Hi Trish - I'm not a teacher, but the more I listen to FLTeach, the more it is dawning on me that being a schoolteacher is -no- different than working in an office environment. [I used to be under the impression that being a schoolteacher would be something different - and it is - but administratively, it's the same as working in a large office]... You're the "new guy" ("new gal" sounds funny!) there, it seems. The 'new guy' always is given the hard time, first year on the job. I've been in that position of "new guy" a few times around - and it's tough. Everything seems to be going fine and dandy, then *whoom* - you suddenly are held accountable for things that you thought you were doing fine (and probably were!) or being told to go to training classes, by somebody who doesn't really know what you are doing or how you are doing it. If significant work is getting taken away from you, then you know you've got a problem... ...is he taking you away from any of your Spanish classes? This would be a huge
red flag. In the principal's mind, he/she may be thinking that, since you're new at teaching high school levels, that you should be observe a more senior teacher. The first semester of school, (just like the first quarter or 1/2 yr working for a business), is probably handled in a similar way as I've 'been handled'. It's irritating, but most businesses *seem* to work this way: 1) Everybody's all smiles. Lots of handshakes, introductions, and loads of free reign. 2) This continues for a bit, then it *seems* that you're being ignored/allowed to go your own way with things, handling projects in the way you see best. Nobody corrects you, except for a hint or two from the boss. 3) Suddenly (it seems sudden to you anyhow), you're called into the office. Something you have been doing is criticized, either rightly (in my case, overuse of email :) ), or wrongly, and it hurts! It's a shocker. It's as if your whole world is going to collapse. 4) Something remedial is handed your way. In my case, in one jo
b, I went from creating spreadsheets (which I enjoy) to suddenly doing data entry for a while, with the spreadsheets put on the back burner. This goes on for a while. 5) Then, you've "run the gauntlet". The pain sticks around for a while, but you've now gained some respect. I don't know if this all is universally true, but it has been in the jobs I've worked at -- and seeing just how surprisingly similar being a schoolteacher seems to be to office work, I hope this helps.
