I agree, what a hot topic

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Home : 2002 : April : 17

I agree, what a hot topic
By Cathy-Dee

I can understand the reluctance of any teacher to be in a staffroom that is negative all the time and has teachers who do curse, etc., perhaps too much. I do agree with the one poster who stated that it sounds like that
school is one that does not reflect the majority of schools. I'm guessing that is more likely the reason most of the posters here have defended venting in the staffroom, etc.,
Many of us have said things we may regret later, but for the most part, the staff room is a place where we can share the frustrations of the day, etc., I've had teachers take exception to my comments on some

days and other days I've taken exception to theirs. We learn to get along and understand that we sometimes just need to say things because we are frustrated. I always tell my colleagues to ignore 98% of what I say during September (I teach grade 1) because my little ones can drive me to distraction during that month. But once they settle into the routines and are a little less clingy things are fine and I just love them. Likewise I know the Grade 3 teachers are more stressed during the provincial testing times, etc., And PMS can cause all sorts of conflicts. And there are children that just make teaching harder than usual and parents who can drive us crazy. And sometimes yes even a colleague can really get on our nerves and we might say something about them because we just can't take it that day.

But from the 4 schools I've worked in plus the 3 I student-taught in - I found most staff rooms wonderful to be in. And yes when I was student teaching I didn't understand or agree with some of the things I heard. But after I taught for a couple of years I realized that I was naive back then and didn't really know what was going on because I wasn't fully a member of the staff.

I do believe teachers should act as professionals, but that doesn't mean they are not allowed to have private lives. We have parties, we go out, some of my colleagues go to the bar. We live in a small town so you can't just drive to the other side of the city and be less likely to be seen. I do not think our students respect us less because we have lives outside of school.

And on a last note, I do feel that each teacher in a school helps to set the climate in the staff-room. Simply staying away is not going to change things. We are adults and often we will have adult conversations - these are fine as long as the students cannot overhear them. But when things get out of hand, talk to your administrator quietly or share your views with someone you trust on staff. There are ways to help influence positive changes in your school.