I am Special Education teacher at a small highschool - small program, with a small staff. I have taught with this colleague for almost 9 years now - up until the past 8 months or so, everything was great, and then all of a sudden, he has become hostile, ignorant and angry towards me - both in front of staff and students. There is absolutely no reason for it as I am a very easy person to get along with - staff and students trust me and confide in me as I'm a senior teacher who helps everyone whenever possible.
Today a student snuck out of his class and came to mine. He snuck behind me as I was setting up the TV/DVD for 2 students who were doing a movie study. I am very busy as I teach many different credits at one time due to learning/behaviour accommodations, so I told the student that he didn't belong and had to leave. Usually my door is closed, but sometimes it's open for various reasons. He just smiled and attempted to stay put to watch the movie. Again, I reminded him that he had to go - at that moment, said colleague walked right into my room and scolded me in front of all of our students! He didn't scold HIS student who disrupted my classroom, mind you.
He has done this before, and so I attempted to address it at lunch in the staff room a few minutes later, once students were dismissed. There was only one other staff member there, but he was busily working on computer - I was glad he was there as a witness though. Said colleague started yelling at me about how it was MY responsibility to return the student to his class, or, forcibly return bring him to the office. WTH? I then reminded him that it was not my job to bring his students to the office - the students know that they are not supposed to be visiting classrooms, so if they make a choice to do so while on a washroom break from other classes, then they deal with consequences. He yelled at me and said he didn't want to hear my stories and stormed off! Ok, then...
Here are my concerns:
1. He is very rude and disrespectful with how he talks to me
2. He scolds me in front of students and staff
3. He is insinuating that I am stealing his students and not doing enough to return them to class (believe me, I am one of, if not the busiest teacher there, so I don't need his students!)
4. He never gives the benefit of the doubt, nor trusts in my professionalism to do my job
5. He is trying to determine what my style of classroom management is
6. He is disrespecting the positive relationships that I have with our students. They sometimes get embarassed for "getting me in trouble." He actually scolds me instead of them - ummm...I didn't sneak out of your class (he is not a good teacher at all as he doesn't pay attention to kids, ignores them, etc.)
Talked with my colleague whom I am very close with - he is also our union rep (I used to be), and he is distressed because this keeps happening and feels it will continue. He is upset that this colleague is disrespecting me and my role as teacher in this manner, and wants me to go to VP or Principal. I am nervous to do so as I am very non-confrontational. I am very busy, and so I have my hands full with a million jobs around the school (this is something else he is angry about - it's none of his business though), so this kind of thing is one more problem that takes me away from my students.
What would you do? I would love to hear any and all opinions as it's quite frustrating me. I am the most passionate, involved and hardworking teacher, so this behaviour really upsets me as it's disrespectful, immature and unacceptable, but I'm not sure if going to admin will make it worse...?
Thanks, Tiger
Today a student snuck out of his class and came to mine. He snuck behind me as I was setting up the TV/DVD for 2 students who were doing a movie study. I am very busy as I teach many different credits at one time due to learning/behaviour accommodations, so I told the student that he didn't belong and had to leave. Usually my door is closed, but sometimes it's open for various reasons. He just smiled and attempted to stay put to watch the movie. Again, I reminded him that he had to go - at that moment, said colleague walked right into my room and scolded me in front of all of our students! He didn't scold HIS student who disrupted my classroom, mind you.
He has done this before, and so I attempted to address it at lunch in the staff room a few minutes later, once students were dismissed. There was only one other staff member there, but he was busily working on computer - I was glad he was there as a witness though. Said colleague started yelling at me about how it was MY responsibility to return the student to his class, or, forcibly return bring him to the office. WTH? I then reminded him that it was not my job to bring his students to the office - the students know that they are not supposed to be visiting classrooms, so if they make a choice to do so while on a washroom break from other classes, then they deal with consequences. He yelled at me and said he didn't want to hear my stories and stormed off! Ok, then...
Here are my concerns:
1. He is very rude and disrespectful with how he talks to me
2. He scolds me in front of students and staff
3. He is insinuating that I am stealing his students and not doing enough to return them to class (believe me, I am one of, if not the busiest teacher there, so I don't need his students!)
4. He never gives the benefit of the doubt, nor trusts in my professionalism to do my job
5. He is trying to determine what my style of classroom management is
6. He is disrespecting the positive relationships that I have with our students. They sometimes get embarassed for "getting me in trouble." He actually scolds me instead of them - ummm...I didn't sneak out of your class (he is not a good teacher at all as he doesn't pay attention to kids, ignores them, etc.)
Talked with my colleague whom I am very close with - he is also our union rep (I used to be), and he is distressed because this keeps happening and feels it will continue. He is upset that this colleague is disrespecting me and my role as teacher in this manner, and wants me to go to VP or Principal. I am nervous to do so as I am very non-confrontational. I am very busy, and so I have my hands full with a million jobs around the school (this is something else he is angry about - it's none of his business though), so this kind of thing is one more problem that takes me away from my students.
What would you do? I would love to hear any and all opinions as it's quite frustrating me. I am the most passionate, involved and hardworking teacher, so this behaviour really upsets me as it's disrespectful, immature and unacceptable, but I'm not sure if going to admin will make it worse...?
Thanks, Tiger
