Teachers: are you finding this?

[Smarmie Doofus]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bullying_in_teaching

>>>making unreasonable demands on workload (see setting up to fail)>>>>>

Where I am... the paperwork and classroom micromanagement requirements are so ludicrously unachievable that the probability that it's an anti-teacher, anti union ploy seems inescapable.

What say you?

[hughee99]

1. I actually see this at work every day

and I'm neither a teacher or in a union.

[Smarmie Doofus]

3. Interesting. What's behind it, ya' think? n/t

[hughee99]

5. Some people are a-holes.

Now without any sort of union structure or rules, individual managers are free to F' over employees as they see fit (or treat them well), as opposed to a union environment where policies are supposed to be more uniform. I have a few friends who are teachers, who feel the same about being "set up to fail".

It seems to me that every time a new issue comes up (weapons in school, bullying, learning disabilities, peanut allergies, etc...) parents always demand that "something" be done. The school board (in our town) is elected, and therefore tries to be responsive when the parents want something done, but they have the easy part, they just create a new policy. The teachers are then left to have to implement all this. I'm not sure that it's specifically done with the intention of being anti-union, but that seems to be the end result.

[kickysnana]

8. Cub Foods cashier apologized for individually ringing each package in my case of Ramen noodles.

He said it was now policy to do it that way.

[Skittles]

2. I see it in my job and I am not a teacher

corporations are anti-American worker

[Smarmie Doofus]

4. So... what do we do about it?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setting_up_to_fail

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. I have seen bullying in every school I have taught in.

The % may be wrong.

I've stopped bullying if I have seen it. I always told my students that even if they weren't in my classroom at the time and I caught them bullying or something else, I would take care of it using what I needed to. This meant anything from a lecture to calling parents to referring them to the admins.

What I saw was what I call 'social bullying'. That is the not so subtle art of making someone feel like an outcast because of their clothes, their looks, the classes they were taking, and any number of things.

IMHO this was as much or more damaging than actual hitting, etc. A lot of the bullied kids had little support, and this bullying ate away at their self-esteem and ability to learn. When it becomes a constant refrain in their lives, how in the world can they really do their best.

If they found others who were in the same boat, they got some support but it created groups with no positive contact between them. The bullied would put their grudges together and hate all the other kids. This is how you get isolated, disaffected kids or groups of kids.

I got bullied by a principal one time who was pulling a power play. I went to the superintendent, and the decision that had been made was reversed. The principal did everything he could the next year to punish me by 'asking' me to do a lot of tasks instead of dividing them up. I learned from tht although I should have known what would happen. I have had run ins with admins since then, but I have had my ducks in a row and a good base of support to help protect me. I found good rabbis after that who knew how to game the system and people to get things done.

And you wonder why teachers can't accomplish what they need to? Sometimes they are too busy trying to help the kids and save Their asses at the same time.

[Smarmie Doofus]

7. Going to the superintendent is always the nuclear option.

But usually... at least in my world.... set-up-to-fail is an outgrowth of district policy. The district WANTS to hassle... and ultimately get rid of... teachers.

OTOH, the super is usually higher profile and more vulnerable to bad publicity. Even if it's generated by a mere teacher... or a teachers union.

Supers don't like mess, generally speaking. It looks bad.