Hi all!
I need some advice on some work stuff. Please note that I may delete this in a couple days.

I returned to the classroom last school year. Last year I was grade 7/8 and I realized quickly that wasn’t the age for me any more. This year I’m in a grade 3/4. I love the age and I love my kids.

My school is in an area with lots of needs. Most of my kids don’t get enough to eat at home. Lots of single parents who are struggling to make ends meet. Some addiction problems. Some kids who are in care or placed with family members. Two of my kids arrived from Syria as refugees a year ago and had never been in school before. They are just beginning to learn English. They have obvious signs of trauma. One of my little guys has autism. Two kids very likely have developmental disabilities. Lots more with learning disabilities. Four medicated for ADHD. A couple kids with really difficult behaviours. Lots of mental health issues.

I love them all.

Our school doesn’t have nearly the level of support it needs. Because we have limited educational assistants, my class was “stacked” since I have an EA for my little guy wih autism. The idea being at least there would be two adults in the room.

Next year, I hoped things would be a little less intense. The grade 2s coming in are super needy and have lots of issues, but I thought the classes might be more balanced.

They just announced layoffs, and my teaching partner was laid off. So it’s an unknown teacher for September which increases the chance of my class being “stacked” again. We also have major government cuts in education right now, so we may have even less EA support (and it already isn’t enough).

My principal is horrible. I really like her as a person, but I can’t deal with her style of “leadership”. None of the staff feels valued. She has zero interest in listening to our opinions. We all feel unappreciated. She micro manages. I LOVE my kids, love the grade, love the staff. But I can’t stand working for her and our school is falling apart because of her management style. I also have had jobs with increased decision making and influence for a decade, so the last two years where I have ZERO voice has been really hard. My hope was she would be moved for next year. She only has 3.5 years left so if she’s not moved this year she will be in our building til she retires. Recent announcements in our district indicate she is unlikely to be moved.

I wanted to stay next year. I wanted to be in the same grade/classroom for next year so I could tweak things and improve my practise rather than starting all over again (which is what I’ve done for the past couple years). But knowing I’m likely in for another 3.5 years of her, plus knowing I will likely have another stacked class without supports (including just the encouragement and voice that I know a better leader would provide) I am really struggling with what to do.

I just need a fresh perspective. Thoughts?

Ugh I'm so sorry you're dealing with this.

I don't have any advice right off the top of my head (if it were that obvious, you wouldn't be posting about it!)

But first two questions:

1) what does it mean to have a "stacked" class?

2) what are your options? You wrote "I wanted to stay next year" -- to me that reads like you have the option to not-stay. Tell me more about that.

I don't know what "stacked" is either.

You're working with a person whose "success" blinds her to any significant changes. In some ways, she's already left the building with 3.5 years to go. She views her work like being a farmer - with certain things happening at certain times of the year. She's not looking for things to upset the apple cart.

It might be nice to consider a work group formed of faculty to address some of the issues you've mentioned as there is strength in numbers. This should be a bottom up group (self formed) - though not hidden from the principal. The purpose of the work group should be to enhance learning in a restricted budget era (or some such)- but with recommendations that would also focus on how the principal could be involved in effecting change - but not in a frightening - MY GOD THEY'RE MAKING ME DO MORE kinds of ways. Hopefully, it would be in a way that she would find exciting fulfilling. It is harder to deny the efforts of a multitude of faculty than a single teacher.

We had a challenging situation something like yours at our high school. We had an extremely smart, energized young teacher try suggest some innovative programs, only to be shot down by the principal.

The teacher's work was recognized in a television series on our high school - and now, she's now at Stanford...where they weren't as frightened by her ideas. The principal got the message and is gone - and the school district has decided the school won't have a principal...like that's going to work... America to Me

Or just hire an assassin...

Sorry - by “stacked” I mean that the most significant behaviour/learning needs in grade 3/4 were piled in my room. The other grade 3/4 class is super calm. This isn’t just my assessment - this is according to the other teacher, the EAs in the building who see all classes, and the principal who told me she stacked my class. I get why - by putting everyone in one class then you don’t have to put an EA in two classes. Unfortunately, the needs are high enough that 2 full time EAs would be easily justified.

Klurrs - that situation sounds familiar. Not saying I’m as smart or energized as the teacher you’re referring to, but I’ve been fortunate to have had incredible learning opportunities because of my past roles, and I’ve been recognized for innovation in my field. So I run voluntary professional development opportunities outside of my school (I ran one a few weeks back for a tech company with a piece of fruit as its logo) and am a known entity in the educational world in my province. But when I agreed to mentor a young teacher who had recently been hired in another school in our district, my principal tried to put a stop to it. It wasn’t her idea, which automatically means it’s not a good idea.

quote:

It wasn’t her idea, which automatically means it’s not a good idea.

Ugh, that's such an unhelpful way to be! And there are an unfortunate number of people like that in upper admin positions.

Re stacking, also ugh. That's just too much. Too much for you, and probably also too much for behavior/learning needs kids, as well as the other kids, who don't have a calm classroom environment.

So, what are your other options?

Dol,

I'm going to take the "hard" tack, and I'm just thinking out loud.

Like any good teacher (or good person), you imagine that there but for the grace of me goeth perdition for all these young ones. As a result, you feel almost compelled to put yourself in harms way, knowing that working in these conditions is likely to do grievous damage to your liver and other organs.

You are not the linchpin, the absolutely indispensable one. Life will go on in this school if you leave. Kids will be taught, the principal will continue to micromanage, and the system will get by given its pathologies.

You, on the other hand, will be able to find a situation that likely uses your talents more effectively. You will be in a healthier environment. You will feel more appreciated.

I'm not sensing that you have any power to change the system you're working in. You don't have the ear of someone above this principal. And you have no magic want to alleviate the root causes of the dysfunction in your classes and in the school.

In May, they will post all the jobs of retirees and of people who were laid off in the recent government cuts. I can apply for those jobs. I’m not guaranteed anything - it’s principals choice of the top five in seniority who apply (which I am likely to be in almost all cases). I am well known throughout the district. I think there is one principal in the region I’m in who I don’t know well. I’m well respected in the board, though obviously not universally loved. Primary (grade 1-3) jobs are harder to come by, and I don’t think I’d give up the grade range for a move. I am concerned that if I apply and someone else gets it (always a possibility, especially since sometimes they have people they have to move and place) my principal will be angry that I tried to get out. And she holds a grudge.

I just found out that my top choice school (that may have a primary job opening) just got a new principal. She was a student teacher in my classroom years ago.

Find another position at another school.
Good luck!

I like PD's answer. I'm afraid I don't have much useful advice careerwise, as i don't know anything about teaching in public elementary schools. But I do see burnout ahead for you, from what you are describing. You are of no use to those kids if you don't take care of yourself first. Get a different job. Don't let the principal dictate your options.

quote:

Originally posted by Piano*Dad:
Dol,

I'm going to take the "hard" tack, and I'm just thinking out loud.

Like any good teacher (or good person), you imagine that there but for the grace of me goeth perdition for all these young ones. As a result, you feel almost compelled to put yourself in harms way, knowing that working in these conditions is likely to do grievous damage to your liver and other organs.

You are not the linchpin, the absolutely indispensable one. Life will go on in this school if you leave. Kids will be taught, the principal will continue to micromanage, and the system will get by given its pathologies.

You, on the other hand, will be able to find a situation that likely uses your talents more effectively. You will be in a healthier environment. You will feel more appreciated.

I'm not sensing that you have any power to change the system you're working in. You don't have the ear of someone above this principal. And you have no magic want to alleviate the root causes of the dysfunction in your classes and in the school.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by piqué:
I like PD's answer.

I do too. You can’t fix this.

Get out now.

Follow-up to my earlier post. I had the boss from hell who sounds a bit like yours. I did what I suggested and created a work group and over a couple of years demonstrated that the boss was an idiot who had mismanaged the department. "Never right, seldom in doubt" fit this person perfectly. OTOH, it cost me in the sense that I developed a deep hatred (sadly, not an overstatement) for the person. I have never gotten to that point again in any work situation. The person did leave - but I carried that emotion for some time. So...the best move may be to move on.

I don't think there's a right/wrong choice here. Just the one that puts you in the best position to help your students, no matter who they are, and to have some joy for yourself in your work in the process.

It's clear that you are a gifted and caring educator who loves your kids and who is determined to help them in the best way you can; you feel a strong sense of responsibility for them. I feel humbled to know someone who cares so much about kids in need.

Sometimes it's the right thing to stay and fight, and other times it's best to walk away and use your skills to tackle new problems. You are in the best position to assess whether your energies are best utilized in your current situation or somewhere else.

Regardless of whether you stay or move on, your efforts have already touched these kids in a profound way because of who you are and what you are trying to accomplish on their behalf. And any child whose path crosses yours in the future will be blessed to know someone who cares about them profoundly.

You will always make a difference.

You didn’t define what an “EA” is. I assume it means “Educational Assistant”. They’re called “TA”s (Teaching Assistants) at some schools. EAs, TAs: same thing.

Are the teachers in your school district unionized? If so, you and the other teachers should raise these issues with the union. If not, then maybe your school district should consider getting a union.

If I remember correctly, you were once a teacher in this school district and then you moved into an administrative position and then you went back to teaching. Right? When you go from position A to position B and then back to position A again, they don’t want to let you return to position B again if you apply for a position B again. I’ve seen this same thing happen to a couple of people where I work.

quote:

Originally posted by Axtremus:
Find another position at another school.
Good luck!

+1 Staying in a toxic situation will drain you of vital energy that you know you could/would otherwise focus on the children in need. Don't do that to yourself, you'll be in a better position to help everyone by getting away from there.