first week

First week at this particular school.. and I have 4 people encouraging me to call it quits.

I'm not a quitter; it's just that sometimes, things go wayyy out of hand, and try as you may to fix it, nothing seems to go right.

The kids are okay.. just the normal, run-of-the-mill type of teens, albeit of course, with each class having their own black sheep.

Yeah.. I can handle the kids. I was from a neighbourhood sec school too.

The colleagues are mighty fine. They know the mess I was left with, so they are trying to help in every way they can to alleviate my horror.

Bless the kind, helpful colleagues. It's not as if they are very free either.

It's the person I'm taking over. Told no one I was coming, didn't make arrangements for me, and surprise!! Found out on day 1 that I have 3 extra classes! Like, what on earth, right?

First day itself, no space for me to sit. 2nd day, I was uprooted twice.. from the temp desk to the photocopy room to the conference room. And I have to evacuate the room should there be meetings!

I was very much incensed when the computer guy told me that they had no more spare laptops. I was left to muddle through my first week, teaching with what little resources I had from my colleagues. I'm not angry with him. I'm angry with that person.. who neglected arrangements for me.

Now my classes are falling behind by 1 week.. and it's unfair to them that I have to rush to bring them up to speed.

I'm not there to waste the school's money. I really contribute to the classes. I will be bringing them to the exams, and this kind of arrangements welcome me.

That's not all.. I am expected to teach. Teach what? I have no password, no laptop, no access to school resources. I had to beg my colleagues to print extra copies for my classes.

Can you imagine how lost I felt? To top it all off, the trainees will stay for a shorter period than me, but, they have priority over laptops and tables in the staff room. It's not a case of favouritism.. it's just really bad management by this particular person, who KNOWS she is going on leave, who KNOWS she is having me to take over her, since 3 months ago, and yet, neglects to make arrangements for me to do my job well.

They can't blame me if I mess the kids up for the first week of school. I have no access to nothing whatsoever! I was non-existent until my 1st day of work!

In comparison to my previous schools.. this particular school needs a wake up call in terms of management.

Pissed off.

I finally got my laptop last fri after classes. With. No. Password. Sigh.. can lessons proper start this week?

Muddle.. muddle..

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