread, and to help her make sense of it.

^yes. she is about 50ish i would guess.



we also presented at a conference, which of course I planned, put together, and delivered. sucks that she gets "credit" for doing that when she has no clue.


[Edited on February 19, 2010 at 11:52 PM. Reason : ]

2/19/2010 11:50:39 PM

Nah, you won't be throwing her under the bus... She's throwing herself under the bus. Just keep dropping bugs in people's ears, and keep doing your job. Eventually, it will become clear who is doing the work, and who isn't.

If you're in a position where your hard work will never be realized, then leave. You'll find a better position, and Ms. Brown will be lost without you.

2/19/2010 11:52:02 PM

Quote :

"If you're in a position where your hard work will never be realized"

Uh...you do realize he's a teacher, right?

2/19/2010 11:53:57 PM

the thing that sucks is that i took a job at a low performing and underprivileged school... i've found that it looks bad on me that I chose the challenging job since my kids have lower test scores than the schools on the other side of the city. (of course my test scores are higher than Ms. Brown's)

2/19/2010 11:54:13 PM

How about you sack up, tell her you're sick of her not pulling her weight. It's completely professional to confront a colleague about their performance if it is affecting you and, if applicable, the team. Be polite, but be clear and firm about your stance.

I'd also speak to your supervisor and let them know what is going on and voice your dissatisfaction. It sounds like her piss poor performance is most likely negatively affecting her students as well.

2/19/2010 11:54:39 PM

actually, she sounds like a hot teacher. I think that she should sack up with me

2/19/2010 11:55:25 PM

Quote :

"how would you handle this situation professionally?"

I would be passive aggressive and complain about it on the wolfweb.

2/19/2010 11:55:30 PM

I was gonna come in here to say something along that line

2/19/2010 11:55:58 PM

except I was going to call him a faggot.

2/19/2010 11:56:19 PM

slip a quaalude in her coffee and let the chips fall where they may

2/19/2010 11:56:42 PM

^^^^yes i know posting on here isn't going to change the situation... just asking for advice. i just don't want to ruin any semblance of cooperation between us and hurt the kids even more if I go to my admin (or even be direct with her, which I wouldn't have a problem with, but she would take it personal)^

[Edited on February 19, 2010 at 11:59 PM. Reason : ]

2/19/2010 11:58:44 PM

EMCE's advice is right on.


I have some friends who teach, and this is pretty bad, but I've observed that they tend to ostracize the clueless, lazy, or unhappy/unmotivated teachers until they leave. I don't think they do it on purpose or anything. It's just that when someone sucks and is putting a whole lot of work on others and not responding to intervention, they end up totally unliked with no friends, and they generally pick up on it and leave.

[Edited on February 20, 2010 at 12:00 AM. Reason : funky wording, but y'all know what I mean.]

2/19/2010 11:58:50 PM

bridget, this woman has been a drain on the system for 20+years.

2/20/2010 12:00:21 AM

As a side note, I think that I would shred BridgetSPK's taint, given the chance
and then cuddle with her tenderly as she sobs incessantly, afterwards


not because I would feel like I would have to... but because I would want to... because she is a friend.

2/20/2010 12:02:02 AM

From what I know of teachers, they are usually either highly motivated and love their jobs or just don't give two shits. There is that small group of teachers who are just ok and treat it like any other job, but they are by far the exception.

Sadly, until there are some major changes to the public education system (or preferably, its total elimination) it'll probably stay that way.

2/20/2010 12:02:26 AM

I'm glad I posted this is chit chat.

^agreed for the most part.

[Edited on February 20, 2010 at 12:03 AM. Reason : ]

2/20/2010 12:02:44 AM

Perhaps, you should have posted this in a section other than chit chat

2/20/2010 12:03:50 AM

no... i wasn't being sarcastic. carry on.

2/20/2010 12:04:20 AM

No. Now you've made me feel bad about myself....

2/20/2010 12:05:31 AM

maybe I'll keep this thread in my back pocket for future reference.

2/20/2010 12:07:22 AM

I hear ya, Lex. I was just blathering in the second part of my post. But that would be funny if you formed a cool teachers clique and had parties where you ignored Ms. Brown when she showed up...AHA

I'll write some better advice later, but I'm kinda preoccupied with EMCE's post right now. Gotta get some PMs sent and get this taint shredding on the road.

2/20/2010 12:08:02 AM

Do you plan on going into a career in education, bmel?

2/20/2010 12:08:10 AM

yup, going to be a Chemistry teacher

2/20/2010 12:08:39 AM

EMCE might want the taint, Bridget, but I'm content to BLAST ON THOSE BOOBS

2/20/2010 12:09:44 AM

Lex, as someone with experience in education, would you like to give bmel any hints, tips, tricks, or advice?

I was a TA in grad school, but I feel as if any words of wisdom I could give would be bunk as fuck, because teaching college kids is different than what you two are talking about.

2/20/2010 12:10:37 AM

2/20/2010 12:14:08 AM

yeah... you will be good teaching chemistry... that is a great subject to teach.


i'm teaching middle school to kids who get in fights daily. it's terrible. but hopefully I'm reaching those students who DO want to learn, which pretty much keeps me in it.

2/20/2010 12:14:43 AM

bmel, do not flirt with me. While I do think that you have a lovely smile, your taint is completely unappealing to me. Be gone.

2/20/2010 12:15:36 AM

all my professors keep emphasizing how 50% of teachers quit after their 2nd years.

[Edited on February 20, 2010 at 12:16 AM. Reason : ^but... but... that's not what you pm'd me last night ]

2/20/2010 12:16:18 AM

When I decided to be a teacher I was informed of all of this ahead of time and theres not much you can do but put up with it. I would deal with her witha smile on my face and try to help her because even though shes slack, helping her helps the kids at the end of the day. Keeping score is useless in education. The system is broken and if a teacher has been teaching for 25 years, they are going to get credit based on that. Just something you have to shrug off. As long as you are doing your thing, you should be happy with yourself.

2/20/2010 12:16:44 AM

2/20/2010 12:18:11 AM

I have to appreciate a teacher that guns for her job such as this...teaching is such an underappreciated profession...

Please keep the passion....

2/20/2010 12:50:09 AM

Just from my experience in teaching, if you casually talk about this problem to the school secretary during break time, it is sure to get to your principal.

But hey, it gets results. I've known a few teachers to get dropped at the end of the year due to (confirmed and investigated) complaints from those they work with.

2/20/2010 12:57:56 AM

tell her "TITS OR GTFO"

2/20/2010 1:15:12 AM

Beat da bitch.

2/20/2010 1:16:52 AM

This sounds like so many of the teachers I work with. It's maddening at best

2/20/2010 2:18:27 AM

Quote :

"How about you sack up, tell her you're sick of her not pulling her weight. It's completely professional to confront a colleague about their performance if it is affecting you and, if applicable, the team. Be polite, but be clear and firm about your stance. I'd also speak to your supervisor and let them know what is going on and voice your dissatisfaction. It sounds like her piss poor performance is most likely negatively affecting her students as well. "

If she’s in her 50s, his best bet is to just ride it out until he can move from under her.

People that old are set in their ways, and have seniority. They aren’t going anywhere.

2/20/2010 2:21:29 AM

if it's really bad you gotta do something. Waiting it out for possibly years is only going to make you hate your job, act bitterly about it, and impact your performance in a negative way.

Schools need more teacher who are passionate about teaching and creative in their work. I've seen a few people myself graduate, begin teaching in public school and start to hate everything about it because of these type people

2/20/2010 3:40:24 AM

<- teacher for four years

talk to administration asap about this bs. I would not put up with it. I agree that there are two types of teachers; highly motivated ones that make a difference and the ones who just don't give a shit (glorified babysitters who put minimal effort in, call out of work constantly and give teachers a bad rap). The sad thing is that we're all on the same pay scale and it doesn't matter how good a job we put in or what our classes scores are.
I know that I work harder than anyone else in my department, probably the school, my students get 97-100% proficient on my EOC tests, I put in hundreds of extra hours with my students after school, evenings, weekends and summers (FFA advisor) and what do I get for it? what do my students get for their hard work? nothing. I get doors slammed in my face, empty promises and am stuck covering the lazy teachers classes when they don't come to school (using my lunch and planning time).

/rant

2/20/2010 9:52:02 AM

I was going to post ibmangrl... but I am too late..... so IOP1

2/20/2010 9:55:23 AM

^^ Are you going to get any turkeys? If so, we need to chat. I'm interested.

2/20/2010 9:57:41 AM

Moral: Never be a teacher.

2/20/2010 10:35:57 AM