After numerous attempts to get involved in a specific area of school life and have some impact within that sphere, I was once again turned away.
I used a strong voice to debate the rejection of idea and practice past and present. I was clearly frustrated with what seemed to me to be boulders thrown into my path of serving children well.
I didn't follow my own belief that it's okay to debate, but with debate our tone and words need to be respectful. I held to respectful words, but not to a respectful volume.
I received a considerable response to my strong volume, and have been thinking a lot about the issue all summer as you may have noted in my posts.
Teachers do get frustrated. Our time on task is extensive, and our time for voice and choice limited in many ways. Changes in our professional world abound, and communication with regard to those changes isn't always clear and forthcoming. Even as colleagues, we often disagree and see the path to teaching and learning well in different ways. It's sometimes hard to know exactly what to do and how to do it, thus frustration is born.
The key is to be prepared for that frustration. It will happen. It happens in any place where people work together to meet a goal, vision, or mission. Getting along, making decisions, and plotting the path to good work is not a straightforward endeavor. It is an endeavor that is frustrating at times, and does call us to use the best of our abilities in concert.
So as the school year begins, I plan to have my "frustration toolkit" ready. If you're frustrated, meet with others to better understand the issue. If that's not possible, try to observe, reflect, and figure out next steps. Determine if it's a path worth traveling, and seek consult from those you trust. Also have that "do not go there" list of actions handy:
- don't raise your voice,
- don't use words that are inappropriate,
- never use physical force of any kind,
- take time away if needed,
- share the story with respect,
- know that you might be wrong and in most situations a good compromise can move everyone along,
- understand your rights and responsibilities--in most educator contracts, educators have to follow all system-wide procedures, behavioral codes, and decisions. Make the time to read this information prior to the school year.
- don't put angry or inappropriate words in writing
- remember that your efforts provide a model for student work and efforts.
I hesitate to share my "bad news," but with this vulnerability, I hope I can save others the pain and anguish I experienced.
