Dear we are teachers,
To illustrate how unpleasant our holiday parties are every year, let me describe some real-life situations. 1) A cooking teacher is dressed as Santa and is actively trying to convince his teachers (especially young female teachers) to sit on his lap. 2) Our vice principal fell into a Christmas tree while intoxicated and had to be rushed to the hospital due to a glass ornament embedded in his skin. 3) One year, the same vice principal got drunk and cornered me and we cried for two hours about our divorce (we barely knew each other). I always feel very uncomfortable at this party. How do I tone it down without sounding like a complete party scumbag?
—Probably the poor guy at the party
Dear PAPP
got it. This is all pretty tedious, but let’s break these situations down into two different problems.
Culinary Teacher Situation #1: It’s a Title IX Violation. It doesn’t matter if it happens off-campus. This is malicious and should be reported as soon as possible.
Situations 2 and 3 are of a different kind to me. Yes, it’s a little over the top for a holiday party. But not predatory.
I think it is the principal’s responsibility to curb pranks at school holiday parties. But I also think it’s perfectly fair to be honest with the principal that you don’t feel comfortable attending. I also think that teachers who are recovering from addiction would definitely not feel welcome in such an environment.
Why not start the party at a quiet on-campus event after school, and offer to other parties for those who want to take it easy until late at night? Bonus points if you offer to organize! Here are some ideas to get you started.
Dear we are teachers,
I teach 7th grade at a K-8 school where my son attends 1st grade. He has a classmate who becomes abusive more and more frequently as the semester progresses. Teachers have to clean up the room once a week while students have meltdowns. I haven’t said anything so far, but yesterday a student twisted my child’s arm while telling an episode. My child was not injured, but I went home scared and upset because I felt like I was the student’s target. If I am not a current (Karen parent), how do I talk to the principal (also my boss)?
— caught between the boards
Dear SITM
Ha, current! That portmanteau is new to me. But no, you’re not Karen. It’s one thing to complain that a teacher doesn’t put sunscreen on your child; it’s quite another to worry that it sounds like classroom safety is only getting worse.
First, talk to your teacher to find out what happened. Then send this email.
“Hello [principal name], [Child] informed me to [date] Another student twisted the situation in an escalated situation. [child’s] arm. [Child] I was not injured. However, it is my understanding that incidents involving this student are becoming more frequent and more violent. I hope you all are helping us make classroom safety a priority. Can you tell us your plans to deal with and curb these incidents? [Child] I’m worried that something like this will happen again, so it would be helpful if you could share your plans to keep him safe. ”
Keep a paper record of these emails. If the principal calls you to chat directly, please write a note and email it for confirmation. “Thank you for speaking with me in your office today. Here are some notes I took. Do you think this is all accurate? I just want to make sure I have the correct information. ”
You are not the only parent concerned about this. If nothing improves, start strategizing with other parents and working your way up the chain of command. Not only for your child’s well-being, but also for the well-being of other students who clearly need more behavioral support than they are receiving.
Dear we are teachers,
I had the best student teacher ever this semester, so I wanted to give her a parting gift. To be honest, she should buy a new car, but it’s out of my budget. In fact, there are many that are beyond your budget. Do you have any thoughtful gift ideas for her to show your appreciation without spending a lot of money?
—Not ready to say goodbye
Dear NRTSG
ah. We love our amazing student teachers!
My best recommendation is to make her a happy binder. First, prepare a binder and put a large amount of sleeve protector in it. Next, create a nice cover and label for the spine using the text “” in Canva.[Teacher Name’s] Happy binder. ” Finally, on the front of the binder, include a heartfelt letter thanking you for spending time with you and instructing you to keep any letters from students or parents in this binder. If you really want to make them cry, you can start with letters from each student individually.
We also have gift ideas for teachers to suit different budgets.
Have a burning question? Email us at askweareTeachers@weareTeachers.com.
Dear we are teachers,
I teach 6th grade and everyone dreads the week of final exams every year before winter break. Our administration is very strict about what can and cannot be used as a final exam grade (for example, the final exam cannot be a creative project, it cannot be an essay). Additionally, 15% of a child’s grade must be considered for the final exam, which is a significant amount. As a result, students are stressed, parents are stressed, and we are all stressed. What’s the best way to convince your principal that you need more flexibility this year?
—It’s the most miserable week of the year.
