29 August 2006

Confession

I went to school today to begin setting up my classroom, even though I swore up and down that I was not going to do it. I was only there for about three hours; Mr. Malarkey had business in the Bronx and I was otherwise going to have to get up ass-early to take him to the train station. So I figured that I may as well be productive, and be a good, liberated wife who drives her husband to work instead of the other way around.

The fact that I did decide to go doesn't mean that I am not pissed, still, about having to go back on Thursday, and I don't like to do anything to make my colleagues look bad. But that didn't matter; the two new teachers were there anyway to make all of us look bad anyway. They were both in the building yesterday and will be back tomorrow. They even asked the AP if they could come in Saturday.

I am glad that I went, though. I got a good jump on things. The last time I had to set up a classroom was 2003; I coached full time in '04 and in '05 I wasn't assigned my class till late September. Another teacher set up that room and used hideous border and backing paper that didn't coordinate at all, and I had to live with it all year because I didn't have time and didn't want to hurt her feelings.

My principal was a little disappointed that more teachers didn't come in because other schools in our network have already had nearly their entire staff in. I do get the danger of giving up too much of our own time willingly because we'll find ourselves giving up more next time around. I try to think about things on a system-wide basis and on a school-wide basis, and on a school-wide basis, I consider myself and my colleagues fortunate. On a system-wide basis, well, I feel cheerful at the moment and want to keep it that way so I won't say how I really feel.

My principal is really the anti-Leadership Academy principal. He's not perfect, but he's always been good to us, to the point where sometimes I wished that he would crack down harder on certain people who weren't performing their basic duties (like lesson planning). Prior to the 37 1/2 minute thing, there was an unspoken agreement that we could leave early if we didn't teach 8th period. And we never had those monthly faculty conferences. Generally, he just expects us to teach, to manage our classrooms, to do our jobs. So going in today was just a part of the give-and take. He appreciated that I was there and said so, and that means something too.

And after ten years, you'd think I'd be able to get that damn bulletin board paper to lay perfectly flat and smooth, but no. It'll never happen. But at least this year I get a room with lovely coordinating borders and matching paper. It's enough.

5 comments:

NYC Educator said...

There's really something to be said for inspiring leaders. I've had APs I'd jump through hoops for. It's sad that Klein feels the need to treat us so poorly, and he'd certainly get better results if he'd stop trying to stab us in the back all the time.

Anonymous said...

It's hard to be the only one ot stand up, and it's not really reasonable to expect an individual to do so on their own.

That being said, it would be better to draw pay for showing up outside of normal hours. Good guy or not, your principal is paid to be there.

(even for pay, it's August, it would probably be better not to be there)

Mrs. T said...

That bulletin board paper is alive. It will never lie flat. Never! Just put a bunch of posters over it and staple the hell out of it!

Anonymous said...

Confession is good for the soul, and you feel guilty about it because you know what givebacks it can lead to in the future. But I understand your reasons.

I did not go in early, and every part of my body aches for it.
I have a new room that the former teacher never cleaned. In fact, when she inherited the room many years ago, she not only kept the same bulletin boards up, but I took down notices that were 6 years old. My admins were aware of it, but never did anything about it because they are "afraid" of certain teachers. So I had more general house cleaning to do the first day than decorating. The room she is in now was in perfect order with nicely coordinated bulletin boards. Go figure.

I was wondering why the manufacturers of bullentin board paper do not put lines on the back like the kind used on Hallmark wrapping paper. It would make life so simple because I can never cut a straight line. Thank God for those wide boarders. They cover lots of mistakes.

Chaz said...

We all will forgive you, this once, as long as you continue writing your great articles on the blog