Farmer H took my $50,000 scratcher story on an abrupt turn as I shared it with him and The Pony.
"Speaking of Casey's... I saw your buddy Frederickson there."
"What? Frederickson? Who in the Not-Heaven is THAT? Do you mean Erickson?"
"Yeah. Erickson."
"I hate him!"
"Just think. He could have been your boss!"
The Pony and I cut eyes at each other.
"Um. Dad. He LITERALLY WAS her boss!"
"Yeah. For six or seven years! Why do you think I hate him?"
All these years, and I thought Farmer H had been listening to me when I confidentially confided in him each evening, my tribulations working for that little p-word. Apparently I was just WAH-WAH-ing like Charlie Brown's teacher.
Thing is, Erickson went out of his way to belittle people. Even people with good intentions, taking one for the team, for the 'good of the cause,' as he loved to say several times per meeting.
Like when we started mandatory after-school tutoring for low-scoring students on the standardized tests. There was a day designated for each major subject. To help my fellow science teachers, I volunteered to take a day in the rotation.
"That won't be necessary, Mrs. HM. Let's leave the tutoring to the people qualified to teach that subject."
Yeah. My good deed was turned down! Even though I had 11 years experience at the time (with a degree and full certification), 8 of them teaching Biology and Physics and 7th-8th grade science, like the little tutees would be learning. Not to mention that I was currently teaching the middle school at-risk students who would most likely be the majority of the tutees. He also said the same thing to a former Social Studies teacher who volunteered, also fully certified, but now teaching special students.
Not a fan of Erickson. Which is NOT his real name, by the way. I guess what Farmer H was thinking is that Erickson had been promoted to superintendent shortly after I retired. Which Farmer H sees as more of a boss, I suppose, although I could go months without ever associating with him.
GLADLY!
Sounds to me like you were very well qualified, so I'm wondering what exactly his standards were?
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteI think because we two taught "special" students, he didn't think of us as "real" teachers. We were not worthy. Just glorified babysitters. Even though it is actually harder to teach "special" students than the average students. Having done both, I know it's harder. You learn different ways to present things to them until it makes sense. I taught the at-risk kids, and she had the behavior-disorder kids.
My sister was a 'special' student, took her two years to pass every grade and by the time she passed grade five she was school leaving age, so mum took her out of school and sister never forgave her for not letting her try grade six. even back then with a simpler curriculum, there's no way she would have made it even after her usual two years.
ReplyDeleteRiver,
ReplyDeleteI would say her teachers must have been doing something right, if she WANTED to stay in school. Not everybody can teach special students, no matter what the nature of their specialness is.
Teaching special students should have made you specially qualified. Seems like "Erickson" grew up to be a special P word, and the word is not person! I take special pleasure in watching just such Persons and waiting for an opportunity to belittle them in a public manner over something they say or do wrong. Wait long enough and they will present the opportunity with an arrogant flourish that makes it even more fun!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteHe definitely has Little Man Syndrome! We used to get emails with proposed letters he would be sending home with students. Oh my gosh! The grammar! I took the high road, and mentioned it to my colleague across the hall.
"You know he can't send this out. It's terrible. But I'M not going to say anything, because then I'd be the bad guy, all critical of him. You, however..."
She agreed that something must be done, and also agreed to bring up the topic with him. Because she was a REAL science teacher, whose opinion would be respected.
Our attorney wrote a letter in what he thought was the voice of HeWho can't spell. I know he was trying to be helpful, but I corrected it and sent it back to him and told him he could now send it out. He was offended that I would correct it, but the sentence that prompted me to do so "I have known many high people in high places." was more than I could handle! Made my husband sound like the village idiot! I am allowed to be critical and poke fun, but not anyone else!
ReplyDeleteKathy,
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh! HIGH PEOPLE! That attorney works for you, so he has no right to be offended. Anything he sends out should have your approval.