Skip to main content

Never a Dull Moment!

There's nothing like a short-handed Friday... What can go wrong does. Trying to juggle a teacher evaluation in the middle of it all. Students are crying because of this drama or that and their mothers presenting themselves to defend their honour... You try to find humour and you end up shaking your head more often than not.

Today was fun. My partner and I got called up to a classroom because there was an "intruder". We get to the class and see that there is a supply teacher in charge (fantastic...), every other kid out of uniform, one full-out snoring under a hoodie... and one who doesn't even go to our school! Yes, a complete stranger managed to find his way into the building and decided to "hang out" with his friend and thought it was perfectly ok. When we hauled him out into the hallway I asked him why I shouldn't call police. He was shaking and beginning to tear a bit so we escorted him out and told him not to come back. I called over to his high school to let them know what went down and we all chuckle because sometimes that's all you can do when there's nothing to say about a situation. I ended up issuing a no trespass notice. There is really never a dull moment in this role... Never. Ever.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Leading During a Pandemic

 Never thought I'd EVER type a title like that.  Pandemics were only events I had taught about during my History classes. The experience thus far can only be described as surreal. It's been a part of our reality for nearly 10 months now and the fear and uncertainty is still not lost on me with the reporting of daily infection and death rates. It has been my single greatest challenge as a leader to date to show up to work everyday imbuing optimism that we're going to be ok, that school is a safe place to be. I have to say that on 98% of those days, I have believed just that. We have be so very fortunate not to have experienced any positive diagnoses of COVID-19 so far. Implementing the new health and safety protocols, while tedious and laborious, has not been all that  difficult. Sure, the work up front was a lot - signage, taping arrows and cues on the walls and floors, rearranging classroom furniture to establish social distancing in the classrooms ... as the Principal, ...
2 comments
Read more

The Need to Be Liked

My grade 8 teacher was the late (and truly great) Classford Johnson. I remember his class like it was yesterday, including something he used to say on a daily basis: "I don't want to be loved, I want to be understood." As a kid, I knew what he was getting at. He wanted us to respect him, his rules and expectations. If we got along, great. If we didn't, it didn't matter to him as long as we respected him, his rules and his expectations. Most of us loved him. He was tough but fair. He appreciated a good joke and laughed with the rest of us when we something was funny. My memory of Mr. Johnson and his infamous phrase came into my head quite a lot in the days after I had bid farewell to the staff and students of the school I have just left. Admittedly, I was confused. As a kid and as a classroom teacher, I never really paid much mind to what people thought of me. I have always abided by the Golden Rule when it came to my relationships at school and hoped for the best....
3 comments
Read more

Where Has the Time Gone?

I've not posted anything in more than two years.  I just realized that only recently when time slowed right down into our current distance learning situation. I supposed not being fully immersed in the harried and hurried pace of a typical school day has allowed me the benefit of time to more intentionally collect my thoughts. I have been working as a Principal for the past two years and I've not formally reflected on or consolidated the tremendous amount of learning I've undergone. I have missed this very necessary exercise and so I will endeavour to be more regular. It's always been my experience that when I consolidate any learning more formally, I remember better and I apply more consistently. I have spent the last two years in the very last place I ever expected to begin my journey as Principal and that is leading a very special community of educators, support staff and students in our system's alternative education program. At the same time, it's the mos...
3 comments
Read more