Like students teachers are always learning as well; most if not all teachers would agree that learning is a life long process and for that reason must be treated in the similar fashion. This idea is obviously practiced in many ways, professional development, school social events and even disciplinary actions.
Students and teachers have more similarities than differences when the roles are carefully examined. At first glance people always consider the two binary opposites. On a shallow level, yes the two are opposites, one teaches and the other studies the teachings of the teacher. It is more common that not, teachers forget that they themselves feel the same things students feel when in the school community at times.
How often is a student called down to the office? Not often, unless they are often times in trouble. Teachers (depending on the school and the teacher's role) are not often in the office themselves. I myself have been called down to the office for numerous reasons, some good, some...not so good. The office is always a place that is seen as a strictly business area, not much socializing happens around here because of the premises it carries when someone is in the office often.
There are ways to break this stigma of the office but it takes time and a lot of work. It is certainly not a change one would see in the near future or in a larger school setting either. Disciplinary action should not be dealt with in one's office, that is similar to moving into a home where someone has recently passed away (the analogy is quite realistic depending on the area the school is located in); there is a large amount of tension and negative energy that surrounds that space and for those who don't like the term "energy" one can say that the space eventually becomes poisoned.
It is difficult for teachers to play the role of the respectable educator as well as the fun loving individual they want to be with the students. Similarly, administrative figureheads also suffer from the dilemma of "stern administrator" and "work buddy". Granted the term "work buddy" is a rare and formerly used term as office rules and human resource sanctions halt any legitimate human interaction due to our "do and sue" society. I am coining "do an sue" because if you openly admit to "doing" something and that something has injured, offended or impeded on anyone's life in anyway, they are within legal grounds to sue your or whatever institution they deem fit. Nonetheless, the term "work buddy" merely represents an individual which you may confide in at times. Administrators cannot be these people. The simple reason for it is because their is too much at stake, there are people's jobs, families, professionalism, and mental well being involved.
For example, an administrator and a teacher go for a bite to eat at lunch. The teacher at lunch with the administrator begins discussing a specific student or two that has been giving them trouble lately, then its joked that the student could be expelled because of whatever reason. Later that week, the student really irritates the teacher and the teacher (as last resort) sends the student to the office (expecting the student will be expelled) and finds that the student has returned to class the next day. There is now a conflict of interests for the principal, not to mention the social turmoil created between these coworkers.
Yes, this is a terrible teacher or maybe just a teacher who simply had enough but regardless, for argument sake, this is the scenario.
A better example, as human beings teachers and principals have needs and wants as well as vices. A couple of co workers (teacher and principal) make their way "downtown" one night and partake in some activities that are on the fringe in their society. Next weekend the teacher goes out and has fun with other friends, does the same thing as they and the principal did the weekend before, but this time someone had spotted them for whatever reason. The situation is reported to the administrator and he is left to discipline accordingly. Granted, a first time offence and anything short of a felony shouldn't get you in huge trouble but there is always the risk of the bologna permanent record that people are often times concerned about. The principal in the end needs to discipline and write a report regarding the teacher. Morally the principal knows that he himself does not see any harm in the situation but understands the moral roles that the school staff is required to carry with themselves in the public eye. For this reason there is a dispute between the teacher and principal because the teacher knows full well that the principal is just as "bad" as they are said to be.
For reasons like this there is a major blockade between administration and the classroom teachers. There are exceptions but these exceptions need to be studied and explained to create a more consistent routine.
Although I myself, have not been in anything too serious, aside from invigilation issues, field trip supervision issues and electronic attendance submission, and dirty classroom issues; I can still see the possibilities of things like this arising so I understand the stern administrator attitude. When an individual makes no attempt to socialize on a non-department level basis with anyone except people from the department of which they began in the school, there is going to be a lot of negative feedback surrounding the premise of any situation that calls someone down to the office.
It is important for an administrator to remember that yes, their job is an ENTIRE school, yes, teachers need to remember the responsibilities of the Administrators as well however, like a teacher needs to have a level of understanding when a student forgets their books in the locker or is being bullied in another class causing them reason to feel like they need to compensate in a different environment. Teachers require this level of understanding as well, no one is perfect, yes there are things that need to be done but it goes both ways.
Who will watch the watcher?
-C.B.
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