Job Discussion Forums

[Russell]

I have had problems relating to a few teachers who seem to possess all the answers. We have two teachers who have promoted themselves to positions of superiority over other teachers because they have been here a few months longer than everyone else. Any advice on maintaining positive relations with teachers? Has anyone worked through difficult relations with teachers?

[Glenski]

It's really difficult to answer that question because you are dealing with personalities. I worked with a guy who sometimes had all the answers. His people skills weren't the best either. So, whenever he failed to get his point across to me, I just said thanks and let it go. Whenever he sounded condescending, I let him know. Most of the time when that happened, he got the message that he was of no value to answering my questions and left me alone.

If you want to avoid promoting the know-it-all attitude among those people, don't go to them empty-handed and ask, how do I do this? Go with a preconceived idea of how to teach a lesson (for example) and ask for their advice. If it's condescending (Your lessons sucks. That'll never work. You didn't think it through. etc.), just tell them directly, "Thanks for nothing. Be constructive with your criticism, or don't offer any at all." Then walk away.

[WorkingVaca]

People that base their superiority on how long they've stayed in one place can be found everywhere. There was a guy at a school in Thailand who always seemed to be dropping how long he'd been in Thailand and working for the school into the conversation. Personally, I just try to avoid people like that--they can get really tiresome. But if confronted with their company and/or unsolicited advice, just be polite.

[roadrage]

People who need to feel superior for any reason are ubiquitous. Just think of a guy or gal who uses his few more months at a job as leverage to shrink you as nothing more than a sad person � sad because they feel diminished in other respects and all they have left is those three or so months of service. Even if the fellow had an MA to your BA, 20 years with the company to your one month, and triple your salary, why should he remind you of it? The scary part is that teachers are thought to be more intelligent than the average Joe lunch-box. But we probably aren�t.

When we think of what we got going for us we never stop to consider what we don�t have going for us. Of the people I have known I�d bet very few of them considered him/herself to be less than what they probably were � it�s usually more. And once a person has his mind made up about something they will usually turn against you if you try to argue the point to the contrary. For me there is nothing wrong with being no-so-bright as long as you know it and don�t try to compensate for it with reminding everyone you are a bigger fish because of, A, B or C. When I hear myself saying such things, I try to stop and listen to myself and realize I am at a low point in that particular time. If you, as do I, tire of listening to someone�s rant about how great they are, don�t fight back, it will get you no where. At times it is better to be aware of basic psychology and just help the person out by giving them what they need � �You�re right, you are the coolest.�

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[Robert Russell]

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