bad reference from principal

skittle 26

So basically my rpt contract is not being renewed and I don't know why.i am the only rpt not being renewed..principal did not like me unsure of why? Maybe he is seeing something in me that I'm not.i am now worried bout receiving a bad reference any advice would be greatly appreciated!! What kind of questions do they ask? I was always on time prepared for classes got on well for the most part with students and parents

linguist

I am really sorry to hear this and I genuinely feel for you. It can be such a strange and lonely time of year for non-permanent teachers: the feeling that everyone else is heading off into their blissful summer with a safe job to come back to in the autumn. Let me reassure you that you are not alone.

I can try to reassure you on two counts. Firstly, if you have not been made aware of any problems with your performance then they cannot invent these now as a reason for not keeping you on. The likelihood is that the allocation has simply gone against you on this occasion. Secondly, you'll meet very few rpts who haven't moved around so principals are more than used to it. You are not the problem - the system is.

Having said that, the one thing that you cannot control is the telephone conversation that will occur between your current principal and a prospective new employer. You need to request a written reference from your current principal as soon as possible and if you have any reason to believe that there is an issue, you should discuss it with the union. But, as a default, please don't think negatively and don't blame yourself. This is looking like a good summer for recruitment so hard and all as it is you need to keep your spirits up and start applying. Mind yourself.

skittle 26

Thank you so much for replying.first of all there are two retirements this year with one of both if my subjects . Secondly numbers are increasing year on year.there are a number of things that ive been thinking I kissed a male teacher on the staff or else maybe I'm too giddy i was always laughing and joking I made several friends in the staffroom probably too popular and believe me this is a first in my lifetime and I'm in my late teenties
1.I'm just wondering should I take him off as referee?
2.could I ask him out what it us that I did
unfortunately I didn't join a union as this is only my second year teaching.
3.he doesn't give written references only generic ones would that do
Just any guudance would be appreciated I feel like a failure.
my subject knowledge is excellent and I'm an experienced examiner of seven years but to be honest I've begun to think is it my teaching. I've good control I loose the cool ocassionally and roar but its seldom.the kuds and parents were fond of me.
I'm jyst worried it will hamper my job prospects woukd I be better off to just wipe off the year off my cv.im sorry bout the long post just so worried and confused.

spurious

Ask for a written reference and see is it 'bad' before you start worrying about what to do. Some people just rub each other up the wrong way. He may still be professional enough to not allow his personal feelings to cloud his reference. You are worrying and you don't know for sure he would give you a bad reference.

skittle 26

No I don't know for sure obviously I just feel he would.i asked for a written reference and he told me he doesn't really give them only generic ones that usually they ring.so is this even worth asking for?

linguist

Look, you know if something is amiss and to be fair to those of us who want to help you, please don't give us a drip feed that we have to adapt our answers to fit.

You say you kissed a male colleague. On the face of it, if that person did not complain, I cannot see a problem. Context is everything. Did it happen at work? What do you mean by a kiss? Frankly, I'm not interested in a full blown description! I've hugged and kissed a colleague on the cheek before when they were returning from a bereavement for example. But it would usually be someone I was close to. On the whole, I wouldn't make a habit of amorous gestures in the workplace because it's not really appropriate and it's not your private space. If it happened on a night out, and the other person had no problem with it, I can't see there being a problem.

You imply that you're a lively person in the staffroom. I've never regarded that as a sacking offence! Just as long as you have the respect and social intelligence not to dominate the place when others are trying to have a quiet conversation when you walk in. With retirements over recent years, many staffs are now much younger than they were and the staffroom atmosphere will reflect that. I've always thought that principals value a good atmosphere in the staffroom and we haven't sworn an oath of silence! Ultimately, you know what the situation is here. If nobody has ever approached you, don't drive yourself mad seeing plots where none exist.

The awful thing is that I've seen hours disappear where they seemed so safe. I've been on the receiving end of it myself. It's terrible but you have to move on and put yourself out there. The SEC experience is gold dust!

skittle 26

Obviously I never kissed him at work but we became very very close. I know I'm driving myself mad.i suppose I would just do things differently and I'm kicking myself for messing things up and worried that a bad reference will hamper future employment. I'm also disgusted with myself ive never been fired from a job and worked in industry for seven years.i have reflected and will do things so much different.Thanks for the replies.i am just in a catch 22 would you take him off as a referee?

spurious

Ask him straight out what areas if any he thinks you could improve on. There is none of us doesn't have an area we could work on. It's not any sign of weakness or failure to not be perfect.

His response will give you an idea of what he is likely to say to any prospective enquirers.

blueberrypie

This is what I would do.
I would ask straight out, was there a problem with my teaching, control of class etc.
Ask a straight question and hopefully get a straight answer.
It will stop your mind racing and dreaming up scenarios of what you did or did not do to lose the hours.
Wait a day or two till students and the school has settled into the exams.

You have nothing to lose, it should answer your query about keeping him as a reference.

Let us know how you get on.

evolving_doors

Am I missing something here OP, Did your principal actually tell you he was cutting the hours because of your teaching/staff interactions/character? Have you spoken to the principal yet?

skittle 26

So basically I asked him in early May would I have a job next year.he replied with I don't know til the redeployment process is over.i wanted to apply for jobs that were coming up so I asked him would he be a referee.he said he would.niw I knew he didn't like me due to a numberfof interactions went out if his way to not say goodbye walked past me etc ignored me s couple of times.so basically then there were a number of rpts that began this year and I'm the only one not being renewed. He told another girl that she woukd have a sixth year english this year which is mine.so anyway he advertised jobs and told me and the maternity leave people and the dips to apply.all for the same jobs.
so I'm going in Friday to take away my books and put in test results.
So from all your advice this is what I will do
1.thank him for the year
2.ask him for feedback areas I could improve in
3.was there any problems with my interactions with pupils parents staff. (Is this too pushy or direct)

Thanks everyone for replying it has helped me calm down because I felt really embarrassed and sad over the whole situation.

looksee

There may well not be a great deal wrong with your teaching. But. You are only teaching two years so you have no security. It may be that you are the one in the weakest position in terms of your contract, so you are first out. It may be that by chance the most efficient way that subjects can be covered is by letting you go rather than someone else, timetabling is extremely complex. There may be other reasons, or there may not. You have nothing to lose by asking for advice, as has been suggested.

edit: sorry OP my reply overlapped with your latest post.

skittle 26

Thank you.just worried bout irritating him and asking him for advice but I really feel I've no other choice.so I'll do that Friday if he's there if not I might try again Monday and bite the bullet.
He's slippery enough.no straight answers very vague.
if anyone else has anything to add before the big talk.
also he might call me for interview for the jobs and might not don't know.
would this be okay to have this talk before then?

rainbowtrout

skittle 26 wrote: »

So basically I asked him in early May would I have a job next year.he replied with I don't know til the redeployment process is over.i wanted to apply for jobs that were coming up so I asked him would he be a referee.he said he would.niw I knew he didn't like me due to a numberfof interactions went out if his way to not say goodbye walked past me etc ignored me s couple of times.so basically then there were a number of rpts that began this year and I'm the only one not being renewed. He told another girl that she woukd have a sixth year english this year which is mine.so anyway he advertised jobs and told me and the maternity leave people and the dips to apply.all for the same jobs.
so I'm going in Friday to take away my books and put in test results.
So from all your advice this is what I will do
1.thank him for the year
2.ask him for feedback areas I could improve in
3.was there any problems with my interactions with pupils parents staff. (Is this too pushy or direct)

Thanks everyone for replying it has helped me calm down because I felt really embarrassed and sad over the whole situation.

Hold on. Are hours in your subject area being advertised and have you been told you can apply for it? If so, why are you being let go? If you have a contract in the school and there are hours available in your job I can't see why you would be let go and told to apply for the job again. You should not have to interview for hours that exist in your school when you are already working there.

evolving_doors

skittle 26 wrote: »

Thank you.just worried bout irritating him and asking him for advice but I really feel I've no other choice.so I'll do that Friday if he's there if not I might try again Monday and bite the bullet.
He's slippery enough.no straight answers very vague.
if anyone else has anything to add before the big talk.
also he might call me for interview for the jobs and might not don't know.
would this be okay to have this talk before then?

Well in fairness he's probably being slippery because he just doesn't know and can't commit. Looking at other teachers' hours and class allocation though will also drive you crazy.

If there are interviews looming then you have to put on a brave face and aim to impress others on the interview panel too. You never know what way things might fair out... the person who gets the job may take a job elsewhere and it might come down to the school pleading with you to return at the last minute in August.

Peter Flynt

skittle 26 wrote: »

Thank you so much for replying.first of all there are two retirements this year with one of both if my subjects . Secondly numbers are increasing year on year.there are a number of things that ive been thinking I kissed a male teacher on the staff or else maybe I'm too giddy i was always laughing and joking I made several friends in the staffroom probably too popular and believe me this is a first in my lifetime and I'm in my late teenties
1.I'm just wondering should I take him off as referee?
2.could I ask him out what it us that I did
unfortunately I didn't join a union as this is only my second year teaching.
3.he doesn't give written references only generic ones would that do
Just any guudance would be appreciated I feel like a failure.
my subject knowledge is excellent and I'm an experienced examiner of seven years but to be honest I've begun to think is it my teaching. I've good control I loose the cool ocassionally and roar but its seldom.the kuds and parents were fond of me.
I'm jyst worried it will hamper my job prospects woukd I be better off to just wipe off the year off my cv.im sorry bout the long post just so worried and confused.

Don't take him off your CV as a referee - Most principals do not give bad references.

You could ask him about what you did but I'm not sure there is much to be gained.

spurious

I still get the impression reading this thread that it is all what the OP 'thinks' the Principal thinks/feels/plans etc.. I'm not sure anything the Principal has actually done or said has been enough to expect a bad reference.

OP, have you any proof or evidence the Principal would give you a bad reference?

f3232

Peter Flynt wrote: »

You could ask him about what you did but I'm not sure there is much to be gained.

Why so? Just curious on your thinking.

Peter Flynt

f3232 wrote: »

Why so? Just curious on your thinking.

Ultimately because you never hear the answer you may think is reasonable when you're in the position you're in.

You may get angry and upset (which is understandable) and this may affect your confidence.

I'd only really be going down that line of approaching the Principal if I felt you were the victim of an injustice.

For example - Two years ago a colleague of mine basically went from 22 hours to 0 hours. The Principal sacked him - What was obvious to all was that the Principal was giving his job to a junior . . not on the basis of competence or ability - but on pure favouritism. I approached the Principal and rescued his job (the other teacher is also still in the school) and this year he won his CID. I didn't do it for a pat on the back - i did it because an injustice had occurred and he wasn't in a position to fight his own corner.

linguist

Now that's the kind of collegiality we all dream of. I'm pleasantly surprised that the Principal relented. I've heard of other cases where the intervening colleagues were basically told that it was a management decision and to back off.

senteacher

mod edit: I realise you are new here senteacher, but commenting on another poster's spelling or grammar is not acceptable on this forum.