PTA: Parent, Teacher, Asshole

New School Year: Day 1

So on Thursday, the school year started back. No students yet, just the pre-student set-up week. I should say "set-up" because I've only spent about an hour and a half working on getting ready for the new school year. That's for two days equaling 16 hours on the job. That's not for my laziness. I mean I have laziness, and that's usually the reason why I don't get things done. But not this time baby! I am STRESSED!

See, I've been moved to a new room (read portable) and everything of mine is in a box. Well, not one box, but several boxes strewn about about my room.

Mrs. Chili, riddle me this...should I say "everything is in a box" or "everything is in boxes"?

Ok, where was I?

Oh, yes, things, boxes, not ready for school to start! So, for fun, let's add some items to my "Gotta Get It Done Before Day One" list.

I learned on my first day back in the "Welcome back, here's what changed" meeting with Trinity (She's the third principal I've worked for at Alternate Reality School of Excellence, or Arse). I go from teaching 4 classes to 6. Classes are cut from 70 minutes to 48 minutes. One of my classes is a middle school reading accellaration program which I've had exposure to in the past, ans the other is a high school elective class.

Bloody high school.

I asked Principal Trinity what I was to do with this unnamed High School elective class.

Trinity: "Well, it can be anything you want it to be, but I can tell you what I was thinking?"
Asshole: "Ok, what did you have in mind?"
Trinity: "Just a Creative Writing class where you could head up the school newsletter. I don't want it to be something you have to plan for, so just go in and do whatever you want."

HAHAHAHAHAH! Not plan for. Yeah, ok. See, if you want me to head up the school newsletter, I'm going to want to teach some journalism and throw in the fun stuff for filler. The poetry and short stories and such, the stuff I could "just wing it with" would be just padding. Basically, I'm thinking predominantly a journalism course.

Query: Has the Asshole had anything to do with a journalism class before now?

Response: Hell...no.

Now, technically I could go to Principal Trinity and say, "You know, I think I'd rather teach a class on how comic books have affected culture," and she'd probably say, "Yeah, ok."

I make that assertion because a coworker, this year we'll call her Bess, was in the same boat and she said, "Can I teach sewing?" There were some parameters about reaching out to the community, but she pretty much got the go ahead.

But here's my problem...I'm a Work With-er. Had she said, "I want you to teach sex ed," I would say, after inquiring, "Why don't you want me to teach Ed sex?" I would respond, "Ok, am I just going over the basics or are we talking techniques and Kama Sutra?"

In a world of Work Againsters, I'm a Worth With-er. So it's my fault, but now I've asked the district language arts head about journalism teachers and I'm scouring the net for resources on teaching journalism.

So, students return to school in T-Minus 4 days...this Thursday. I need to:

1. Unpack and set up room.
2. Develop parameters of two new classes.
3. Get stuff ready for the six total classes I'm teaching on Thursday.
4. Figure out how to do the same amount of teaching with a lot less time.

Freaking out!

But no, I'm not done...I also have the pleasure of Arse (Alternative Reality School of Excellence) politics.

The middle school teachers were held after for some clarifications on the changes I've already shared. During the extended meeting, I decided I'd share a concern that was shared with me from Bess and Bull, my coworkers from last year. See, I decided this would be a good opportunity to show that we could be a team and reassert myself to a position of leadership in the middle school. But I should have held my tongue. I said to Principal Trinity, "The others talked with me and I shared some of their concerns about the new behavior policy, and we'd like to present for your consideration a melding of our old system and your new system. Blah, blah, blah."

The others were...silent. Trinity's retort: "The intent of the new policy is to blah blah blah and blah blah blah. What about if blah blah?"

Bess chimes in: "Yeah, we could blah blah."

Asshole Interior Monologue: "Man, my ass hurts. I think I've been screwed. What are you talking about Bess? This doesn't alleviate your concerns."

Well, I just said, "Ok," cause while I don't agree with all of Trinity's assertions, as stated above, I'm a Work With-er. The only reason I said anything to mend fences. Well, I don't seem to be a fence mender. So I shut up. Anyway, I wanted to get out of there so I could help Mrs. Asshole pay school fees for Delta-Boy, our first kindergartener.

Bess and Bull finally chimed in some things in very non-assertive ways. More like points of clarification than points of contention.

So stressed and annoyed.

Day 2 was better save for not working in my room...but I'll share that tomorrow.

Oh, in case you didn't notice, I do want to clarify. The names used in this post do refer to some of the same people referred to in previous posts. But I figured new year, new names, so in order to help with anonymity, I changed the names again. Also, that's why I used "blahs" for the conversation up there. The details aren't important, and going for the whole "plausible deniability" thing.

Come back tomorrow for Day 2 of the new year.

posted by Bodog @ 4:49 PM