Friday, August 13, 2004
Exile's End?
Up to this point I have avoided mention of the organization that helped to place me here in the school district where I teach now and under whose auspices I continue to work for at least one more year. The reason is simple...a desire to retain my anonymity and thereby secure my right to speak my mind on issues of the day without fear of reprisal. If I were to start criticizing this organization under its real name (or even a passable pseudonym) and my superiors discovered my willingness to attack the flaws in the organization, things would quickly get awkward. So for now, I'll just leave it at this: An organization placed me here and they are placing others.
Which leads me to the real point of this post and the title of the blog. Because yesterday I was informed that I am going to no longer be the only person from this organization teaching at Underwood High School, as was the case last year. I am torn on how to feel about this. On the one hand, it will be nice to have someone to discuss school politics, other students, and so forth. On the other, in some ways I relished my isolation...there is something appealing to me about being the only one doing something. The lone sentry in the castle, as it were. Suddenly, I become "the experienced one," to whom this new teacher will come for wisdom. (Frightening, isn't it?) Unless of course, this new math teacher turns out to be some sort of wunderkind and capably whips his classroom into shape in two weeks...but that brings up its own set of problems.
Ultimately, I suppose the question comes down in my mind to deciding which is worse: the frustration of being alone or the frustration of being expected by the powers that be to mitigate the birth pains of a struggling new teacher?
Looks like I'll have no say in the matter...I should have savored the solitude.
Up to this point I have avoided mention of the organization that helped to place me here in the school district where I teach now and under whose auspices I continue to work for at least one more year. The reason is simple...a desire to retain my anonymity and thereby secure my right to speak my mind on issues of the day without fear of reprisal. If I were to start criticizing this organization under its real name (or even a passable pseudonym) and my superiors discovered my willingness to attack the flaws in the organization, things would quickly get awkward. So for now, I'll just leave it at this: An organization placed me here and they are placing others.
Which leads me to the real point of this post and the title of the blog. Because yesterday I was informed that I am going to no longer be the only person from this organization teaching at Underwood High School, as was the case last year. I am torn on how to feel about this. On the one hand, it will be nice to have someone to discuss school politics, other students, and so forth. On the other, in some ways I relished my isolation...there is something appealing to me about being the only one doing something. The lone sentry in the castle, as it were. Suddenly, I become "the experienced one," to whom this new teacher will come for wisdom. (Frightening, isn't it?) Unless of course, this new math teacher turns out to be some sort of wunderkind and capably whips his classroom into shape in two weeks...but that brings up its own set of problems.
Ultimately, I suppose the question comes down in my mind to deciding which is worse: the frustration of being alone or the frustration of being expected by the powers that be to mitigate the birth pains of a struggling new teacher?
Looks like I'll have no say in the matter...I should have savored the solitude.
