Transfer

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2003 : November : 23

Transfer
By Sue W.

You are right, it makes no sense! I have a lot of questions. Knowing some of the answers might shed some light on this.

Does your certification/teacher license include elementary? Are you teaching middle school with elementary
certification when they should have had someone certified at the middle school level? Some states allow few, if any, exceptions to appropriate certification. If you were hired for the middle school position and now the district is worried about meeting certification rulings, they could and should tell you what is going on.
Have you taught at the primary level before? First grade

is an incredibly important place in education; starting students out in the first level after kindergarten, getting at the basics of behavior and learning. If there are doubts about a teacher's skills, that would definately not be a place to send him or her. Have you already proven you skills at this level?

Could they be desperate to replace a first grade teacher for some "confidential" reason, not wanting to post the position? Do they think the middle school position would be easier to fill?

Are you a member of a teacher's union? If you are ,contact your rep., if you haven't already. Often teacher's contracts have agreed upon rules for involuntary transfers, they can be made but must be within limits. Are you the "last hire" in the district, making you the low person on the totem pole? That may give administration the right to transfer you to any available position. I can't imagine how this could happen without you being legally entitled to some kind of explanation.

If you were a terrible teacher and not yet tenured they could let you go at the end of the year, or even make the case of having you dismissed before then. But they aren't doing that. Hmmmmm.

Good luck!