demoralized in MCPS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The sky is falling!

Not you again. You still haven't come up with a better line?

Okay Henny Penny

[Anonymous]

Now with the coronavirus online work might be the way teachers are judged. I wonder if principals and ladder climbers will still have the opportunity to bully the teachers. I wonder if grade inflation will still be so common. With everything documented online maybe people will shy away from abusing one another. MCPS and MCEA take note , you might have to change your business model.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now with the coronavirus online work might be the way teachers are judged. I wonder if principals and ladder climbers will still have the opportunity to bully the teachers. I wonder if grade inflation will still be so common. With everything documented online maybe people will shy away from abusing one another. MCPS and MCEA take note , you might have to change your business model.

The fact that you are wondering some of these things confirms that you are not currently employed as a teacher in MCPS. Otherwise, you’d have answers.

[Anonymous]

With everything documented electronically- correspondence, work, etc. I don't think the admins will have the guts to make up stories on peoples reviews to oust them. This is a win for teachers bc gotcha is a game that's all to common mcps. Now they will have to show their support and grade inflation/ forced grade inflation might be rooted out and admins might be held accountable. It's a new day out with the old good old boy politics and in with accountability. It might bring teacher back to the profession which they once fled.

[Anonymous]

They only can make it up because there is no one in your room except for you, them, and kids so they can make whatever they want up and force you to sign it. They don't give you orientation about your rights to not working in a hostile work environment that's for sure. My admin wrote reviews of classes that I did not even teach. I thought who the heck are you reviewing bc I did not do any of those things when you were in my class. Forced to sign it anyway, mcea did nothing to help. The whole system is fraudsters making up things about each other and the first one who bully's another gets promotes and the victim gets fired and targeted to never teach again.

[Anonymous]

Many teachers are psychologically unfit and they seem to be the ones with tenure and promotion. If you are a great teacher that keeps it 100 you WILL be harrassed because you challenge the mediocrity. The more you try to perfect your class and the program the more you will have work piled on you. If you want a cake walk just hear no evil, speak no evil, and see no evil. If kids bully each other look the other way. If professionals bully some nerd working hard,look the other way. This is the mcps way. If your failure to do your job gets discovered, you will be promoted- look at all the principals who thrive in this climate.

[Anonymous]

I did not know how bad ageism was until I heard admins talk among themselves (waiting for others to join the meeting) how “old” 2 teachers looked with glasses on (one teacher in late 40’s, the order early 50’s) and principal emphasizing multiple times that her glasses were for protection from the the computer and not “old lady” ones.

[Anonymous]

It is possible that principals that are abusers of teachers were perhaps teachers who were abused themselves in past positions as abusive behavior is known to be past down.

One interesting book that sheds light on this dynamic is "Breaking the Silence- Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers" by Joe Blase (2002, Corwin). It discusses the modern and past problems of power dynamics that have led to cultures of bullying in education that lead to psychological harm, stress, burnout, and the need for reforms in education.

Link:
https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/breaking-the-silence/book225671

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is possible that principals that are abusers of teachers were perhaps teachers who were abused themselves in past positions as abusive behavior is known to be past down.

One interesting book that sheds light on this dynamic is "Breaking the Silence- Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers" by Joe Blase (2002, Corwin). It discusses the modern and past problems of power dynamics that have led to cultures of bullying in education that lead to psychological harm, stress, burnout, and the need for reforms in education.

Link:
https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/breaking-the-silence/book225671

Not every principal has been a teacher. There are also those whose school based experience is limited to being a non- classroom focus teacher, then central office, assistant principal for 2 years, principal in training then principal, with the whole trajectory taking about 7 years. They are the one who thrive on data, and consider students fixed variable. No matter how much they preach about different mindsets, the reality is a one size fits all model for them. They’re the worst to work for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is possible that principals that are abusers of teachers were perhaps teachers who were abused themselves in past positions as abusive behavior is known to be past down.

One interesting book that sheds light on this dynamic is "Breaking the Silence- Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers" by Joe Blase (2002, Corwin). It discusses the modern and past problems of power dynamics that have led to cultures of bullying in education that lead to psychological harm, stress, burnout, and the need for reforms in education.

Link:
https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/breaking-the-silence/book225671

Not every principal has been a teacher. There are also those whose school based experience is limited to being a non- classroom focus teacher, then central office, assistant principal for 2 years, principal in training then principal, with the whole trajectory taking about 7 years. They are the one who thrive on data, and consider students fixed variable. No matter how much they preach about different mindsets, the reality is a one size fits all model for them. They’re the worst to work for.

Spot on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is possible that principals that are abusers of teachers were perhaps teachers who were abused themselves in past positions as abusive behavior is known to be past down.

One interesting book that sheds light on this dynamic is "Breaking the Silence- Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers" by Joe Blase (2002, Corwin). It discusses the modern and past problems of power dynamics that have led to cultures of bullying in education that lead to psychological harm, stress, burnout, and the need for reforms in education.

Link:
https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/breaking-the-silence/book225671

Not every principal has been a teacher. There are also those whose school based experience is limited to being a non- classroom focus teacher, then central office, assistant principal for 2 years, principal in training then principal, with the whole trajectory taking about 7 years. They are the one who thrive on data, and consider students fixed variable. No matter how much they preach about different mindsets, the reality is a one size fits all model for them. They’re the worst to work for.

Spot on.

'
absolutely! Add to it divide and conquer while maintaining an inner circle responsible for damage control, especially during school climate surveys.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is possible that principals that are abusers of teachers were perhaps teachers who were abused themselves in past positions as abusive behavior is known to be past down.

One interesting book that sheds light on this dynamic is "Breaking the Silence- Overcoming the Problem of Principal Mistreatment of Teachers" by Joe Blase (2002, Corwin). It discusses the modern and past problems of power dynamics that have led to cultures of bullying in education that lead to psychological harm, stress, burnout, and the need for reforms in education.

Link:
https://us.corwin.com/en-us/nam/breaking-the-silence/book225671

Not every principal has been a teacher. There are also those whose school based experience is limited to being a non- classroom focus teacher, then central office, assistant principal for 2 years, principal in training then principal, with the whole trajectory taking about 7 years. They are the one who thrive on data, and consider students fixed variable. No matter how much they preach about different mindsets, the reality is a one size fits all model for them. They’re the worst to work for.

Spot on.

'
absolutely! Add to it divide and conquer while maintaining an inner circle responsible for damage control, especially during school climate surveys.

These are always the administrators who tell us before we complete the climate survey that any questions pertaining to leadership are actually about the Instructional Leadership Team--our peers--instead of school administration. It's interesting that those surveys never use the word "administration"--only the word "leadership", which allows these administrators to make sure the data doesn't reflect what staff members really think about them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Now with the coronavirus online work might be the way teachers are judged. I wonder if principals and ladder climbers will still have the opportunity to bully the teachers. I wonder if grade inflation will still be so common. With everything documented online maybe people will shy away from abusing one another. MCPS and MCEA take note , you might have to change your business model.

grade inflation

lol
what grades?
pass/fail . . .

I've already heard from colleagues about the layers of documentation for parental contact. This is regarding attendance and grades, and it's "especially important" for seniors.

What a sh*t show!

[Anonymous]

Not every principal has been a teacher.

This drives me crazy.

as does the ability to enter SCHOOL counseling w/o ever having taught

There's a gap of knowledge and lack of empathy in many who have only been counselors. I can't stand it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Not every principal has been a teacher.

This drives me crazy.

as does the ability to enter SCHOOL counseling w/o ever having taught

There's a gap of knowledge and lack of empathy in many who have only been counselors. I can't stand it.

Very true. For many admins being empathetic equates to being unprofessional.
DH recently had surgery and a lump was removed. We're waiting for the pathology results.
The only thing I got when I informed the principal was "please make sure you fill out the necessary paperwork, get a sub from the list, and make lesson plans".
I have not missed any Zoom sessions and all the lessons have been posted on time.
I feel like a bot.