removal from a classroom

[mautio]

I work at an international school. I was contracted to teach grade one. One of the students was fine until a month into school. Then they started being disruptive, not following directions, not reading, doing any math. I had numerous meetings with the admin, even having them visit the class to watch this student. They totally understood what was going on. At a support staff meeting, 9 sitting around the table, everyone agreed this student is oppositionally - this spelling looks wrong - defiant. Walking out of the meeting, I knew that as the only foreign hire, I would take the hit for this child's behavior. The following week, this child went on a mini vacation with their family. In the meanwhile, it was suggested I have several strategies in place to help them settle down. When the child came back, I had about 5 ideas ready to roll. I told the admin I would give this child time to settle in but had given the child warnings about their behavior and the consequences. Unknown to me, my admin went to their office and wrote a very damning email to me stating I had not followed their directive and calling me insubordinate. The next afternoon, Friday, at 3:10, I was called to the director's office and told that as of Monday morning, I was no longer in the class but being moved to Middle School, teaching 2 periods every other day. No one was given a heads' up. A generic email went to the whole school community including my teaching partner and parents. I am not allowed to speak and was put on probation until Christmas. This feels like a demotion. Now, can someone give me ideas to fill the time and be productive, positive, and an influence on the students I see every day?

[PsyGuy]

Sure:

1) Update your resume, begin a vacancy search, get contacts of coworkers and any admins on your side, and a parent or two who would write you a positive reference.

2) Your not even working anymore at 2 periods every other day.

3) Your done, the students parents have pull with ownership, thats what happened. Everyone in leadership agreed with you, and then the parents talked to ownership and you dont stay in leadership very long if you dont do what ownership says.

4) Its not going to get better, they are just going to push you to resign and walk out, and if it takes too long they will just dismiss you. You need to figure out what if anything there is to salvage, and if its not worth it start thinking what kind of separation deal you can work out for exiting early.

5) As a precaution Id get your exit plan ready in case the issues get really bad and you need to pull a runner.

6) Document everything, talk to whoever you need too, your being scapegoated, and your appointment is over soon either way. You need to make sure your employable after this, and your going to need people who can speak well of you on your behalf, assuming you dont ghost the experience.

[MedellinHeel]

I would promptly begin planning an exit from said school and/or country.

[iTeach314]

Had this happen to a friend...

Find a way to get out. It's not going to get better. DO NOT stay because you feel obligated to complete your contract. These schools do NOT live up to their end of the contract.

[vandsmith]

that's brutal.
is the student a VIP of some sort? it has that feel to it. i have had students' parents move their kid from my class because i'm a male teacher.
i'd go with psyguy on this one - update and start looking.

good luck!

v.