Oct. 21st, 2002

Had a killer class prepared for today. And, wonder of wonders, it went well. i love it when the room gets hot because the brains are cooking. Makes teaching worth while. And not only that, it helped prepare the students for the mid semester exam.

Had an exam meeting after class. For all her hooha about this course, her test plan sucked. i'm not sure what her objective was for the exam, but we spent the first 90 minutes discussing what we were supposed to be testing, reading skills or outlining skills. Apparently she writes from an outline and believes it is the be all end all to writing problems. Unfortunately the common thought is that outlining, while important is an organizational tool. Organization is important, but if the students don't understand what they are reading, they sure as heck can't organize it in preparation to writing about it.

When i left they had just about decided to rework one of the readings they had prepared. Going to bring it down a notch or two from the very very professional/techinal language to make it more palatable for the kids. i told her to let me know if there is anything i can do to help. She's so proud assed, she won't. i know.

On my way to work this morning i think i had an epiphany. Now that i am feeling more comfortable in my position within the department, i wonder if most of my colleagues don't believe that because i ask for input from them on all things, that i am weak or unsure or unable to make a decision on my own. i wonder if my willingness to get their input doesn't make me, in their eyes at least, incompetent to do the job. This semester especially, i have noticed some of the teachers trying to run over me with their opinions or ideas. Then they get all pissy and act surprised as hell if i don't just fall at their feet and agree with them.

i wonder if this is making my job more difficult for me to do? Perhaps i should take the unilaterla view toward management and make the decisions on my own. To hell with the ideas they might have. To hell with the complications they might see. To hell with giving them any feeling of collegiality. i'm the queen of my world. You do as i say, and do it now damn it. Or i can have your job.

Now why would i want to do that? Honest answer? So i don't have to listen to back stabbing among the ranks. If they want to stab someone let it be me. i don't bleed. i'm queen. If i make unilateral decisions they have no one to complain about except me, and they won't to my face. Of course it will get very quiet whenever i walk into a room with more than one other teacher in it. They will be talking about me, cuz they won't have each other to talk about.

But that isn't the way i want to work. i want to have input. We all have to work together. The uni forces us to hire 'experts' in our fields. If all of them have at least the same education as i have why shouldn't i look to them for help? They will have a different perspective than i will. Isn't it good to take the long view rather than the short one? i have never once turned on them, and blamed anyone for any problems that may have arisen because of a decision i have made based on input from my teachers. In actual fact, there has been precious little problem. Why do they think i am weak? This is something i don't understand. Maybe i'm being paranoid. i know, you don't have to be paranoid to have everyone talking about you.

i think after this year, if the VDAA leaves, i'm going to request to just go back to teaching. It is what i love to do. It is what i was trained to do. It is what i want. That and to be left alone.

Profile

Julia Klein

June 2024

S M T W T F S
       1
23 45678
9101112131415
16171819202122
23242526272829
30      

Most Popular Tags

Page Summary

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 28th, 2025 02:23 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios