Uncategorized | Mar 5, 2009
The top 10 (harmlessly?) unprofessional behaviors
By Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
The top 10 (harmlessly?) unprofessional behaviors
By Angela Watson
There are seriously unprofessional behaviors, like coming in late everyday or not having your lesson plans prepared. And then there are…those things. The ones that don’t REALLY impact the kids or instruction in any substantial way. Those behaviors that are, ahem, frowned upon?
There’s been a ongoing discussion on our campus about whether it’s okay for teachers to wear those velour sweatsuits that were popular a few years back. Some of us are passionate: They’re sweats! Absolutely not! Others of us say: Hey, what’s the difference between that and the jeans we’re allowed to wear on Fridays?
My opinion on each of these photos, for our school in Florida:
- No (logos are tacky);
- No (sloppy, and more importantly, ugly);
- No (although it’d be easier to get dads in for a conference);
- Yes (occasionally on a Friday).
The whole thing got me thinking about the subtle and trivially unprofessional behaviors that we as teachers sometimes engage in:
- Giving an assignment mainly because you want to write about it on your blog. Heh.
- Positioning yourself towards the sun during recess to darken your tan.
- Talking on a cell phone while walking the class to lunch.
- Eating in front of students.
- Setting up a book buddies routine (or other combined class activity) so you and your colleague can chat while the kids work.
- Always scheduling book fair visits, guest speakers, and other classroom diversions into the time slot of the subject or class you least enjoy teaching.
- Turning off the classroom lights after dismissal so no one will knock on the door while you’re grading papers.
- Wearing house shoes or slippers in the classroom [this was huge in D.C.].
- Having a student fetch your sweater, phone, or keys from across the room.
- Setting up a classroom behavior system that involves pizza party rewards because you love Papa Johns.
In the interest of full disclosure, my personal weakness is #2. At least it was last year, when the assigned third grade recess slot was 1:45 p.m. This year, our time was suspiciously changed by administration to 8:15 a.m. Coincidence or conspiracy? I think the evidence speaks for itself.
Are any of these things a pet peeve of yours? What wouldn’t fly at your school? And, what’s YOUR (harmlessly) unprofessional behavior?
Angela Watson
Founder and Writer
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mmmm let me think and then I come back to answer…
😀
ur comment made me feel better btw
:))
I’m terrified
I will admit, I HAVE done number 1 before… 🙂
And I don’t know about the benefits of that yellow terry cloth outfit, but I like the woman who’s wearing it. 😉
I love this! It’s hilarious and so true. I admit to both #1 and #4. (Though I’m more ashamed of #1 than #4)
I do eat in front of my class…because I rarely get a lunch break. I HATE it though, when I see teachers talking on their cell phones in front of their class. It’s unecessary and so unprofessional. I see one teacher talk on it on the way to lunch, AT the lunch table, while on recess….and in staff meetings, we have staff who chat on their phones by hiding their phones under their hair.
Ok, I admit to #4 and #9! Usually, I’m on stupid lunch duty freezing to death when I send a student for my sweater! I try not to do #4, but if I get shakey, I eat so I don’t pass out. #2 is not possible here – we have no recess.
I had a chuckle with the list, was annoyed that anyone would think it okay to wear those velour sweatpants with words covering their rear. I don’t like the idea of scheduling events over the subject you hate to teach, but I am embarrassed to say that I remember doing that myself. I frequently turned out the lights when the kids were gone so nobody would bother me – I even positioned myself so you couldn’t see me by looking through the window – I surprised some people who just walked into my room that way thinking I wasn’t there; and even overheard some good gossip. But, I would have to draw the line at talking on the cell phone while walking the kids to class – that’s reprehensible to me.
I see teachers doing all of these things daily and they annoy me. I am guilty of #7 but I don’t see what’s wrong with it? I’m trying to get work done and avoid my gossipy and lazy colleagues! 🙂
I’m guilty of #4 and #7 but don’t feel bad. I get hungry and try to quietly eat a snack. I’m an ELL teacher. If a student asks I say, “this is my snack time,” your classroom teacher gives you one later.” And I don’t always turn out ALL the lights, but I do close my door and try to get work done in the afternoon, hoping for a minimum of interruptions.
I think busy work bugs me the most. not that teachers give it, but that they pretend like it’s important then toss it in the trash, wasting time and photocopies. I just say to my kids outright, “These mildly interesting skill puzzle papers are busywork because I have to finish (insert annoying paperwork with short deadline here). You can work on these or read, write or draw quietly and we’ll try to do something more engaging tomorrow. Thanks.” They’re usually great about it and have something to share the next day that they’ve drawn or written.
I’ll admit that there have been times on Friday where I have popped in an educationally relevant video so that I could get some grading done.
As for dress codes, I am a strong believer that if teachers started to dress more professionally, people might start treating us better. I’ve been appalled at how some teachers dress when they come to school. I don’t think it’s necessary to wear power suits, but please wear nice slacks and a nice blouse or shirt. Make sure it’s ironed and doesn’t look like it has been used as a your pets preferred place to sleep 🙂
oh, no, I’m #7. I just have so much to accomplish and hate to be bothered. But it is selfish and doesn’t show me as an open person. I’ll have to work on that.
Saii: You’re quite welcome. We’ve all been there.
Mister Teacher: Please control yourself. 🙂
John Spencer: There seems to be a good deal of guilt out there about #1. However, if the assignment is an authentic one and aligned with curricular outcomes, it’s worthwhile. Um. Right?
Becky: I think it’s very unprofessional to talk on cell phones in front of kids, too. Especially in public (in the hall, on the playground). If you’re gonna do it, do you have to show it off? That should be an emergency-only thing, IMO.
Sarah: How do you survive the day with no recess? I look forward to that time more than the kids do.
TeacherJay: I like to leave the lights off any chance I get. It’s just more comfortable to me. I used to leave the overhead lights off all day long and used about 15 lamps in the room. It was sooo cozy, and the kids loved it! Then came the new fire marshal codes. Sigh.
Vanntx: I don’t think there’s anything wrong with per se. I just feel guilty doing it, because it seems like I’m avoiding co-workers, or that I’ve left early. I’ve had several people tell me they came by my room but the lights were off, so they assumed I’d left. Uh…try knocking? I might answer. 😉
Teacherninja: I would not count busywork as a harmlessly unprofessional behavior. That’s a harmful one. Not to say that teachers should NEVER do it, but its certainly worse for the kids than eating a snack in front of them. I think it’s great you level with your kids. I, too, have found they work better on crap assignments when I just say, look, I gotta do this paperwork. You do your thing for a little while, I’ll do mine, and then we’ll get back to our regular routine.
Ms. Teacher: I agree with you about dressing for the way you want to be treated. It’s not so much the actual items a person wears, it’s how they’re put together. I know teachers who wear dark, pressed jeans with heels and blouses and look far better than those who wear proper trousers but with running shoes and ill-fitting sweaters.
SmWonder00: You were posting your comment at the same time I was posting mine! As I replied to Vanntx, I don’t think there’s anything WRONG with turning the lights out. But like you, I feel that it’s an anti-social thing and probably not that nice.
I’m guilty of #4! So very guilty. Sometimes, when I’m standing post and I didn’t get to eat lunch I snack on chips or candy! Also, I often have kids in my room during lunch AND I am not ashamed to eat!
I plead guilty to #7. Works every time!
Great post!
I’m diabetic. If I lose my prep, I have to eat. Luckily, last time they stole my prep for testing, they had someone give me a 15-minute pee/eat break. But if they didn’t, I would HAVE to eat. I’ve never used my cell phone in class, though. Worst is scheduling a video because I know I’m losing my voice…but I don’t show that many videos, so the kids think it’s a treat :-).
I let my fourth period go to early lunch sometimes when we aren’t scheduled to because I want more time for lunch that day.
Miss A, Miss Profe, Kathy N, and Dkxody: Thanks for you honesty and reflections. It’s good to have the collective affirmation that none of us go by the book 100% of the time…I appreciate your contributions to that.
I forget breakfast all of the time. But I feel guilty about eating in front of students, so I solved the problem by keeping a box of granola bars and a few other things in a drawer. The kids know I have them and if a kid is hungry (this is high school), she’ll ask, “Do you have anything good? I haven’t eaten.” It costs me maybe $3 a week in cheap snacks but the kids love it, and I get away with eating in class because I’m not greedy about it.
We had a teacher in our building who made great homemade salsa. Teachers would get jars from him and buy enormous chip bags from the cafeteria (at cost, so $4 for enough chips to feed an army). If I was eager to dig in during class, I’d crack open the bag and jar and pass it around.
Food is a great motivator! Everyone is suddenly relaxed and talkative (in a good way, about the content). Of course, all of this could also explain the five pounds I seem to tack on each year. 🙂
I’ve developed a classroom playlist on my iPod full of songs from my playlist that are 100% appropriate for the students, but not 100% interesting for the students. When I’m having a rough day or find it difficult to focus, I’ll turn the music on (music I like) while they read for 5-10 minutes or have a chance to catch up on any work they need to do for me or other teachers. I totally let myself check out and sing along–usually just in my head–while I try to refocus. I try to be very understanding of the student tapping on his desk while I’m teaching for this reason.
Erica, I like that a lot, actually. I think it’s good to expose kids to different types of music they wouldn’t normally hear. 🙂