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Dear Phil |
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Dear Phil |
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Dear Phil,
Help! I'm a new teacher, what is
your best advice for my first couple of years of teaching?
Signed, LW
Dear LW,
Welcome to the teaching profession
in Washington. Currently, teachers in their first and second year
of employment, as well as those who have previous Washington service
but are in their first year of service with a new employer, are
classified as "provisional" teachers by State statute.
Most teachers traverse this period without
even being aware of this special status. But, for those who experience
difficulty, it can be a frustrating and frightening time. Provisional
teachers are afforded less job security in Washington than are
non-provisional teachers. While some locally negotiated agreements
do provide more protection for provisionals, most defer to the
statute. In essence, after complying with the evaluation requirements,
a school district can non-renew a provisional contract at will,
based upon two observations totaling sixty minutes. A teacher
who wishes to contest a non-renewal has access to an informal
meeting with the Superintendent who renders a decision to either
reinstate or pass the consideration on to the school board. The
board considers the matter and the teacher has a right to submit
written documents but no right to appear and plead his/her case.
If the board then decides to non-renew, the decision is final.
Provisionals who find themselves in this situation are left with
a terrible choice: either appeal and, if unsuccessful, have a
nonrenewal on their record or, more often, resign without having
a position for the next year. As a new teacher, what can you do?
Ask for help immediately if you
remotely suspect that there is trouble ahead. Most teachers who
are experiencing a rough spot can be helped, but it is critical
to start as soon as possible.
Know your Association officers and
get in touch with them at the first sign of difficulty, which
most often is a less than satisfactory evaluation. Try to limit
school-related commitments (coaching, clubs, committees, and courses)
to only those essential to the position held. Teaching is a difficult
art to master; the more time one has for improving their craft,
the better one will be. There will be plenty of opportunities
for volunteer work during one's career, rest assured.
Take advantage of Association resources.
WEA Fourth Corner sponsors a "Peer Support" system (see
article in this issue of Dialogue) by which teachers experiencing
difficulties can get help from peers, at no cost. Many school
districts participate in the "TAP" teacher assistance
program, where skilled individuals are employed by the district
to help in this type of situation. Don't suffer in silence because
of embarrassment. Many teachers new to the profession think they
are the only ones who have experienced difficulty in their first
couple years of employment. The fact is, many teachers have a
rough spot or two at some time during their careers and help is
available to navigate those difficult periods.
Remember, trust your intuition.
Ask for help at the first sign of trouble; there is plenty of
assistance available.
Sincerely, Phil