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A can of worms has been opened because at my community college where I teach. My Chair requested that I sub for a few weeks for a colleague. It brought a problem to light. I didn't reveal it, but students did: my colleague wasn't doing his job teaching. Didn't require any textbooks, tests, nothing. Just babysat the basketball team that took his class on purpose and in return he gave out A's.
So now there are students angry they didn't get enough teaching, and then on the other hand students angry they're expected to learn both now. With me in the middle of totally not wanting to be. One of the students that complained about not getting enough teaching is now getting an independent study from me, so it meant more work from me to make up for my colleague's lack of work.
On the other hand, one of the students who wouldn't stop sleeping in the back of the class and refused to buy a textbook or bring a notebook, has brought a formal complaint against me for dropping him from the course. The chair wants to see me tomorrow and blame me for it all to cover up the fact that she hasn't been supervising my colleague properly.
To top it off, I can't leave it all at work when I get home. The offending colleague I subbed for is now calling me at home trying to get me to cover up for him. Both my chair and my colleague want their lack of work to be covered up. However, both expect more effort from me for dissatisfied students or that I take the heat for students who didn't want to work. I did nothing but sub for my colleague as a favor at my chair's request and did not reveal his slacking--students did.
So now it's not just stress at work, it's come to me in my safe space after work at home in after work phone calls, too.
Stress. And Spring Break's coming late this year. Instead of being next week, it's the week after next to match up with Easter. Pity.
I have printed off all kinds of documentation for my side of things to stick up for myself re the harassment and hostile work environment created by doing a colleague a favor when my boss asked me to.
Did I mention that this is the semester I go up for tenure, too? This all puts negative political spin on what should be a fine case for getting tenure.
Support requested please, for my meeting tomorrow with the Chair.
So now there are students angry they didn't get enough teaching, and then on the other hand students angry they're expected to learn both now. With me in the middle of totally not wanting to be. One of the students that complained about not getting enough teaching is now getting an independent study from me, so it meant more work from me to make up for my colleague's lack of work.
On the other hand, one of the students who wouldn't stop sleeping in the back of the class and refused to buy a textbook or bring a notebook, has brought a formal complaint against me for dropping him from the course. The chair wants to see me tomorrow and blame me for it all to cover up the fact that she hasn't been supervising my colleague properly.
To top it off, I can't leave it all at work when I get home. The offending colleague I subbed for is now calling me at home trying to get me to cover up for him. Both my chair and my colleague want their lack of work to be covered up. However, both expect more effort from me for dissatisfied students or that I take the heat for students who didn't want to work. I did nothing but sub for my colleague as a favor at my chair's request and did not reveal his slacking--students did.
So now it's not just stress at work, it's come to me in my safe space after work at home in after work phone calls, too.
Stress. And Spring Break's coming late this year. Instead of being next week, it's the week after next to match up with Easter. Pity.
I have printed off all kinds of documentation for my side of things to stick up for myself re the harassment and hostile work environment created by doing a colleague a favor when my boss asked me to.
Did I mention that this is the semester I go up for tenure, too? This all puts negative political spin on what should be a fine case for getting tenure.
Support requested please, for my meeting tomorrow with the Chair.
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Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
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Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
I have no advice for any of this, but I will be sending you positive support and prayers. My thoughts are with you as you navigate through all of this.
I am praying and sending much support your way, gentle hugs and sleepy restful thoughts, xx
So I hope I represent myself well in my meeting with my Chair today. I'm tired from being underslept and it's Friday. I'm going to have to try to let the documents speak for me in my meeting because I'm so tired I'm not sure I could make my case off the top of my head with the fatigue I feel. I'm trying to calm my anxiety remembering nobody ever guaranteed the world would be fair and I've gotten through moments like this before. It's hard to keep the anxiety balanced, though, because I actually need some rest.
Heck if I was a less honorable person I would even think something like this could put pressure on your chair to grant you tenure. But I'm not that type of guy.
" In my resolve to do the best I could as a substitute I turned to the institutions requirements for this class program. In doing so it has become apparent that that was not the protocol of the previous colleague. So this has created some disturbance of the students who now know what was missing and those that counted on not having a learning plan in place and want to just get a pass. I can not honestly support giving less than what is described in the syllabus as the points of accreditation of this class, set by the institution.
Because of this many students are working hard at catching up, others are not wanting to do so. But to meet the expectations of this college and it's protocols, I will do the best I can for the students to achieve the learning goals of the class they are taking. I expect this to require the text in the syllabus to augment the class instructions and student participation. So in future classes in this field of study by our students are not complicated by a poor structural base."
Hugs Muji, I would be one that wanted to work to catch up. What you stated happened in a Composition class for me, The sub came into find that the texts were not being used. Thankfully there was time to catch up for us in class.
Sending hopes for a restful, healing weekend. Maybe a Doctor Nutcase prescription for bedrest, soft foods and lots of fluid?
Be extra gentle with yourself. That is quite allot to process.
Good thing, because at 11am when I got ready for this meeting with my Chair, I got an email saying she'd taken a sick day.
I'm sorry my Chair is sick, mind you, but I have to admit that I'm glad the meeting was postponed from today until Monday. I have all of my documentation of my emails about the case concerning the student's accusation printed off, yes. But as I posted here earlier, I had trouble sleeping because of this last night, and I'm tired.
I know postponing doesn't solve anything, but since I'm not the one postponing I'm not procrastinating. So even though it will be on my mind, I'm going to take this as a gift and try to rest up over the weekend.
I don't think it will impact you negatively either... It shows actually how much your boss thinks of you if she's trying to lean on you for 'their' screw up
I'm sure she has a boss as well and there will be somewhere for you to go if it ever becomes necessary... I would just turn off your phone when you leave work over the next little while.... and let it be 'their' problem... Give it back to them.... Another hug and a blessing....xo
hopefully you can rest, my goodness gracious, what. a semester .
I'm glad the meeting was postponed, though. I find that preparation is key in making a good case for oneself, but then presentation and tone is, too. Even when defending myself I've found it helps if I don't present my paranoid PTSD face. It helps, too, if I am more relaxed and communicate self confidence that I'm just in the right. I can do that if I'm actually rested up.
So now I'm going to rest up and deal with work issues at school fresher on Monday. I do have to speak at a church on Sunday, but I feel really smiled upon by having my meeting with my Chair at school postponed from today until after the weekend so I could get some rest. After work today I took the best nap in ages. As overly simple as it sounds, much of my ability to cope with PTSD anxiety has to do with getting good sleep in these days.