Sadly, yes. It was with her I first communicated the issues with because she asked me about it. Actually, this a bit funny. Given the two impossible to meet at once goals of teaching level appropriate material of the entire unit, I went with the former. The syllabus, written by the SD who researched teaching methods for decades but we believe has spent very little time in the classroom, had us diving into the text straight away on the first day. However, I have an introductory activity that I have long used with all my classes but by focusing on one aspect more with this group and another facet other groups, it is easily adaptable to any class. It suits medical students well, though they may not realize it. This is used for my introduction and then the students introduce themselves. There are another activities that remind them of things that will help them in class. This always takes much of the first day of class, but a lot of groundwork is laid. If time remains, we start with how to use the textbook and how to get the most out of the different activities. What is not covered the first week is the second. However, the syllabus we were given did not allow for this, but it is essential to my methodology. I did it anyway and told my students that the test would be after the first 4 units were completed. They kept asking about the date, and wanting to verify it was not on the 5th week of class but I did not understand why.
The night before the test the SD emails me with the test the next day. I told her that my class will be taking the test at a later date. She responded that my students were expecting to take the test the following day and that they will. I asked “How is it that my students are expecting a test on a date other than that their teacher, me, gave them? We have not covered the four units of to be covered by the test, and why are are your writing it anyway? We were told we would be writing them and I have.”
After that, she only emailed to ask when I would be giving the test. Later the day of the test or a day or two later, the Director emails and asked, “You did give the test on Wednesday?” “Nope” was was my reply along with an explanation. “OH MY” or the like was her response. Then started, from the director a long discussion of meeting expectations and complaints form students and parents and the need to follow rules and a lot of other ground. Back and forth between herself and I until she got feed up and question why I was telling her all this anyway as the beef was with the SD. I reminded her that it was she, not I that broached the subject between us. That was in my response to the syllabus and other information sent from her on the last day before the summer break; it was in this email that I reminded her that it was she who started this topic of communication between us. Then she emails me on Saturday (last Saturday) before the end of the vacation justifying everything the SD has said and done. So, again she starts up a conversation that she got angry with me for bringing up when it was she who got that ball rolling.
Fun fun.
It is so tempting to leave them with no notice. It would be fun, they earned it, but that would not be helpful for the students. Beside, this is one of only two remaining year round positions I still have. Not making ends meet with this income. Without would an even less time to find new jobs.
How is it that the new SD has this much power? Especially since she has no real teaching experience? Talk about burdensome administration! Forgive me for this lame example, but it is like asking Dr. Fauci to work in a hospital ER. Fauci has little experience in what happens there, and would likely be more of a hindrance to treating patients.
It is very much like that. I have been saying it is like someone who has never driven any vehicle in their life telling a commercial driver how to drive. It is amazing to say the least.
The four old timers at the school have a combined experience of teaching English to Japanese in Japan of over a full century. Yet, we are not asked, we are told we must do what we know from experience is doomed to fail. It is maddening.
There should be a way to arbitrate this situation. Is there a clause in your contract or previous employment agreement that states how conflicts can be resolved? It is bizarre that admin puts together the tests! I have seen that in medical schools as they teach students to tests for state and national exams because a high average on those tests is how they promote the ‘quality’ of education they offer. It doesn’t have a thing to do with ability of students to preform once they graduate.
This is a medical school and that very thing plays a part in all this, I think. The big thing appears that the MD I charge of education wants all the students to receive the exact same education regardless of the class levels and the fact that there are 5 teachers teaching them.
Like stamping out widgets. It is about quality control. DEI creates the same problem. Since you have already proven yourself to be well qualified by your past work, it would seem that this technocratic approach by the current administration would be unnecessary. I’m afraid that you are working within a framework where individual choice and accountability is not recognized. Meritocracy is lost to the dehumanizing goal of an equitable outcome. Right becomes might and power is the answer to everything. You are dealing with the pathology of technocracy.
Teaching adults is, IMHO so much different than teaching primary/secondary school kids (I taught eager 8-17yr olds fine arts while i was a college student.)
I wrote the syllabus and textbook and 'beta-tested' a program, 10 separate sets of consecutive groups for a major US airline reservations division; a skill set including a new computer language application to an extremely diverse group of adults in the late-1990's. HQ cut my program after 2nd group from 6wks to 4wks, that is only 20days, 7 hrs each day to learn a new product, a new computer program to deliver that product, and integrate their telemarketing sales experience into the new product. Corporate HQ expected proficiency and sales perfection, of course.
Students ranged from 6months experience to 20yrs sales employment. Classes of 16pupils with one assistant to watch their screens from behind while I watched the anguished faces facing me viewing from the podium/whiteboard . I wanted everyone to succeed, but HQ's position was a 20% acceptable fail rate ("we can hire new young computer monkeys to get the job done") ! They
budgeted attrition !!
Your introductory 'module' sounds like my 1st class for each group, and a sound way to gauge the student, see how they think and how best to engage them for success.
When someone is in charge who's never taught, they botch it. Students treated like automatons do not thrive.
I hope you resolve the problems but as I'm sure you are learning: merit is less valued than conformity. My heart goes out to you and your students.
May the SD recognize her resemblance to kami Izanami, reflect on her imperious behavior and modify her uncooperative position soon, for the benefit of all.
Yes, you have had similar experiences. And YES, my introductory activities do among other things, provide a gauge on their actually proficiency level, as a class and individually. While the main activity if my own, it is blended with ideas I have gathered from others over the years and the idea of taking the time at the start of a new course to set things up, to lay ground rules and inform of expectations is not in any way unique to me. All my high school, college and tech classes in the navy followed the same. Never have I been instructed to just jump in to the material with doing any of this.
Still, it is refreshing, invigorating to have others confirm this.
What I have done is post to the entire group my displeasure with the SD’s actions. She replied to me privately to which I again replied publicly. Email from that source has been quite since, but it is late here. No more private comms between she and I. All will be public.
Apparently. We are NOT told this but they act this way. This is actually a common problem part timers deal with all the time. Universities have no need for more than one or two full time foreign language teachers. At this school, there are two full timers who do not teach what the 5 part time native English teachers teach. The 5 of us all teach at the same time and then go on to our various other gigs. For me, it is across the hall to the nursing school were the difference is day to night.
What our full time bosses like to do is schedule we part timers as if we are full timers. Extreme cases included mandatory meeting on days we do not have class at that school. This school has yet to do that to me, but they seem to be on that path now. What most do, though. Thankfully not all, is to send emails at anytime of the day or night and throw a fit when we have not replied right away. This too is new for this school. But, we have both a new director, started last year, and a brand new SD who started this year. There is little doubt from where all this nonsense emanates.
Of course. They always misrepresent. Without any compunction. I am getting the impression that the average person in the field of education has no morals.
Does the Sub directors boss know the conflict she is causing?
It might be worth keeping her bosses in the loop as well.
I hope you can figure out a way to resolve this, but if it does come to a parting of ways, then do the same to them.
Give them no time to react and make it inconvenient.
Sadly, yes. It was with her I first communicated the issues with because she asked me about it. Actually, this a bit funny. Given the two impossible to meet at once goals of teaching level appropriate material of the entire unit, I went with the former. The syllabus, written by the SD who researched teaching methods for decades but we believe has spent very little time in the classroom, had us diving into the text straight away on the first day. However, I have an introductory activity that I have long used with all my classes but by focusing on one aspect more with this group and another facet other groups, it is easily adaptable to any class. It suits medical students well, though they may not realize it. This is used for my introduction and then the students introduce themselves. There are another activities that remind them of things that will help them in class. This always takes much of the first day of class, but a lot of groundwork is laid. If time remains, we start with how to use the textbook and how to get the most out of the different activities. What is not covered the first week is the second. However, the syllabus we were given did not allow for this, but it is essential to my methodology. I did it anyway and told my students that the test would be after the first 4 units were completed. They kept asking about the date, and wanting to verify it was not on the 5th week of class but I did not understand why.
The night before the test the SD emails me with the test the next day. I told her that my class will be taking the test at a later date. She responded that my students were expecting to take the test the following day and that they will. I asked “How is it that my students are expecting a test on a date other than that their teacher, me, gave them? We have not covered the four units of to be covered by the test, and why are are your writing it anyway? We were told we would be writing them and I have.”
After that, she only emailed to ask when I would be giving the test. Later the day of the test or a day or two later, the Director emails and asked, “You did give the test on Wednesday?” “Nope” was was my reply along with an explanation. “OH MY” or the like was her response. Then started, from the director a long discussion of meeting expectations and complaints form students and parents and the need to follow rules and a lot of other ground. Back and forth between herself and I until she got feed up and question why I was telling her all this anyway as the beef was with the SD. I reminded her that it was she, not I that broached the subject between us. That was in my response to the syllabus and other information sent from her on the last day before the summer break; it was in this email that I reminded her that it was she who started this topic of communication between us. Then she emails me on Saturday (last Saturday) before the end of the vacation justifying everything the SD has said and done. So, again she starts up a conversation that she got angry with me for bringing up when it was she who got that ball rolling.
Fun fun.
It is so tempting to leave them with no notice. It would be fun, they earned it, but that would not be helpful for the students. Beside, this is one of only two remaining year round positions I still have. Not making ends meet with this income. Without would an even less time to find new jobs.
How is it that the new SD has this much power? Especially since she has no real teaching experience? Talk about burdensome administration! Forgive me for this lame example, but it is like asking Dr. Fauci to work in a hospital ER. Fauci has little experience in what happens there, and would likely be more of a hindrance to treating patients.
It is very much like that. I have been saying it is like someone who has never driven any vehicle in their life telling a commercial driver how to drive. It is amazing to say the least.
The four old timers at the school have a combined experience of teaching English to Japanese in Japan of over a full century. Yet, we are not asked, we are told we must do what we know from experience is doomed to fail. It is maddening.
There should be a way to arbitrate this situation. Is there a clause in your contract or previous employment agreement that states how conflicts can be resolved? It is bizarre that admin puts together the tests! I have seen that in medical schools as they teach students to tests for state and national exams because a high average on those tests is how they promote the ‘quality’ of education they offer. It doesn’t have a thing to do with ability of students to preform once they graduate.
This is a medical school and that very thing plays a part in all this, I think. The big thing appears that the MD I charge of education wants all the students to receive the exact same education regardless of the class levels and the fact that there are 5 teachers teaching them.
Like stamping out widgets. It is about quality control. DEI creates the same problem. Since you have already proven yourself to be well qualified by your past work, it would seem that this technocratic approach by the current administration would be unnecessary. I’m afraid that you are working within a framework where individual choice and accountability is not recognized. Meritocracy is lost to the dehumanizing goal of an equitable outcome. Right becomes might and power is the answer to everything. You are dealing with the pathology of technocracy.
That Dr. Fauci example is an excellent one. Keep 'em coming.
Teaching adults is, IMHO so much different than teaching primary/secondary school kids (I taught eager 8-17yr olds fine arts while i was a college student.)
I wrote the syllabus and textbook and 'beta-tested' a program, 10 separate sets of consecutive groups for a major US airline reservations division; a skill set including a new computer language application to an extremely diverse group of adults in the late-1990's. HQ cut my program after 2nd group from 6wks to 4wks, that is only 20days, 7 hrs each day to learn a new product, a new computer program to deliver that product, and integrate their telemarketing sales experience into the new product. Corporate HQ expected proficiency and sales perfection, of course.
Students ranged from 6months experience to 20yrs sales employment. Classes of 16pupils with one assistant to watch their screens from behind while I watched the anguished faces facing me viewing from the podium/whiteboard . I wanted everyone to succeed, but HQ's position was a 20% acceptable fail rate ("we can hire new young computer monkeys to get the job done") ! They
budgeted attrition !!
Your introductory 'module' sounds like my 1st class for each group, and a sound way to gauge the student, see how they think and how best to engage them for success.
When someone is in charge who's never taught, they botch it. Students treated like automatons do not thrive.
I hope you resolve the problems but as I'm sure you are learning: merit is less valued than conformity. My heart goes out to you and your students.
May the SD recognize her resemblance to kami Izanami, reflect on her imperious behavior and modify her uncooperative position soon, for the benefit of all.
Bless you - and have strength.
Yes, you have had similar experiences. And YES, my introductory activities do among other things, provide a gauge on their actually proficiency level, as a class and individually. While the main activity if my own, it is blended with ideas I have gathered from others over the years and the idea of taking the time at the start of a new course to set things up, to lay ground rules and inform of expectations is not in any way unique to me. All my high school, college and tech classes in the navy followed the same. Never have I been instructed to just jump in to the material with doing any of this.
Still, it is refreshing, invigorating to have others confirm this.
Cead mile failte!
What, you are supposed to reply in realtime, like you were sitting in their office speaking to them.
This is not only inconvenient but hardly solves the problems you have presented.
Do what the Democrats do, DOUBLE DOWN.
What I have done is post to the entire group my displeasure with the SD’s actions. She replied to me privately to which I again replied publicly. Email from that source has been quite since, but it is late here. No more private comms between she and I. All will be public.
You should go ahead and copy all the private comms to the public site, for anybody who wants to read them.
Could get you into legal trouble, but what do I know about Japan’s laws, nothing!
I have them all copied and I have offered her to do so.
Apparently. We are NOT told this but they act this way. This is actually a common problem part timers deal with all the time. Universities have no need for more than one or two full time foreign language teachers. At this school, there are two full timers who do not teach what the 5 part time native English teachers teach. The 5 of us all teach at the same time and then go on to our various other gigs. For me, it is across the hall to the nursing school were the difference is day to night.
What our full time bosses like to do is schedule we part timers as if we are full timers. Extreme cases included mandatory meeting on days we do not have class at that school. This school has yet to do that to me, but they seem to be on that path now. What most do, though. Thankfully not all, is to send emails at anytime of the day or night and throw a fit when we have not replied right away. This too is new for this school. But, we have both a new director, started last year, and a brand new SD who started this year. There is little doubt from where all this nonsense emanates.
I can only imagine she thinks it's some sort of reality TV rather than a school. What a hen house you've ended up in.
Of course. They always misrepresent. Without any compunction. I am getting the impression that the average person in the field of education has no morals.
And are morons. Morons without morals.
That's because they aren't educators. They're managers, or even worse: middle-managers.
Their only utility is to 'keep the sheep in line' and that's their way to 'prove' their existence is worth anything.
Worse still as both also teach and should know better.
Tristle, Trastle, trestle, trone, time for this one to come home.