Last school year, due to the budget crisis our school lost a wonderful vice principal, a counselor, and three teachers. Together we were a group that focused on working together and developed ways to help each other when in need. It was the hardest dealing with the last week of school and the last day of school was almost unbearably. I literally wanted to cry and had to hold back tears while saying good-bye. It was not the fact I felt I would never see them again but more because the bond was being broken. When you get use to working with certain people you begin to feel comfortable and then you are able to start building trust. Toward the end of the summer it was realized some of the cuts did not have to be made after all and a vice principal, counselor and one teacher were hired. It was too late to try and get the initial people back because they had already found jobs. It was hard getting use to the new people because they were new. In my mind I felt no connection.
I do know it makes it much harder to say good-bye to a group who is high performing. In my past experiences with unproductive groups, I could not wait to say my good-byes and hoped I never had to cross paths with them again. However, through it all, I am able to have had the chance to work with those colleagues and the chance to say good-bye.
When this program concludes, I imagine adjourning from my colleagues through blogging. I feel I have developed a relationship with many of my colleagues. I would like to formally say my good-byes from the program but not from each other. I have learned so much from my colleagues and would like to continue learning from their experiences.
It is always difficult to say good bye to students and faculty at a school. I know the feeling, but I learned not to become quite attached to people I work with.
ReplyDeleteLike you said in some situation, you could not wait to say good bye. I experienced one situation where I was so thrilled to leave.
I do not think I truly experienced a strong bond at work or in class. I'm always keeping my guard up because it is difficult to entrust my passion with others. At the current job, I am a hard worker. Yet, I don't let my guard down. People noticed that and asked why. I did not feel I fit in just yet. I am only one out of five people on my team who party hard. I am not a party goer. Little things like that make the differences--I think-- in forming bond.
You know what.. Memphis City Schools went through a tough budget cut to where a lot of good teachers lost their jobs due to the budget and senority. Its funny how just because you got you got senority doesn't mean you are a good teacher. I have witness former teachers now working at car washes because of the budget and its off because the school I am at now that was once on academics and athletics is now 60% resource and 40% regular students if that is a such thing.I feel if it was more communication down the line where would be an agreement somewhere is the school system wouldn;t be the way it is.... MESSED UP
ReplyDeleteIt is always hard to lose people at work that you have developed a bond with. When you are accustomed to seeing certain people and interacting with them each day, there is a real sense of loss when they are gone. I have a very hard time saying goodbye to my students each year, but then, over time, I develop the same bonds with my new students.
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