Negativity in the workplace

boss14
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by boss14 »

@reu

Can you explain in more detail how in teaching it is more personalized and you have to click more with your co-workers than for typical office jobs?

Would you say it's harder to get out of a toxic environment by changing schools compared to changing companies in a office job?
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@OzGrad

Not a newbie anymore but at the time I was I would have been in the second tribe.

@boss14

Its the difference between collaboration and cooperation. In an office job you might work together in so much as your work group has proximity to one another and shares a common departmental objective, but everyone knows they are looking out for themselves. Employees cooperate and cooperate well when its in their financial and professional interests to do so.
In IE ITs are supposed to collaborate not because its intrinsically good for them, but because its good for the students. Often this just means more work and resources that dont provide the IT any benefit. It doesnt provide them more coin and doesnt make their lives easier, there really isnt a rank or promotional advancement opportunity within the organizational group of "teacher". Its not like in an office job where promotions exist that come with benefits like more coin, bigger office, expense accounts, etc.. As a IT the only promotion (and staying an IT, not moving into leadership) is HOD and while it pays more, youre working more as well, such that your making the same rate of pay within your salary step as if you didnt have the HOD responsibilities.

As an IT you have to interact with other staff all the time, because your students bring you together with those people. In an office you can pretty much not have contact with other employees even in your work group if you dont want to. Just about every contact you have to make with that person can be by email or text. In an IS you have to be in contact with other ITs.
Lastly, its just size, many ISs are just small, even the largest ISs have relatively small numbers compared to the vast size of multi national corporations. You might not gt along with someone at an IS but their room is still within a couple minutes of walking distance. Where someone you dont like in a corporation might be in an office across the city or across the globe. Its a lot easier to avoid those people.
Thames Pirate
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by Thames Pirate »

@boss14

Hopefully by now you have figured out that PsyGuy is phony. Notice on your other thread he claims not to collaborate with colleagues so he can make his point about 8-4 while here he suddenly does collaborate. If you want a straight answer, like with anything, the answer is "it depends."

Yes, ideally you should collaborate with colleagues. However, this is both impossible at times and optional. For example, in hubby's department, he collaborates closely with A, with whom he gets along well. He reaches out to B, but B isn't a good collaborator, so he gets limited help there. However, both like each other and there is no negativity. He doesn't get along well th C, who brings all the negativity. Since he doesn't share either curriculum or students with C he avoids him most of the time. A and C, who cannot stand one another, do have to collaborate a fair bit, and A generally sucks it up and deals with the negativity to keep C somewhat happy. Thankfully C doesn't shove his oar (and his negativity) in too often, partly because A placates him. So as you can see, it depends on who needs to work more with whom and the type of negativity and how it is managed.

We worked at a small school built on collaboration once. Anyone who brought too much negativity didn't last more than their minimum contract, and they were looking for personality as well as teaching ability in the interview. Fantastic place! You can certainly ask about work environment in an interview, though admin may or may not know how individuals are.

I get the sense that you want a black and white chart comparing teaching to office jobs. Well, teaching is not a single entity. A tiny, rural public school will differ dramatically from a large, established, expensive ISs in a major city. Classes of 40 middle schoolers at an average public middle school are not like a class of 19 international rich kids in IB chemistry or 12 poor kids of semi-literate farmers who have never left their town in a geography class and don't know why it matters that they learn about where Asia is. Each has its challenges, rewards, etc. Each kid matters and deserves your best. Each has elements that drain you, physically and emotionally. I would bet that next week, the tone of certain answers might change slightly depending on what is going on in a school at that moment. Sorry we can't give you that clear chart. You will have to make your decision based on answers like "it depends."

Good luck!
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@boss14

Hopefully youve figured out that @Thames Pirate either doesnt know anything (everything is always depends) or only works in the mythical pirate land of @Thames Pirate. Further, lacks reading comprehension, I never claimed in my prior post that I specifically collaborate.

You can ask about work environment in an interview but leadership is very likely to give you the canned response that everything is fine and rosy.
boss14
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by boss14 »

Thanks for the replies. I can ask more questions and detailed comments later as I'm typing this from my phone now

I just wanted to quickly say to psyguy: i think you underestimate how toxic office jobs can be. Many office jobs require you to work in an open space floor or work in a cubicle close by to other potential loud and toxic co-workers. Its often not easy to avoid assholes.

If you think teaching is more toxic than typical office jobs, may I ask why you choose to teach instead off working a typical office job?
Thames Pirate
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by Thames Pirate »

boss14 wrote:

> But negativity with co-workers occurs in typical office jobs as well. I was curious
> to know the negativity in teaching at ISs *compares* to typical office jobs
>
> But plenty of office job environments are toxic as well. That's why I was curious to
> know how the negativity in teaching at ISs *compares* to typical office jobs


Again, it varies wildly, just as it does in office jobs. Is it the admin that is toxic? Or is it a coworker? Can you avoid that person or his/her influence? Just as not every office job is The Office or Man in the Grey Flannel Suit, not every school is the same. A tier 3 for-profit school that is mostly about teaching in English is different from a tier 1 non-profit truly international school meant to serve expats and create a community. The latter can be more selective in its hiring, allowing it to avoid teachers unwilling or unable to collaborate. So you are less likely to have truly toxic people, though of course no school can avoid all negativity just as no office can. I think there is probably a lot of similarity to office work in that regard--the more selective the job, the less toxic it is. Mobility is also dependent on lots of factors--availability of jobs, quality of your application (experience, abilities, references), and networking being the big ones--just as in office jobs. The quality of application is, of course, hurt by negativity, so those folks do get weeded out.

Don't overthink it. If you are interested in teaching, look into it. Don't put much stock into what PG says; look back at his history on here and you will know all you need to know about who he really is. Focus instead on what the other posters, the ones who aren't negative, say about the job and the field. Talk to teachers and admin at your local school. Talk to professors at the college of ed. Look at teacher forums and websites (and memes!). It might be for you.
interteach
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by interteach »

PsyGuy wrote in a previous post in this thread:

"How do you think a stereotype becomes a stereotype, by generally being accurate."

Please tell me that you don't teach subject matter related to racial, religious, gender, or any kind of prejudice.

Beyond reprehensible.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@interteach

Prejudice and stereotypes are not identical. Dont all subjects have racial, gender, religious content?

@boss14

I may be underestimating office politics. Its not that an office or an IE environment is more or less toxic than the other its how the toxicity manifests itself. In the office environment its either aggressive OR passive. In the IE environment its usually the passive-aggressive type of toxicity.
Its hard to avoid DBs in IE too.

A couple reasons:

1) Time commitment; ITs teach about 185 days a year. Lots of long breaks and vacations, compared with 10 days leave you find in corporate life. When your an IT no matter how toxic it gets 2.5 months off at summer is a summer I dont have to deal with them.

2) Its not rocket science; Even when its rocket science its not really hard rocket science. Its not like working a corporate job with billion coin contracts, or peoples lives are at stake. Its basically walking children through a textbook. If your working at a lower tier IS you dont have to do very much, basically show up on time and give high marks.

3) The compensation, security and stability are pretty good for a bachelor's degree. You have a lot of your fixed expenses paid for. You can skip out on student loans.

4) Travel; particularly if youre a guy your social opportunities greatly improve.

5) I get a whole room to myself and dont have to wear a tie and jacket.

Strongly disagree with @Thames Pirate if leadership and corporate managers where good at identifying toxic people and sociopaths there wouldnt be any, but of course there are. The problem is that sociopaths can fake positive for a an hour long interview.

Yes, please look back at the history, but my position isnt a universal truth, like most things the truth is often somewhere in the middle. Look at it realistically, the good and the bad and the ugly. If you go into it thinking its all rainbows and sunshine youre going to be REALLY disappointed and frustrated.

I would also disagree with @Thames Pirate in regard to professors, they generally havent seen the inside of a KS/K12 classroom as a DT or IT in years if not decades. Professors earn their coin by making more DTs/ITs, your basically submitting to a sales pitch.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@interteach

Prejudice and stereotypes are not identical. Dont all subjects have racial, gender, religious content?

@boss14

I may be underestimating office politics. Its not that an office or an IE environment is more or less toxic than the other its how the toxicity manifests itself. In the office environment its either aggressive OR passive. In the IE environment its usually the passive-aggressive type of toxicity.
Its hard to avoid DBs in IE too.

A couple reasons:

1) Time commitment; ITs teach about 185 days a year. Lots of long breaks and vacations, compared with 10 days leave you find in corporate life. When your an IT no matter how toxic it gets 2.5 months off at summer is a summer I dont have to deal with them.

2) Its not rocket science; Even when its rocket science its not really hard rocket science. Its not like working a corporate job with billion coin contracts, or peoples lives are at stake. Its basically walking children through a textbook. If your working at a lower tier IS you dont have to do very much, basically show up on time and give high marks.

3) The compensation, security and stability are pretty good for a bachelor's degree. You have a lot of your fixed expenses paid for. You can skip out on student loans.

4) Travel; particularly if youre a guy your social opportunities greatly improve.

5) I get a whole room to myself and dont have to wear a tie and jacket.

Strongly disagree with @Thames Pirate if leadership and corporate managers where good at identifying toxic people and sociopaths there wouldnt be any, but of course there are. The problem is that sociopaths can fake positive for a an hour long interview.

Yes, please look back at the history, but my position isnt a universal truth, like most things the truth is often somewhere in the middle. Look at it realistically, the good and the bad and the ugly. If you go into it thinking its all rainbows and sunshine youre going to be REALLY disappointed and frustrated.

I would also disagree with @Thames Pirate in regard to professors, they generally havent seen the inside of a KS/K12 classroom as a DT or IT in years if not decades. Professors earn their coin by making more DTs/ITs, your basically submitting to a sales pitch.
senator
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by senator »

@ OZGRAD:

I was in the tribe of people who went into teaching because I love to teach and think it a a much more noble profession than most others. I passed up jobs as actuaries and in applied mathematics and statistics (and the money that came with them) because I wanted to teach - not because I backed into it.

And it irritates me that so many incompetents slide into my world. Simple enough for you?

@ Walter

"Grumpy"? Man, if that ain't the pot calling the kettle black.

You didn't even like that gecko/Gordon Gekko bit, huh?

I actually would love to work with a guy like you, baby.
OzGrad
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by OzGrad »

@ senator

So, when you entered there was a third noble pathway that has since disappeared, seems fair.

OG
boss14
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by boss14 »

senator wrote:
> @ OZGRAD:
>
> I was in the tribe of people who went into teaching because I love to teach
> and think it a a much more noble profession than most others. I passed up
> jobs as actuaries and in applied mathematics and statistics (and the money
> that came with them) because I wanted to teach - not because I backed into
> it.

I come from a similar background. I have an MS in STEM and can find a job in math/stats and get paid well, but I'm considering teaching because it seems more rewarding as opposed to working for an evil company/corporation/startup that wants to make profits by selling crap to people
Thames Pirate
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by Thames Pirate »

According to senator, that tribe no longer exists.

If you think it's a career you'd enjoy for its own sake, go for it and ignore the (ironic) negativity from folks here.
Walter
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Re: Negativity in the workplace

Post by Walter »

Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings:
"Its not like working a corporate job with billion coin contracts, or peoples lives are at stake. Its basically walking children through a textbook. If your working at a lower tier IS you dont have to do very much, basically show up on time and give high marks."
Classic advice from Dave. If you want a life at bottom-feeder schools - six months here, twelve months there - where all the owners want is a person who speaks English, then this is how you should view the job. If you want to work at a school where education is valued, then, believe me, you will NOT be walking children through a textbook.
And in return for the long holidays that Dave so looks forward to:
"Lots of long breaks and vacations, compared with 10 days leave you find in corporate life. When your an IT no matter how toxic it gets 2.5 months off at summer is a summer I dont have to deal with them."
In top flight schools you will often be working beyond the seven hour day that Dave enjoys. No other profession gets such extraordinary holidays, and there will be times after school when you need to be assessing and preparing and reporting in order to give the students what they need. That's how you earn the holidays.

Senator Ted, working with you would certainly appeal to my sense of humor. It would be like hiring Darth Vader.
PsyGuy
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Post by PsyGuy »

@Walter

Youd be the emperor, at least Darth Vader was redeemable in the end.

@boss14

I understand now where you are coming from:

1) The issue is you arent going to know what kind of IS you are going to get until you are actually there. You could interview with a great HOS, only to find that they have departed for elsewhere when you arrive and the new HOS or leadership is a DB. You have no idea if youll be working with a toxic IT or HOD, or if all those people are in another division you never come in contact with. Your first year could be great and then something happens and its horrible. You will have no idea.

2) I know youre in maths but while they are in demand your not going to go off to an elite tier IS to start with. Lots of ITs have that dream and it rarely happens. The typical route is you start in third tier and work your way up and over. In general an IT can move up one tier or over to a better region with each contract. That means your going to be walking through some poo for your first few years. A large number of ITs get stuck in 1st tier without making it to elite tier.

3) You are looking at a significant training investment, at least a year to get a PGCE and NQT. With math you could probably do induction in England, but you can also do it at a BSO. Thats at least a year as a full time student, without a salary.

4) The general bar to entry into IE is 2 years post certification experience. With maths again you can probably cut that post experience requirement out if your willing to go to a lower tier 3 IS.

5) Understand that teaching has a high degree of attrition for exactly the reasons you are asking. Everyone goes into it thinking its going to be at one level of expectations and then they find out its not. Most DTs/ITs dont last 5 year, many are out in 2-3 years.

Third tier ISs are still recruiting and with maths you may actually find a third tier IS thats desperate enough to take a non-credentialed appointment. Those ISs are going to be in the third tier and wont be floaters, more like train wrecks.
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