Power refers to the ability or potential to influence. (DuBrin, 2009). This essay will analyze the Crested Butte Community School and identify signs of dysfunction as well as identify evidence of the use of negative political tactics within the organization. The elementary section of the school houses the most dysfunction in the entire community school. It is in this wing where most of senior educating staff (10+ years) teaches.
The Crested Butte Community School is a top public Colorado K-12 school. The teaching positions at this school are cherished by many in the educational industry. Most teachers are tenured and work with a limited number of newly hired teachers. There is evidence of hidden agendas by the more senior educators. This
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The handful of questions assist in identify powerful people within the elementary section and how much power these people possess. There are three to four educators that possess power. For most of their professional career, these educators worked with little to no oversight. At the time, the school principal was overwhelmed with growing responsibility to provide proper leadership to this group. The presence of the new elementary administrator provided daily oversight and her presence posed a threat to the old guard. As a result, this dysfunctional number decreased as the new principal gained trust and likeability by staff. She does so through social exchange. Her tactics in addressing pull-back focuses on sharing power and asking for assistance when needed. This person understands that she does not know all in terms of teaching all ages. As a result, teams are created to tackle problems, create solutions, and report to the entire elementary staff. Negative blow back is seen through the question and answer sessions following reports. In these settings, the more seasoned educators would firmly state their resistance to change and the break from the norm. Following meetings, these educators will align to formulate strategies to combat the new direction. To combat this tactic, the new principal would include herself in these impromptu …show more content…
Following this year sabbatical, she was politically sabotaged by her two team mates. My wife the senior teacher but during her absence the others struggled to gain the power of the team. On her return, she encountered continued resistance to follow her direction. The hostile behavior included backstabbing tactics (Stohl, C. 1995). This created an environment of bitter rivalries and insecurity. (DuBrin, 2009). Finally, the principal intervened and placed the two teachers on notice for what they later understood was a political blunder. As part of their recovery from the blunder, all three worked to analyze the failure, take personal responsibility and eventually got over it. That said, even to this day, my wife holds onto a small question of
In “The Teacher Wars”, by Helen Goldstein, the book focuses on the historical implications of school policy and how it affects teachers. The author goes into depth with everything from the rise of female teachers to the rise of technology in today’s teachers. As Goldstein argues teachers have an incredible ability to be able to widen equality, yet can also narrow the achievement gap that is created from birth. Her showcase of the constant strife against teachers throughout the ages gives way to multiple ways politics and decisions affect the achievement gap.
School propels excellence and gets little credit. Students perform average and shunned. And in situations like these, those in power, specifically the Santa Ana District School Board take advantage. I do not find this fair or just. I see it as the Mythological Lernean Hydra it is, a creature of multiple wretched heads each expressing a reason for which schools should become part of companies, factories, or business’ in this capitalistic country. I stand firmly behind the lines of Herculean defence against the hydra.
This vacuum of trust was fixed when both Erin and Jamie put their trust in their students. When the students realized that both teachers trusted their abilities and their attributes, the disciplinary problems started to wane. In ...
As a leader candidate, I can understand the challenges and multiplicity of complications that administrators must face each day. However, I will not accept any remote possibility that the students must be affected by some flaws of the school organization. We all as leaders, must be strategic with people, time, and money to guide our students towards an academic success.
Power is a key issue in separating the educated from the uneducated. One of the reasons that society is able to dictate the way people in mainstream society lives is through power. Society practically has power over every aspect of daily life. Society derives this power from the people whom make up mainstream America. Mainstream America has been trained over the years tha...
The job of a teacher is never easy but we have seen how cooperative discipline and enabling students to feel capable, connected and contributing can improve classroom management and maybe even our own moods. If we create an environment of mutual respect and give our students legitimate power of voice and choice in the classroom we will see positive results in improved student behavior and student achievement. Because when our students believe that they can succeed, they will.
Kozol perceives a war waging between teachers and the public school system (Kozol, 3). Teachers are trapped victims confined to the two purposes public school is attempting to accomplish. Those two goals include “class stratification and political indoctrination” (Kozol, 7). He believes that students should be aware of what is really being taught so they can react accordingly (Kozol, 9).
President Newman’s plan for culling struggling students in order to improve the university’s retention rate received mixed responses: some backed his decision wholeheartedly, while others refused to submit to his demands. As the university president, Newman had the most positional power at Mount St. Mary’s. In setting an agenda and working toward its fruition, Newman was not only exercising this authority but actualizing his power within the institution (Bolman & Deal, 2017). The action plan proposed by Newman was, in short, a literal power move. This implies, however, that Newman was operating within a simple structure model of organizations and institutions.
Teachers at Hillside are people who devote their working lives and free time to educating the youth of Boise, Idaho in order to make the world a better place. And, for people who devote that much time and energy to doing this, they don’t get even half of the appreciation and kindness they deserve. Teachers at Hillside are often paid little respect, money, and are often thought of negatively by the students and, occasionally, administration of our school. The lack of respect, monetary gain, and the negative viewpoints many students have of the teachers at Hillside Junior High School is unnecessary, to say the least. As much as many students don’t think or care about it, they often disrespect teachers by doing and saying things that they shouldn’t, or
Through this course I have learned that the major rules governing teaching and schooling in Ontario are vast. Teachers have a professional liability and can be punished for violating the standards of the profession as a result of the OCT Misconduct Regulation, OCT Standards of the Profession and Code of Ethics and the OTF Code of Ethics. Teachers can legally be disciplined by the employer for Violation of statutory duties and violation of the board policy and/or collective agreement. I understand this case is based on real life events and demonstrates to Teacher Candidates that people will unknowingly and knowingly make mistakes in the teaching profession and need to always be conscious of the legal ramifications of their actions as a teacher – in or out of the classroom. Conviction or even acquittal on criminal charges can bring employment/professional/civil consequences. There is also the risk of “informal” consequences like loss of reputation, employability and social ostracism. We’ve worked too hard to become certified teachers and destroy our career by making these legal and moral mistakes that tarnish the honor of this noble
A significant problem of practice in education is teacher bias. Teacher bias has implications around race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and socioeconomic status. Teachers must be willing to examine their beliefs, acknowledge and overcome their biases. Teachers need to evaluate their practices in relation to their ideals as well as recognize and assess the position of power they hold in their classrooms in order to be true Social Justice Educators (Cooper, 2003).
The selection of the members is based on their ability to represent the interest of both the teachers and the student and the enhancement of the quality of education. With such a composition in place, all the dimensions of the challenges facing institutions of learning are observed. The group is also composed in such a way that good rules and regulations for the school community are passed while those that do not reflect the situation and the needs of teachers and their students are rejected (Theobald & Malen, 2013). Such practices cannot be effectively performed in the political offices that may not have a complete understanding of the specific needs of the school
The paraprofessional agreed after adding that she sees this happen quite often in the classrooms she visits each week. Additionally, the DI was not sure how all employees would be able to participate in addressing this concern. The last three of the areas were in the category of school organization. All members voted and the unanimous decision was that the focus should be on the following areas: • The structure of our school promotes relationships between teachers and
Power is defined in the course study notes as the “ability of individuals or groups to get what they want despite the opposition”. Power is derived from a variety of sources including knowledge, experience and environmental uncertainties (Denhardt et al, 2001). It is also important to recognize that power is specific to each situation. Individuals or groups that may be entirely powerful in one situation may find themselves with little or no power in another. The county Registrar of Voters, who is my boss, is a perfect example. In running the local elections office, she can exercise the ultimate power. However, in a situation where she attempted to get the county selected for a desirable, statewide pilot project, she was powerless, completely at the mercy of the Secretary of State. Power is difficult to measure and even to recognize, yet it plays a major role in explaining authority. In organizations, power is most likely exercised in situations where “the stakes are high, resources are limited, and goals and processes are unclear” (Denhardt et al, 2001). The absence of power in organizations forces us to rely on soley hierarchical authority.
As you can see the school board handles many issues from budgets, to tenure, to performance scores, to conferences. Although this paper did not cover everything in the meeting, it summarized what took place, and what affects it would have on teachers. The decisions made no matter how big or small can influence how and what task a teacher performs. The school board meeting was interesting because you are able to see how the changes could affect you personally.