I'll preface this post with 2 things. Number one, I'm not really looking for advice, just sharing something that bothers me about some teachers. Number 2, I know this isn't true of all teachers.
Why are so many teachers so critical of other teachers? I swear if I hear teachers in my building criticize another teacher again, I'm going to scream. I just can't take it. Worry about yourself. Stop criticizing because none of us are perfect. Stop criticizing because if the same teachers who are criticizing did the same thing as the teacher they are criticizing, they would defend their actions to the bone. If a parent complained about them doing the same thing the other teacher was doing, these teachers would have a fit. Stop criticizing because with teaching, in many cases, there is more than one right way to do things. Just because another teacher does something differently than you would, doesn't mean that teacher is wrong.
Lastly, stop criticizing because I feel it negatively influences other people who hear it. I worry the criticisms I overhear about a particular teacher in my building will cloud my own judgement/opinion.
Absolutely! We have a huge problem with this in our small rural district. A few teachers take their criticisms outside of the building and do it in public. It makes it ver difficult for new teachers to build good relationships with parents.
Agreed. I hate it when teachers do this to one another. I also hate it when parents talk about previous teachers their child has had. This week a parent said that little Lucy and last year's teacher "didn't click". It was supposed to be a compliment to me, but it makes me wonder how many parents of students I've had in the past are talking about me to their current teachers. And some teachers eat that up. It just makes me uncomfortable.
I think teaching is just a really hard job, and a big part of that is the push to "standardize" things that aren't standardized (children). We keep pushing more and more content and expectations down to younger grades, and because a few students on the higher end of the developmental curve were ready to do those things, we've now made it the expectation for everyone.
And, it's crazy to think about that elementary school is the only time we do this. In HS, a 9th grader can be in Algebra half or have already completed Algebra 2 in the 8th grade and be on to the next course for 9th, and both students are considered "on track" for graduation. In elementary, those students are placed in the same class, expected to receive the same instruction, and expected to hit the same milestones at the exact same time.
Instead of recognizing how ridiculous this is, teachers work themselves to the bone trying to meet these ridiculous expectations. When it inevitably doesn't work, and some students are "behind," teachers reflect on all of the work they're doing and look to blame outside sources. If the primary teachers taught phonics better, I wouldn't have so many below level readers. If the school psych/counselor/admin handled behavior better, I wouldn't be dealing with this student who is interrupting my class. It's the special ed/previous teacher's fault this student isn't already on an IEP, and somehow that would be a magic fix. The SLP is pulling students from my room when they should be learning with me. I don't trust what the EL teacher is doing during her time. etc. etc.
If teachers spent 1/2 the time honing their own craft that they do critiquing others, we'd have schools full of excellent teachers.
At a large school, I heard less of this type of issue. You could just stay away from those types of people.
At a small school, it is very hard to stay away from them.
There is a saying: Take the beam out of your own eye before you try to help take the speck out of your brother's.
One thing to keep in mind: The more a teacher criticizes others, the more insecure, arrogant, and stupid they are. They are stupid b/c they have no clue how little they, themselves, truly know.
I am retired now and thankful not to have to deal with people who do that kind of stuff.
I noticed too how some just dogpiled on new teachers. If they'd have just helped them, they'd get kids on level.
Honestly, I think we do need to be more critical. Especially, as many of us and our colleagues, have tenure. I think this resistance is why issues snowball. Also, the BIGGIE from my experience, it's usually not surprising to the offender. Being quiet/"mind your own business" just makes the offender bolder. If I work with you, it is my business.
But I think there's a place and time. My first principal said, "Don't take any criticism of your colleagues to other schools" and I think that's been a good rule of thumb. I don't complain about my coworkers at district meetings and whatnot. I don't complain to my friends on FB. I don't say negative things about colleagues to parents who come complaining to me, I just encourage them to go talk to the teacher they have the concern with. I have one safe colleague who I trust to keep things confidential, and she's who I complain to when Mrs. X is 20 minutes late to pick up her class from P.E. AGAIN. In general, I think we're all just doing the best we can and we need to show each other patience and grace.
Unfortunately this happens a lot at my school, but not related to content teaching practices. The issue where I am is that the admin doesn't hold teachers accountable.
So we have things like a cell phone policy (pre-Covid), but it only works if all teachers adhere to it and enforce it. Otherwise, the teachers who enforce it end up looking like the bad guys and are always having to fight the phone battle. There are other issues too, like not showing up for duty or not enforcing tardies, that actively make life harder for other teachers.
Teachers acknowledge to each other that they're actually frustrated with admin as much as with the other teachers. I think feeling undermined leads to a lot of the critical, gossipy comments.
Last edited by tyrex; 12-27-2020 at 04:51 PM..
Reason: Typo
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12-18-2020, 04:12 PM
