Friday, November 20, 2009
This is not about weight loss....although mine has slowed down due to stress. However, what do you do when are you literally between a rock and a hard place?
I am a teacher. I gave up my secure position that I loved when my son (age 13 months at the time) needed me to stay home with him. Now I am navigating the terrible job market in hope of a bright future once again.
I took a teaching position that is close to home in a small elementary school. For some reason, this principal does not like me and is doing everything she can to get rid of me. She has listened to the gossip and lies of two fellow teachers and no matter what I say to her, she believes me incompetent. I can tell her that I filed a certain paper in the draw and she will ask when I am going to do it. I will say that I did it two weeks ago and she won't believe me. This is an example. However, this woman has no even prejudiced the Superintendent against me.
I go to work each day knowing that she does not like me and nothing that I do is good enough. She has to evaluate me two more times this year and once before Christmas. Since she doesn't like me, the next evaluation will be "unannounced" so I can't even prepare for it.
I am so disheartened and discouraged and my spirit just hurts.
So...what do I do to cope? I have been exercising and eating right...but mentally this is a challenge. Why did God put me there? I am just so frustrated!
Any spark advice is welcome!
Member Comments About This Blog Post:
My principal took a lot of grief over my hire, (due to community loyalty, not anything I had done) and was pressed to hire the other teacher, by other staff, the union and the superintendent after a January retirement created a new opening.
The "new" teacher hated my guts, was confrontational to me in front of other staff at lunch and constantly talking about my "youth" and "inexperience" to other staff and parents. I sat and "took it for the remainder of that school year, thinking... she'll get over it, and she must realize I just interviewed for an opening, I had no knowledge of the district history there.
September rolled around and she was in rare form. One day I had just had it.
I stopped her as she entered the staffroom, told her I was tired of the verbal abuse, that it was true that I was younger than her, and therefore had less experience. but, I didn't see how THAT was ANY of her business. If she had any valid concerns about my teaching she should take it up with the principal, and if she gave me any more abuse at all, I was going to the principal and to file a grievance against HER!
She never said another negative word to my face.
I guess my point is... If you believe you are right stand up to them. The union has stood behind you thus far. Call their bluff, as Patrick Swayze said so eloquently as Johnny in Dirty Dancing "Nobody puts Baby in the corner". Say to them, "I am not sure how we got off on the wrong foot like this, but I am doing my best for our students, and would appreciate your support. I don't know what business it is of yours how I do my job. We have lots in common, including our Christian faith, and I trust that we can treat each other in a Christlike manner."
I would also be documenting everything. The union will need that, and that principal should be supporting you, she hired you. I would remind her that making you look bad, and bad mouthing you to the sup. doesn't reflect well on her hiring skills.
Good luck,
Lynn