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Self-defence for teachers.
| Posted on March 6, 2009 at 3:44 AM |
I am wondering if it is possible to list 'Ten Self-Defence Tips for Queensland Teachers"?
1. The less qualified, the less intelligent, the fewer "ideas" you have, the safer you will be.
2. Say nothing at staff meetings. Just smile and nod.
3. Make sure your principal feels safe.
4. Study your principal's language and behaviour.
5. Record all positive and negative feedback.
6. Ask your principal's advice. Tell them how much you appreciate their advice. Tell them how useful their advice has been to you. Make your principal feel valued and admired.
7. Disclose as little as possible about your health or personal life to your principal.
8. Have a Plan B - make sure you have more than one source of income.
Any comments?
Any other suggestions?
Jane Watts, a 30-year veteran teacher of Chorley in Lancashire in the United Kingdom commented on this particular discussion on 27 August 2009 :
Jane campaigns in support of English classroom teachers who are the subject of false allegations :
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5 Comments
Reply
burnt
04:28 AM on May 17, 2010
think these self-defense tips apply to support staff too judging by my disasterous recent experience in a QLD school
Reply
Mrs D
05:14 PM on October 14, 2009
Don't forget: Never, ever let on that your class are bright/well behaved or that you're actually enjoying teaching them. It will only lead to accusations that you're not working hard enough and should have a 'real' class
Reply
Supergirl
09:22 PM on September 25, 2009
hahahaha -t hanks for the laugh on Defence Tips!!!! I have been teaching in challenging conditions and patting myself on the back. I was loving my career, until.......... the nasty cronies decided to attack me. I've gone from an enthusiastic dedicated hard-working, result producing teacher, to an anxious woman who has to concentrate on breathing techniques to remain calm and focussed. My facial expression is now of someone who has been abused.
Reply
Katrina
10:02 AM on April 04, 2009
My Self-Defence for teachers tips
1. Don't have an opinion. Certainly don't express it.
2. Don't help other teachers or students who are being bullied. Report it to the Principal. Walk away. It'll continue. But there is nothing you can do. If you try to fix it, you'll end up the one bullied.
3. Don't go remote (EVER!) Stay somewhere where you can have a life and feel normal.
4. Don't be competent or hard-working, but pretend to be, and point out every little thing you do to the Principal. Make a big deal about small things you do like you've done something massive.
5. Gossip and backstab - or it'll happen to you.
6. Suck up, big time, to "the boss". Call them "the boss." (It's hard, but grit your teeth, fake smile and do it.)
7. If other teachers act jealous towards you because you are competent, make intentional mistakes and act like a ditz. Tell the jealous teachers they are wonderful every day.
8. Shut up in staff meetings. Smile and look pretty. Nod frequently. Think about your leisure time.
9. Don't complain to your HODS, Principal, District Office, or anyone else about any concerns you have. Waste of time.
10. Take sick days when you are sick. Forget the guilt trips they give you for being sick. But pretend to care what they think.
11. Don't let anyone blame you for their issues (teachers, parents, students, Principals). Know you did the reasonable thing even when they are abusing you, bu pretend you are worried by what they think.
12. Remember you will be abused frequently (probably daily). This is now normal behaviour in schools.
13. Pretend to "love" teaching, like everyone else.
14. Talk curriculm nonsense frequently. Accept the curriculum nonsense will change again next year, as it did last year, and is doing this year. Remember you can teach what you want all the same, just use the new politcally-motivated discourse.
15. Don't get to school too early. Once the phone rings, you're "at work", which means you wont get anything done. Don't stay late. Planning is best done at home without interruptions.
16. Find a place to hide at lunch, so you can have lunch.
17. Record every behaviour incident. EVERY ONE. in a special book. You will need to justify yourself and your behaviour management techniques repeatedly......stupidly......repeatedly. (Unfortunately, you're not allowed a video camera in the room....stupidly)
18. Say "No" and mean it, when they dish out the extra jobs, but do accept one extra job. Too many - others get jealous, too few, others get jealous. Be the last to pick.
19. Talk crap in the staffroom. Pretend to like to the bully. Pretend to admire them too. Know the truth.
20. Know when its enough. Run, leave the profession. Be yourself. Be happy. (LIKE ME!)
1. Don't have an opinion. Certainly don't express it.
2. Don't help other teachers or students who are being bullied. Report it to the Principal. Walk away. It'll continue. But there is nothing you can do. If you try to fix it, you'll end up the one bullied.
3. Don't go remote (EVER!) Stay somewhere where you can have a life and feel normal.
4. Don't be competent or hard-working, but pretend to be, and point out every little thing you do to the Principal. Make a big deal about small things you do like you've done something massive.
5. Gossip and backstab - or it'll happen to you.
6. Suck up, big time, to "the boss". Call them "the boss." (It's hard, but grit your teeth, fake smile and do it.)
7. If other teachers act jealous towards you because you are competent, make intentional mistakes and act like a ditz. Tell the jealous teachers they are wonderful every day.
8. Shut up in staff meetings. Smile and look pretty. Nod frequently. Think about your leisure time.
9. Don't complain to your HODS, Principal, District Office, or anyone else about any concerns you have. Waste of time.
10. Take sick days when you are sick. Forget the guilt trips they give you for being sick. But pretend to care what they think.
11. Don't let anyone blame you for their issues (teachers, parents, students, Principals). Know you did the reasonable thing even when they are abusing you, bu pretend you are worried by what they think.
12. Remember you will be abused frequently (probably daily). This is now normal behaviour in schools.
13. Pretend to "love" teaching, like everyone else.
14. Talk curriculm nonsense frequently. Accept the curriculum nonsense will change again next year, as it did last year, and is doing this year. Remember you can teach what you want all the same, just use the new politcally-motivated discourse.
15. Don't get to school too early. Once the phone rings, you're "at work", which means you wont get anything done. Don't stay late. Planning is best done at home without interruptions.
16. Find a place to hide at lunch, so you can have lunch.
17. Record every behaviour incident. EVERY ONE. in a special book. You will need to justify yourself and your behaviour management techniques repeatedly......stupidly......repeatedly. (Unfortunately, you're not allowed a video camera in the room....stupidly)
18. Say "No" and mean it, when they dish out the extra jobs, but do accept one extra job. Too many - others get jealous, too few, others get jealous. Be the last to pick.
19. Talk crap in the staffroom. Pretend to like to the bully. Pretend to admire them too. Know the truth.
20. Know when its enough. Run, leave the profession. Be yourself. Be happy. (LIKE ME!)
Reply
theteachersareblowingtheirwhistles
10:53 AM on March 09, 2009
This afternoon I spoke to a teacher from New South Wales who had been bullied into ill health and out of work.
She made the following suggestions:
If you have a passion for teaching, if you put your heart and soul into your work, you are more likely to be bullied.
It is safer to be careless and even to be incompetent.
Then people don't feel threatened.
If you excel in your work,
If articles about you are often in the local papers,
If you have opportunities for travel,
If you become isolated - get out of the gossip loop,
If you report child abuse -
All of these things make you more vulnerable to being bullied.
She made the following suggestions:
If you have a passion for teaching, if you put your heart and soul into your work, you are more likely to be bullied.
It is safer to be careless and even to be incompetent.
Then people don't feel threatened.
If you excel in your work,
If articles about you are often in the local papers,
If you have opportunities for travel,
If you become isolated - get out of the gossip loop,
If you report child abuse -
All of these things make you more vulnerable to being bullied.
Oops!
Oops, you forgot something.