Dear We are teachers,
I moved to Florida from New England this year and, at an off-campus job fair, accepted a position at what appeared to be a middle school. But from the first day the school opened this summer for teachers to work in the building, I saw that the school was full of cockroaches. The dead in the hall, the living coming out of the coffins, stabbing everywhere. It is not the German child that is crippled but the big tree that is crippled. I’m OK with a lot of bugs, but they scare the crap out of me! I asked my principal what could be done, and he said that apart from the three-month extermination visit, his hands were tied. I don’t want to make waves at my new school, but this seems like a health hazard!
– This disturbs me
Dear TBM,
I tremble with you. Even after growing up on the Texas coast where tree crows are very common, they are still disturbing, ugly, and moving like little horned goblins.
It can be dangerous to health, but it is difficult to know for sure that your school is full of cockroaches because of your description. The only line that separates this from normal roach situations for me is that you see roach poop in the area you and the students can’t touch. I’ve never seen that happen even when I walked into an empty classroom all summer.
My advice: Ask a fellow teacher how common these situations are. Maybe even ask the exterminator how much infestation that amount of roach poop would indicate. You can always file an anonymous OSHA complaint if it’s related to health and safety, but know that your principal may find out that you’re the one asking about foxes. (They are not allowed to retaliate for an OSHA complaint, but just FYI.)
Meanwhile, find some battle stations. They are the best. #notanad #just the truth.
Dear We are teachers,
I have a 7th grader who is a difficult combination of first grade distraction and reading. I left voicemails with his parents and emailed 10+ times and never heard back. I have already told the principal and my counselor, both of whom gave me the equivalent of a shrug when I told them what I was going through. Here’s what blows my mind: This student has been in our district since kindergarten and has never once failed a class or returned. I don’t know how he was promoted beyond 3rd grade with his reading comprehension level! I’m frustrated but also sad and I don’t know what to do since it seems like I’m the only one who cares about a child who can’t read and write being passed through the program. Do you have any advice?
– Defeated and Defeated
Dear Father,
I feel your frustration in my bones. I saw this many times as a teacher, and it never stopped making me want to cry into space. This type of situation requires a delicate balance.
On the other side of the story, you don’t want to keep outdoing him in the process. Give accurate marks. Misconduct document. Keep sending those emails home—especially the failing grade notices—and start asking your counselor and principal. Be specific in each email that you have tried to call home, and list the numbers provided.
On the other side of the story, don’t let the program eat you. Merely judging him will not meet his serious needs. He will be offered summer school, not attend, and move on to the next grade anyway.
First, give your school one last chance to support you. Email your principal and counselor and ask for their recommendations on who to contact in the district to help you reach this student’s parents and connect them with the help they need—especially since it is dangerous that your school does not have a reliable way of communicating with the guardians of this student. Hopefully that will put a fire under them. And if not, you will have done your best to move up the chain of command.
If that doesn’t work, go to your senior management—whoever is in charge of literacy, basic literacy, and send this email. You can also send it to your district’s head of counseling and any social support role positions.
“I have a 7th grader in my class who is in the first grade and has been at our school since kindergarten. Until now, [x] a few weeks after I entered school, I could not reach his parents by phone or email. His behavior is disturbing, which I attribute to the fact that he is far behind his peers.
This student has a great need for intervention that is beyond my content knowledge as a 4th through 8th grade Generalist and beyond what my school has been able to provide. Please tell me as soon as possible how I can get this student the help he needs, including family support.”
I’m sorry we don’t have a better plan. But I’m glad you’re speaking for a stuck student.
Dear We are teachers,
I got my dream high school job but was put in the position of being a “catch-all” kind of teacher this year to cut down on the workload of other teachers. As a result, I have five completely different programs: Pre-AP Spanish I, Spanish II, Pre-AP Spanish II, Speech & Debate, and AP Spanish IV.
It doesn’t mean I’m drowning. I can’t sleep because I’m late for grading and preparation. I was told by my principal that all of these teachers would share their curriculum with me, but only three of them have—and they are bare road maps, not daily lesson plans.
My principal told me that this role would be a lot of work at the interview, so I feel stupid coming to her complaining about how much work it is. But I can’t make it to December like this. What can you do?
– Immersion of Preps
Dear DIP,
Uh … no offense, but what was your main thought? (Please don’t ask the principal what he was thinking). That is a terrible burden for an experienced teacher. For a first-year teacher, that’s a recipe for burnout.
Remember: You accepted this position on the condition that you will get the resources you need … and you haven’t. It’s less about not being able to hack it and more about not having the support you were told you would have.
Step 1: Ask the teachers again if they have more detailed lesson plans they would like to share with you. I doubt they do, because my guess is that the principal never told them, “Hey, make sure you have lesson plans ready for this teacher.” But if they did, you need to give them one last chance before going to your principal.
Step 2: Talk to your principal. Say, “I love my job, and I want to be the best teacher I can be. I remember in my interview you mentioned that these teachers would share their plans and resources, but I think I need more details than what was provided. Would you be willing to let me take a day or two to meet with the district’s Spanish curriculum specialist—or maybe other Spanish teachers in the district—so I can get my plans in place at least until the end of the semester?”
You don’t complain. He shows the beginning. And suggest a solution. Hopefully, this will show your principal who to keep next year—as long as he or she significantly reduces your workload.
Do you have a burning question? Email us at [email protected].
Dear We are teachers,
This will be my fifth year teaching middle school. After five very difficult and stressful years, I am trying to create a better work-life balance. Knowing that I tend to melt down during October, I decided to plan a trip to Mexico with my husband and asked for three days (Wednesday to Friday) off work. When I asked my principal for permission to use my personal days, he agreed, but warned that parents or students should not know that I am going on vacation and not to post pictures on social media. When I asked why, he said, “Some parents don’t think teachers should take vacations in the middle of the year. Do you think he was trying to discourage me? Is it OK to plan a mid-semester vacation? I am so angry!
—Un Poco Desanimada
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