Released on: September 13, 2008, 12:49 pm

Press Release Author: Richard Errera

Industry: Education

Press Release Summary: There are many fine, seasoned, and experienced teachers in
America. Great teachers that from day one give their all, six hours a day, five days
a week. More often than not, they have overcrowded, underfunded classrooms with a
plethora of ongoing student issues and problems, trying to do their best teaching
academic and social development. The unanticipated exasperated situations especially
with those having learning disabled youngsters with manifested issues ranging from
ADHD, Language Development, Language Handicapped, Autism, or physically and or
mentally challenged along with a long host of others, only adds to the strain and
stress of teaching. Add to the mix parental involvements, administrative goals,
schedules, time pressures, working at home, spending one’s own money on needed
supplies, we can understand why teachers are said to be under paid and often
unappreciated. Yet, with strength, perseverance, passion and pride, most continue to
work hard because of the heart felt satisfaction of helping to develop, guide and
teach, making a real difference in the lives and growth of their students. It is
said, “We don’t often remember what was taught, but we remember the teacher that
taught it”.

One often overlooked variable in this mix of teacher stress that can be a
debilitating, and a destructive breaking point, even to the most experienced,
caring, well loved, and respected teacher is school morale. A school can begin the
term with an air of exuberance, greatness, and intentions. Teachers, students,
parents, and the administration are all in sync with high goals and aspirations.
Then the inevitable happens. Daily problems and situations happen that might
unexpectedly put a teacher on the spot or in an awkward, unplanned, unintended
situation. The skillful administrative support, backing, understanding, respect and
dignity of their principal to intervene is needed. A principal might be a good
coordinator of academics, scheduling and school activities, but the way he/she
intervenes with, and on behalf of the teacher, will surely demonstrate capabilities
of skill or ineptness. In the long run, it can make or break a school’s moral.


Press Release Body:

Miramar, Fla. September 15, 2008 -
The principal’s skill or lack there of, will be tested continuously and the results
could be either ameliorating or detrimental to teacher moral. Intervening properly
and adequately can maintain proper pedagogic harmony, calmness, respect, stability
or conversely, would begin the chipping away at, and breakdown of teacher morale.

We know that the principal, being at the helm of a school is the most responsible
and accountable person to the public and/or shareholders. It is understandable that
the principal will strive to achieve the highest level of academic and social
standing possible. His/her job is on the line to perform and accomplish. If
something negative occurs, quite often and sometimes wrongly so, excuses will be
formulated to justify why or how it was not the school’s (i.e. principal’s) fault.

Written and scathing documentation is essential and crucial to be collected to use
as possibly needed back up ammunition to defend and justify any potential
accusations to follow. The principal is doing this to protect her own (as-pirations)
of keeping his/her job, sometimes at all costs - including the livelihood of his/her
teachers, regardless of their esteemed professional history and reputation. There
lies the problem with some, poorly skilled in judgment and ability or clouded by
fear and insecurity to intervene wisely, in support of the teacher.

It is often safer and easier to scapegoat a judgement call to say that it was the
teacher who should have known better in handling the situation, and not the
misbehaved or derelict student being in need of correction to do better. This is a
preemptive, anticipatory strike and blow, sacrificing in anticipation, that a parent
or outside official might blame (possibly sue) the school (i.e. principal) for
being at fault. The purpose is to deflect blame away from the school or child, and
to find fault with what action the teacher might have or hasn’t done.

Of course, the principal documents this in advance with a written letter of
reprimand. The teacher is coerced to sign in a wrong admission of guilt, whatever
the principal’s interpretively damaging phraseology and wording that in effect,
targets the teacher as the one misbehaved or one derelict in duty. The principal is
shielding to protect his/her (as-pirations) by not supporting the teacher and
ultimately, throwing the teacher to the wolves if it has to come to that. In the
short term, the principal may feel safe and secure, but in the long term has lost
that teacher.

Once a teacher is figuratively so slapped in the face with the principal’s lack of
support, understanding, respect, protection, and professional dignity, it is hard if
not impossible, to regain the trust of that teacher again. Morality, teacher
enthusiasm , spirit, and passion declines, especially if more principal induced
written daggers of non support and blame is inflicting more harm to that teacher
throughout the term.

What’s worse, is that if this school principal does this to other teachers a s
well, he/she may even be oblivious and unaware that by this continued level of
non-support, there will be diminishing staff morality, having serious, long term
repercussions. The longevity of great teachers wanting to stay at that school would
be in jeopardy.

Some signs that teacher morale is low or dwindling might be as follows:

1. Teachers are asked to smile more, instead of it being a natural occurrence...may
indicate poor morale.
2. When almost half the staff quits or are pressured to leave , the year prior...may
indicate poor morale.
3. When some wishing they had been able to find work elsewhere, are still
present...may indicate poor morale.
4. When a Teacher Christmas Party or After Hours Get Together at the Local Watering
Hole, consists mostly of the school’s office staff......may indicate poor morale.
5. When teacher conferences look more like a group of people at a wake ..may
indicate poor morale.
6. Increased rates of teacher absenteeism ..may indicate poor morale.
7. When a group of teachers stop their conversation to offer a vacant, plastic smile
with nothing to say to a passing principal..may indicate poor morale.

The solution is simple: “Treat others the way you would want to be treated if you
were in their place.” Compassion, conferences, understanding and support, works to
build strong, effective and happy working relations.

Official letters of reprimand (tantamount to a slap in the face) is quite serious to
a teacher’s sense of emotional and even financial stability. It is signaling the
teacher, no matter how great with history and proven success, that the veil of
pseudo-support and backing has suddenly dropped like a rock from under you. This one
unsupported problem leaving you out in the cold to fend for yourself in your course
of trying to do your best in school, has now put your job and well being on the
line.

Have fun teaching...Some principals (with hall cameras in place) are now watching
and recording your every move.

# # #





Web Site:

Contact Details: 13701 NW 4th St.
Unit 207
Pembroke Pines, FL 33028