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Home : 2001 : December : 10
You will receive bad reports from principals, fellow teachers and parents your entire career. They are someone else's opinion of your work. They hurt like hell, but they are not the end of the world nor the end of your career. It helped a lot when I developed a thicker skin. I know your principal's censure is more problematic because it involves job security. But it is still just his opinion. You are teaching a most difficult group. English language learners are fragile learners. Your efforts with them won't always succeed because of things beyond your control. You are responsible to do your best for them. You are not responsible to fix all their problems. That is impossible. Finally, some advice: 1. Go to your principal and ask for some POSITIVE feedback about your evaluation. What would he like to see next time? Where could you go for help in making your lesson plans support your students' learning? What does he LIKE about your teaching, for crying out loud??? Listen, then try to follow some of his advice. 2. Take a deep breath and let this go whenever you can. Don't take it home with you if you can possibly avoid it. Whatever you do, don't take it to bed. Think of other things at bedtime. You need calm, relaxed sleep. 3. Keep posting here because it really, really helps to have someone to tell this kind of thing to. One of the reasons I quit was because I bottled everything inside. There was no one to tell. Finally, after many teary evenings my husband (bless him) asked, "What do you want to do?" I said, "Quit!" He said, "Then quit." I did. It took me years of personal growth to want to come back. I'm glad I did. But I wish I hadn't had to quit in the first place. Maybe having a vent board back then would have helped. Good luck to you. I hope you have a better day tomorrow.
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