So it was 5 minutes until lunch at school today and I was counting down the minutes. The kids were restless. I wanted them to just be quiet until lunch so I got up to take away points. While I was doing so, all 35 fifth graders started to giggle...a lot. I told them I didn't think it was funny until one of them informed me that the zipper on my skirt had busted. Mortified, I turned my back to the board and felt the back of my skirt. Perfectly enough my zipper had busted exposing my thong and butt cheeks to the entire class. I held back the tears long enough to get to the bathroom and turn my skirt around (Thank God the teacher bathroom is right next to the class I was in.) I put on my adult face and marched back into the room and sat down in the teachers desk. (which I try to never do because the kids get out of hand if you don't walk around. ) As you can imagine things got loud and the kids who had the headache apparently told the office that it was too loud in the room.
Not five minutes later the principal walks in and starts yelling at the kids and me without even stopping to assess the situation. She was upset that I sent 5 kids, (3 who were bent over with stomach pains and 2 with headaches) over the span of the morning, to the office. She told me that if they weren't throwing up or had diarrhea that I should tell them to suck it up. (So not my style) Then she proceeded to rip me a new butt hole for sitting down on the job. Her exact words, in front of the entire class, were "We teach on our feet, not in our seats" . I was so insulted. After she was done ranting, I asked her if we could talk outside. I explained to her what had happened just 5 mins earlier. She says "Oh I didn't know that" and then says "I know you are just a sub so I don't expect you to know the stuff credentialed teachers do, but I never sat down the ten years I taught". JUST A SUB...are you kidding me. So now she has not only judged me but now she insults me by calling my not qualified.
I have never felt so belittled and disrespected in my life. I am definitely bummin on my job today. But at least I know that it can't get any worse than today...right?
Oh honey! I'm so sorry to hear that. That is awful. That principal should have supported you, at least in front of the kids. What he/she has done now is told the kids that it's okay to disrespect guest teachers or authority figures. Pick your head up and keep going. Oh, and don't go back to that school! Sounds like something my principal would do, it wasn't at my school was it?
ReplyDeleteI subbed for a semester, and I will NEVER forget how rudely one of the secretaries treated me. I know exactly what you're feeling right now.
ReplyDeleteThe principal was totally in the wrong. You were totally in the right.
I'm sorry today went so badly for you, but I can pretty confidently say this is probably one of your rock bottom teaching moments. I agree: it can't get much worse than today.