[MenTeach: We wanted to share this letter with everyone. Some of these challenges are faced by all first year teachers AND some are unique challenges for male teachers.]
I did not realize how political the public school game is! I just want to learn how to be a great teacher. I have people here that I feel are not really out for my best interest.
I have an old scatter brain assistant that won’t stay on task with my lesson plan. Every opportunity she gets she tries to do her own thing, and it is making me look like a fool or at least that’s how I feel anyway.
The resource teacher says that I need to take over my class room because the kids are like wild animals, and she says that she is going to come into the classroom and model teach so that I will have an example of how the daily routine should go, but then I don’t see her for like three or four days due to the fact that she is the resource teacher for five or six other sites.
When I try to enforce structure in my classroom, and raise the level of my voice to get the children’s attenion. I am criticized for yelling at the children, and I am not even yelling at the children I am just trying to talk over the children to get my point across.
I love working with children! I get a high off seeing children learn what I taught them, but the politics of teaching is for the birds.
It reminds me of something my football coach use to say you can’t beat the other team and the referees too. Its like the odds are stacked against me.
I feel like if I voice my opinion that I will be looked at as the “ANGRY BLACK MAN.”
I think I would have better success hustling on the street! At least I know the rule of engagement, and how to conduct myself in that field.
I am truly at a loss and don’t know what to do. At Wits End,
Anonymous