Bitchtastic!

Ok, so here’s the thing: I have issues with someone I work with. Underlying trust issues, because this person is somewhat threatened by me, in a professional capacity. Interested? Good, ‘cause I’m gonna elaborate.

So, I’ve been teaching in the public school system for 11 years now. Before that, I taught at a vo-tech school, a state University, and did private tutoring. During these 16 accumulated years of teaching, I have learned a lot of stuff. I have stayed current on my methods and know the trends and buzzwords currently zipping around my discipline. Sometimes, I use ‘em. Mostly, I try to keep it simple and keep it real. If I can effectively use a new theory or strategy, I use it. I’m all about innovation, when it works. I’m not about change simply for the sake of change, though. Tried and true is fine by me. I also don't flaunt my knowledge. I don't feel like I have to, because for the most part, I work with professionals of similar intelligence. For the most part.

Well, I have this colleague, who is close to my age, but who has been teaching for only about 5 years. This colleague has some Masters in Teaching, which as far as I know, is one of those bullshit Ed-school degrees. I have very little respect for Ed schools, as the crap General Education courses I had to take to get my Undergraduate degree (a combo in my subject area and education) were a joke! The only ones that were remotely useful were the subject-specific education courses, like methodology of teaching my subject area. These are courses that my colleague has never taken. My Masters degree is in my subject area, and not from the School of Bullshit Education. But, I digress...

This particular colleague has sometimes referred to herself as the more intellectual teacher of the two of us. I, in her view, am merely a former Middle School teacher who can only play simple games with my students. She, apparently, views her teaching style as more sophisticated because she doesn’t play any games. I, however, view her teaching style as boring. Can you, perhaps, see that her comment rankles? Intensely? Immensely? In view of my superior education and experience? Yeah. I’m sure you can.

Today, now, was a Professional Development day, where all of us teachers get together and discuss our subject areas. We’re usually “lectured” by some “experts.” Today was no exception, as we had our representative from the Department of Education come in and talk about the Standards of our Subject Area.

Well, it seems that today was my day to answer questions, because I was on point. I had answers. I was feisty with them. I practically quoted from our standards at one point in the proceedings. During all of this, I noticed that my colleague’s brow was furrowed. She seemed perplexed, quizzical even, that I knew these things. It didn’t seem to fit with her image of me as a game-playing, non-intellectual babysitter.

Our afternoon session was even more fun, as we had a software company come in and try to sell us their software. Frankly, the pitch the guy gave would’ve gone over great with parents or anyone who doesn’t have a detailed knowledge of our discipline. However, the sales guy had very little actual practical knowledge of how to teach our subject, was trying to use our lexicon in his presentation, and was just not comprehending that he was using it all wrong. He was full of crap and wouldn’t acknowledge it. C’mon – you’re in a room of highly-trained professionals who are all telling you you’re full of shit. Give it up already! I have to say, since I was having such a great morning, I took point on calling the guy out on his shit, and was ably backed up by some of the even more veteran teachers. I was Bitchtastic! Colleague was, once again, perplexed, because I used a whole bunch of big edumacational terms that she just wasn’t familiar with. Things that hearken back to the early days of teaching research in my subject matter. You know, things you’d know if you’d ever taken a methods course. Which she hasn’t.

It felt good to throw her off her game. Maybe she’ll reevaluate her position now. Because you know? It’s become my mission to shove my intelligence in her face at every possible opportunity. I've got it, and she's brought out my need to flaunt it. And flaunt it, I will, at her expense.

I’m such a spiteful bitch, sometimes.