Rumours and Lies - How to succeed as a teacher

Rumour = Truth

If a rumour goes around about a teacher, it doesn’t matter who the source is, chances are administrator believe it. I saw people like parents and educational assistants and students - all unqualified in what makes a good program criticize some teachers and start talking about their ‘bad programs.’ The last person to hear about this was the teacher himself. Decisions had been made by administration based on these rumours without ever talking to him, or even going in to see his class. I swear this guy was going to have a nervous breakdown when it all unfolded. People had been talking about him for months without his knowing! Solution - if you hear a rumour about another teacher, mention it to that teacher, and get them to talk to administration about it before it escalates.

It’s amazing the number of times I saw teachers held responsible for hearsay from students. “Jimmy said Mrs. X said this.” The fact that everyone else, parents, teachers, colleagues, were consulted over these things before the teachers were… irresponsible.

Mind you, you will have ridiculous union things to deal with regarding talking to other teachers. Just follow those things through.

After all, if everyone passing a rumor around that you weren’t doing your job, wouldn’t you want to know?