Dealing with Negativity
There are negative instructors within the educational organization that are "allowed" to be a cancer within the organization with their attitudes and short comings. My question is why are they allowed to teach, much less, continue in the organization for years and years? I never understood that notion, especially in the public school systems involving children.
Allen,
The folks you discuss need to go. There are several studies that clearly document that teachers will act toward students, even if they try not to, in a manner consistent with their beliefs about the students. This Pygmalion effect is real and can hurt the students.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Once in a while I here other instructors having
a conversation about the whole class they have, as being stupid.
I can't help but ask them, " are they going to leave your class that way"?
Their response is, "probably".
I can't believe my ears heard that.
Marlene,
I am sorry to hear this. It may be time for the more positive faculty members to start talking tothe negative ones. perhaps the positive folks can go to the Dean or Campus Presidents with their morale concerns.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Misery loves company. Morale is certainly a current issue in my institution. I love my job and those I work with. There are many colleagues of mine that do not & they are infecting the dominant group w/ their negativity. I know there have been many recent changes and they feel overworked and under appreciated, however being ugly about it isn't going to change things for the better. We have to accept what we cannot change and assimilate to the changes in or to function professionally & be good Instructors for our students. The students are suffering as a result and its not fair.
I agree you can talk about students in a bad way and it affects everyone who listens to it. If the instructor thinks all the students are stupid then maybe it is up to him to find another way to get through to them. Positive thoughts are the way to go.
Shine your positivity in their direction. Although it may not change their attitude, it will impact them in some way.
I share your frustration, Karen.
I taught for 12 years in public and private high schools. There were some teachers who just did not like kids. They were making the students miserable. However, they followed the rules and had contracts, so the students and schools were stuck with them. I have met a few teachers like this in my daughter's schools.
When I began teaching at the college level, I found the same thing was true. Most career colleges do not have tenure or continuing contracts, so it may be possible to weed out these folks if management wants to do so.
It can be tough to document "bad attitudes" in a way that justifies asking someone to leave.
