The year has started and it is not as exciting as in the past.  All last year teachers talked about the lack of respect and the declining behavior in the students.  It was even brought up in a recent meeting.  I looked at another teacher and we both had the same look on our faces:  "What are they talking about?"  Last year was my best year ever.  The students were so nice, polite, honest, and fun.  I had some fabulous work from the students.  There were struggles, but that is to be expected.  And the way this year has started off, I just know it will not be the same.

We had a presentation on our first day back.  It was about how to better engage our students.  As the woman went through the power point, I just kept nodding my head.  The recommendations were all things I know I do in the room.  I know that some of the few people here that I talk to do these things:  respect the students, assist them in not giving up, do not present information for them to memorize and regurgitate.  So many other points.  Yet I also know that there are teachers who cultivate a climate of hero worship here and they teach in the opposite manner.  If you are trying to engage the student in their learning, you are not cultivating a climate of dictator and dictated to.

I spoke to one teacher after his/her breakout session.  S/he had the men who are guilty of this in his/her session.  Apparently, they were told their methods are not engaging.  They might have been a wee bit indignant - shocker! - but will anything change?  Will the director of their department conference with them to let them know where they are wrong?  I doubt it.  This school will not improve if the problem teachers are permitted to kiss ass and get away with pedagogically unsound practices.

So I have a little battle I am set for this year.  Those teachers who cultivate hero worship are also the ones whose students are always doing the work in my room.  From now on, I will confiscate all work caught being done in my class and I will throw it out.  If it is a text book, I will take it and bring it to the main office.   I am tired of this.

We had a workshop based on the recent community forums.  People think this school is horrible.  I have no idea what they are talking about.  The kids are so wonderful.  Sure, the climate is toxic.  However, once I am in the room with my kids, all problems disappear.  I wish my colleagues saw how great the kids are instead of complaining about parking (get your ass here earlier) or the food in the teacher's cafeteria ( bring your own food).  There are a lot of misconceptions and the colleagues who complain about inane stuff are missing the point.  They are also causing the students to also see this place as horrible.  The students are not the problem here.  The rotten attitudes of a select group of teachers is the problem and administration needs to get it in check.  That might mean scolding some of their favourites, but so be it.