Just a hint of rancour and bitterness in these last two posts. I wonder if this is the product of being overlooked in the promotion stakes. My own experience is that the proportion of incompetent time-servers in the ranks of administration is about the same as one would find among the ranks of teachers. Not surprising, I suppose, since virtually all adminstrators are themselves former teachers. Most administrators I encounter work really hard in often very challenging situations. Most teachers I encounter do exactly the same.
A word of warning about the posts from the redoubtable psyguy who, not for the first time, advises lying on your resume about past experiences, collecting false references, adding bogus qualifications and the like. I recently read a mass e mail about a teacher who was fired a couple of months into his contract and, after the fact, was found to have done exactly what psyguy had advised: mendacious claims about his university record in Texas, when in fact he'd been slung out; nominated referees who'd never heard of him; positions cited that he'd never held and so on. The teacher's name has been flagged far and wide in the international community, and he is now facing charges of fraud. Be careful!
advice for personality conflict with director
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JiminyCricket
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:14 am
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
No, Walter. There's no rancour or bitterness here. I've never sought promotion because I like teaching in the classroom more than administration. I do, however value the educative process and dislike incompetence being present in such an important sphere. I don't think incompetence should ever be rewarded and the international school network does that more readily than the more accountable systems - in any industry for that matter. The lack of accountability in the international school scene causes entrenched incompetence because one incompetent merely rewards another.
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
Well Jiminy, my own view is that you're as likely to find incompetence from the teacher in the classroom as you are from the administrator in the office, so I disagree with your "teachers good, administrators bad" premise. That seems to me to be a lazy cliche designed to win friends on a board like this.
Neither do I see - at least from my own experience - truth in your claim that the international school network rewards incompetence more than in industry. The school I work in makes everyone accountable; we don't tolerate passengers at any level of the operation, and I don't believe that we are unique in this.
As for the idea that industry doesn't reward incompetence - just look at the bankers' bonuses in the year after the crash: as high as they ever were despite evident corruption, greed and a woeful misunderstanding of their responsibilities. Look at Volkswagen as another example. Their "Leadership Team" has cost the company probably a $100 million, but if executives are pushed out, they will be going with golden handshakes and platinum parachutes. Every month you will find examples of industry rewarding incompetence in ways that never happen in international education.
Sorry Jiminy, but you don't convince me at all.
Neither do I see - at least from my own experience - truth in your claim that the international school network rewards incompetence more than in industry. The school I work in makes everyone accountable; we don't tolerate passengers at any level of the operation, and I don't believe that we are unique in this.
As for the idea that industry doesn't reward incompetence - just look at the bankers' bonuses in the year after the crash: as high as they ever were despite evident corruption, greed and a woeful misunderstanding of their responsibilities. Look at Volkswagen as another example. Their "Leadership Team" has cost the company probably a $100 million, but if executives are pushed out, they will be going with golden handshakes and platinum parachutes. Every month you will find examples of industry rewarding incompetence in ways that never happen in international education.
Sorry Jiminy, but you don't convince me at all.
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JiminyCricket
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Fri Oct 30, 2015 5:14 am
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
The more accountable systems are the national (education) systems. Perhaps Walter misread the piece and should re-read. There was no comparison to other industries, except to say that the same principles apply in all industries. I'm a bit flummoxed as to how that could have been misread.
I make no claim that administrators are all crooked and that all unpromoted teachers are worthy. I just don't like to see people in positions of authority exercising power and influence when they don't have the nous or the credibility. Education is an important sector. We want well-intentioned and capable exponents. The system is rewarding some who are mediocre. The unmistakable conclusion from all the evidence is that the system is faulty. If the system is faulty, the system needs remediation. If your school operates in a sound manner, bravo! The fact that so many don't is cause for concern, even for Walter. It might be a good idea for Walter to look beyond his/her own situation and perceive the entire system rather than his/her tiny section of it.
I make no claim that administrators are all crooked and that all unpromoted teachers are worthy. I just don't like to see people in positions of authority exercising power and influence when they don't have the nous or the credibility. Education is an important sector. We want well-intentioned and capable exponents. The system is rewarding some who are mediocre. The unmistakable conclusion from all the evidence is that the system is faulty. If the system is faulty, the system needs remediation. If your school operates in a sound manner, bravo! The fact that so many don't is cause for concern, even for Walter. It might be a good idea for Walter to look beyond his/her own situation and perceive the entire system rather than his/her tiny section of it.
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shadowjack
- Posts: 2140
- Joined: Sat Oct 06, 2012 9:49 am
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
Jiminy,
you seem to think that all schools WANT to operate rationally and to maximum integrity, effectiveness, etc. But that costs money. Many schools could care less about ethical, up to the latest, energetic, best practices administrators, because that costs money. Many for profit schools prefer directors who will carry out the directives of the owner or owning company with minimum fuss to the company - and minimum expenditure of money.
There are many that do - and with the ballooning number of international schools around the world - many don't. YMMV.
you seem to think that all schools WANT to operate rationally and to maximum integrity, effectiveness, etc. But that costs money. Many schools could care less about ethical, up to the latest, energetic, best practices administrators, because that costs money. Many for profit schools prefer directors who will carry out the directives of the owner or owning company with minimum fuss to the company - and minimum expenditure of money.
There are many that do - and with the ballooning number of international schools around the world - many don't. YMMV.
Discussion
Walter is an admin and like many times in the passed practices fear mongering and smoke and mirrors. Admins and managers always have a horror story to scare ITs into blind obedience. Do what they say or you will never work in IS again. Its an old and untrue story.
I agree with SJ in that many ISs are in the business of education, which is just another service in a vast market. Many of those in ownership at such ISs are only interested in growing revenue/profits, or providing themselves status.
I generally agree that many members of leadership arent very good in the classroom and have lost contact with how education really works. Many of them are more manager than educator, and they wouldnt be very successful as managers in the corporate sector. Leadership doesnt have assessments from students linked to performance. You get rid of a ISs leadership and the IS continues on, lose all the ITs and the IS grinds to a halt.
While that is generally the case there are some admins/managers I met that were really very good, they are however a minority.
I agree with SJ in that many ISs are in the business of education, which is just another service in a vast market. Many of those in ownership at such ISs are only interested in growing revenue/profits, or providing themselves status.
I generally agree that many members of leadership arent very good in the classroom and have lost contact with how education really works. Many of them are more manager than educator, and they wouldnt be very successful as managers in the corporate sector. Leadership doesnt have assessments from students linked to performance. You get rid of a ISs leadership and the IS continues on, lose all the ITs and the IS grinds to a halt.
While that is generally the case there are some admins/managers I met that were really very good, they are however a minority.
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
" ...where any question or observation is perceived as dissent...". Spot on.
Never risk questions or comments which could be perceived - accurately or not - as criticism. Many managers are so fragile that they will punish you, sooner or later, for disagreeing with them.
Just avoid them where possible, or do the nodding head routine when avoidance is impractical. Managers are out of the classroom for a simple reason: they didn't want to do it anymore. Those claiming that they 'miss the classroom' are liars: they could, but won't, return at a moment's notice.
Never risk questions or comments which could be perceived - accurately or not - as criticism. Many managers are so fragile that they will punish you, sooner or later, for disagreeing with them.
Just avoid them where possible, or do the nodding head routine when avoidance is impractical. Managers are out of the classroom for a simple reason: they didn't want to do it anymore. Those claiming that they 'miss the classroom' are liars: they could, but won't, return at a moment's notice.
Re: advice for personality conflict with director
Jiminy,
I certainly wouldn’t argue that everything is rosy in the international school garden, but your original claim (which wasn’t very original) “The network of international schools lacks accountability and promotes mediocre individuals into the In-Club, where they swirl around urinating in each other's pockets…” feeds into this superficial narrative of lions led by donkeys that goes down so well on these pages. Do incompetents survive and thrive in international schools? Of course they do, just like incompetents survive and thrive anywhere. Take a look at the cast of characters vying to be the next leader of the free world.
I’m sorry you were flummoxed by my misunderstanding of this sentence: “I don't think incompetence should ever be rewarded and the international school network does that more readily than the more accountable systems - in any industry for that matter…” but if you read it again, I’m sure you’ll agree that it isn’t your finest prose. Why would I not infer that “any other industry” refers to … any other industry?
Now you claim that “the more accountable systems” is a reference to national education provision. The ultimate “owner” of state education is of course the government – whether national or local. Most of us who came out of the state sector did so at least in part because of the frustration of working under political directives that were lunacy. Remember all those Conservative Education Secretaries? Remember Chris Woodhead? Remember Ofsted? What about “No Child Left Behind? Or all the teachers in the States getting pink slips in the last week of the school year because funding for education was cut?
As for the educational leaders themselves – what about the girl who was thrown of her chair by the cop last week? The cop himself was notorious for anger issues, and yet the school principal continued to tolerate him in school. The cop was called to the scene by an assistant principal. What did the AP think was going to happen? That the cop’s qualities of empathy and reason would work where the teacher’s hadn’t? What about the Muslim boy who was suspended by the principal for bringing in a “fake bomb” (or rather clock)? The one that made me laugh was the story last year where a middle school boy brought in to school a gift-wrapped bottle of wine at Christmas for his teacher and was suspended for two weeks for having alcohol in school. What’s happened to all these “accountable” leaders?
Or perhaps you were referring to the independent sector, and their great tradition of accountability. Take a look at this article and see how well they do:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... story.html
Why do you think that every year the numbers applying to work in international school grows? Where do these teachers come from? And why?
@psyguy - Dave, I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about how you were coping after...well you know.
I certainly wouldn’t argue that everything is rosy in the international school garden, but your original claim (which wasn’t very original) “The network of international schools lacks accountability and promotes mediocre individuals into the In-Club, where they swirl around urinating in each other's pockets…” feeds into this superficial narrative of lions led by donkeys that goes down so well on these pages. Do incompetents survive and thrive in international schools? Of course they do, just like incompetents survive and thrive anywhere. Take a look at the cast of characters vying to be the next leader of the free world.
I’m sorry you were flummoxed by my misunderstanding of this sentence: “I don't think incompetence should ever be rewarded and the international school network does that more readily than the more accountable systems - in any industry for that matter…” but if you read it again, I’m sure you’ll agree that it isn’t your finest prose. Why would I not infer that “any other industry” refers to … any other industry?
Now you claim that “the more accountable systems” is a reference to national education provision. The ultimate “owner” of state education is of course the government – whether national or local. Most of us who came out of the state sector did so at least in part because of the frustration of working under political directives that were lunacy. Remember all those Conservative Education Secretaries? Remember Chris Woodhead? Remember Ofsted? What about “No Child Left Behind? Or all the teachers in the States getting pink slips in the last week of the school year because funding for education was cut?
As for the educational leaders themselves – what about the girl who was thrown of her chair by the cop last week? The cop himself was notorious for anger issues, and yet the school principal continued to tolerate him in school. The cop was called to the scene by an assistant principal. What did the AP think was going to happen? That the cop’s qualities of empathy and reason would work where the teacher’s hadn’t? What about the Muslim boy who was suspended by the principal for bringing in a “fake bomb” (or rather clock)? The one that made me laugh was the story last year where a middle school boy brought in to school a gift-wrapped bottle of wine at Christmas for his teacher and was suspended for two weeks for having alcohol in school. What’s happened to all these “accountable” leaders?
Or perhaps you were referring to the independent sector, and their great tradition of accountability. Take a look at this article and see how well they do:
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massac ... story.html
Why do you think that every year the numbers applying to work in international school grows? Where do these teachers come from? And why?
@psyguy - Dave, I'm so glad you're okay. I was worried about how you were coping after...well you know.
Discussion
@Walter
Many educators are in education because they couldnt make it in the corporate environment. Many of their fields have little marketability in the private sector. The profession attracts a lot of mediocrity, and a lot of it concentrates in administration.
Do agree that regulated/public education is no more secure or more resilient to incompetence than independent/private education. ISs however are in a far better position to correct and fix such problems, because they dont have large sets of laws and rules that they have to comply with. The student with the ticking clock/bomb and the student with the bottle of wine gift had those actions taken because likely their was a law or regulation that mandated the course of action taken. Those 'leaders' did what they had too because to not do otherwise would have likely been a crime or violation in itself. ISs dont have to tolerate such lunacy "from above" because they can regulate and moderate their own policies, and yet they choose not too.
Yes IT pools are growing but not as fast as the number of ISs. Their was an artifact during the recession, and since last year fewer teachers are looking towards IE, as they are once again finding themselves in more valued positions.
You still dont know what you think you know.
Many educators are in education because they couldnt make it in the corporate environment. Many of their fields have little marketability in the private sector. The profession attracts a lot of mediocrity, and a lot of it concentrates in administration.
Do agree that regulated/public education is no more secure or more resilient to incompetence than independent/private education. ISs however are in a far better position to correct and fix such problems, because they dont have large sets of laws and rules that they have to comply with. The student with the ticking clock/bomb and the student with the bottle of wine gift had those actions taken because likely their was a law or regulation that mandated the course of action taken. Those 'leaders' did what they had too because to not do otherwise would have likely been a crime or violation in itself. ISs dont have to tolerate such lunacy "from above" because they can regulate and moderate their own policies, and yet they choose not too.
Yes IT pools are growing but not as fast as the number of ISs. Their was an artifact during the recession, and since last year fewer teachers are looking towards IE, as they are once again finding themselves in more valued positions.
You still dont know what you think you know.