The rumor mill has gotten out of control with false info. How can I change my reputation as a bad teacher?

Question

Students enter my classroom each year w/ expectations rooted from stories told to them from students who earned their first B or C in my 8th grade class. Parents and students talk with exagerations & false info which creates issues that should not have existed. The "talking" gets infectious. I have given so much time to worry and extra work. I have a good number of students and parents who have commended me on the services and education I've provided them. However the few students and parents who keep the negative stuff in high momentum are wearing me down. I continue on knowing that I am doing what I know is good for my students. I have never "played the game" of politics with the PTSA and faculty. I believe that if I continue to do this, it will work out. However I'm beginning to think I need to find ways to play or I'll be dealing with this problem forever. I am a National Board Certified teacher, highly qualified, highly competent, very ambitious & loving what I do! HELP! Plez

Answer 1

maybe the best way to go about this is to use humor and exaggeration yourself.

i've had a few teachers who were "harder" than others. these teachers were not liked by the students, and they got a lot of problem phone calls from parents. BUT, they were the first teachers i emailed a few weeks into college. i emailed them and said, "thank you! thank you for teaching me how to work hard without complaining. thank you for not giving me an easy A."

in most of the world, kids can whine and complain until someone adjusts and makes life easier for them. unfortunately, a lot of parents let their kids rule them, and teachers and administrators seem to be following suit. if you give in once, your students will never stop complaining.

so, first, stay strong.

second, let's try the humorous approach. on the first day of school, perhaps you could hand out an impossible assignment. i mean IMPOSSIBLE. college level. dig up something from your college textbooks. have the assignment on the desks when the students come in. write on the board, "please begin the assignment on your desk. do not discuss with your fellow students." or whatever. then, after all the kids have been assured that you truly are the WORST TEACHER IN THE WORLD, go to the front, and collect all the papers.

and then crack a smile, and send the papers through the shredder. in front of everyone. and then a speech, "word has gotten out that i'm a really difficult teacher, and i'd like that to be my reputation, so when you step out of this classroom, please don't tell anyone that i shredded your assignment. but, when you're in here, know that i'm still a difficult teacher, but i'm not impossible. i'm here to prepare you for college and the real world. and from my experience, those places aren't that easy. i'm here to help you. if you're feeling like a project or assignment is IMPOSSIBLE, talk to me about it. i'm available for appointments on tuesdays and thursdays after school, and wednesdays before school. come by yourself, or bring a friend who feels the same way. we'll figure it out together."

whatever, whatever... keep it simple, and brief. but also keep it light. if the kids have confused looks on their faces, you're being too serious! if you tell kids to continue your legend of being tough, they won't. they'll do the opposite. or they'll broadcast your atrocities with so much sarcasm and exaggeration, the underclassmen will be eager to see for themselves.

do NOT get into the politics. be real with your kids. my two "tough" teachers were respected by the classes they "let their hair down" with. they expressed their passing frustrations, "everyone's telling me i'm too tough!" we listened, and encouraged them. one of the teachers was finally having FUN, because she had a group of students who thought she was GREAT (advanced math class). we LOVED the challenging work she had for us. so, that year we went gung-ho into the christmas door decorating contest. we won BIG TIME. she even dressed up as mrs. claus, and we got to hand out milk and cookies to the judges. it was a great publicity stunt for the "toughest teacher in the school." but let me tell you, she put the same strictness into the door decorating as she did in correcting our math exams. and that's why we won. and that's why we had fun, and why i'll always remember that teacher!

continue to be competent and ambitious, and then you can expect the same from your students.

rock on!
-gertie

Answer 2

I congratulate you and commiserate with you. Can you isolate a particular assignment that causes strife for students and parents? Perhaps that could be modified to give scope for students with different learning styles. Or perhaps there are cultural issues you aren't aware of. For instance, competition is positive in some communities. However, some families find competition threatening. It would help to define the problem more closely and then take it apart and look at aspects. After that you can brain-storm options to make changes that wouldn't compromise your teaching but could lead to less dissatisfaction.

I am teaching a 400 level course at a state university, and still have students who say they never had anything other than 'A's'! I wish they had you as an 8th grade teacher and weren't expecting to be praised for less than praise-worthy work. I would like to support you!

Answer 3

Some parents are just plain negative. Last year I dealt with a grandma like that. I looked through the ***-file and talked to other teachers to gather info about the situation. I learned that she had been very negative about other really good teachers. I felt better after gaining this info. However, she continued to spread her poison. I invited her to drop in anytime. She said she didn't want to embarrass her grandson. I told her she could use that as leverage with him to get him to behave. She said that wouldn't work because he would like the attention of her stopping in??? Do you see the inconsistencies? You can't please everyone! However, I was able to get the mother she was gossiping with to come by for a visit. WOW! that mother was believing every word out of the old grouch's mouth UNTIL... she spent a little time in the classroom. She apologized to me at the end of the day for ever having believed a bit of the negative comments.

Answer 4

ask parents to come observe or help in your room. they can be for you or against. let them see for themselves how you teach. there will always be parents that will find fault, believe me. don't pay attention to them. if you feel you're doing a good job, then ignore the nay sayers.

Answer 5

I know you are smart and try hard and take your job seriously. But.. let's be serious. Students want to pass your class and if you give them a hard time, then of course you are a bad teacher.

Just teach them something... anything, and let them go on their ways. It's not your fault if they do not know anything in life, because that's up to them learn. You teach what you can, and if they don't learn, pass them anyways.

I am sick of teachers trying to be the savior of the world.. give them the damn A and move on with yours and their life. Simple.