“I had a principal who would not even acknowledge me each morning,” says Lydia L. It might seem counterintuitive, but sometimes just being nice to your bad principal can go a long way and even help to flip his or her behavior. This is what your union is there for-take advantage of it. They can advise on next steps to take and stand by your side if any official complaints are brought against you. “Keep opinions and gossip to yourself and focus on the kids,” says Barbara N.īetter to go to your union before district admin, say veteran teachers. “I know it sounds awful, but the less contact the easier it is for you,” says Phil F.Ī principal can go from bad to worse if she feels aggrieved or attacked, so try to stay calm and professional in your interactions whenever possible. But many of our veteran teachers advised that for your more run-of-the-mill bad principal, the best course of action is to stay out of the way. If your principal is flagrantly breaking laws or ethical codes, it may be important to speak up. The tape directly contradicted what he and his coerced witness had given in testimony in a grievance hearing. “We had an awful principal and he would lie like crazy when we made complaints,” says Alice H. If things are really bad? Consider recording conversations or in-person encounters, but first, make sure it is legal in your state. And if your principal insists on having a face-to-face conversation, “nothing saying you can’t send an email confirmation afterward,” says Susan H. “Communicate in writing as much as possible,” stresses Brittany N. Whether your principal is a micromanager or seemingly absentee, written proof of what you do on the job will help your case. Lesson plans, all communication with parents and administrators, and any kind of problematic behavior you have in the classroom. Document everythingĪnd when we say everything, we mean everything. We asked our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE members, many of whom have worked for bad principals in the past. Do you stick it out, particularly if you enjoy other aspects of your school? Do you confront your principal about particularly aggressive behaviors? Do you go to district admin or your union reps? And when you work for one, it can be hard to know how to deal.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |