Job Discussion Forums

[Joanne Light Miller]

Hello,

I have worked with Joanne Light Miller over the years since the 1970's and can attest that she is a wonderful teacher who always throws herself wholeheartedly into whatever she does. I have seen her work in several situations with aboriginal Canadians and in each case Joanne strived to move beyond the classroom to create activities and meaningful endeavours which would engage the students and fundamentally change their lives. I know that many students over the years have benefited from her energy and ability to show them that there is more to life than that inscribed within classroom walls. For many of them, she would have been the first person to believe in their abilities to change the world, or at least their place in it.

Joanne's love of writing and the arts have inspired numerous children over the years, and as a partner in her penfriend project I can say that my students were excited by the possibilities of new friendships and opportunities to communicate with children from a different culture. They were disappointed that the project ended before it could really get going, but in spite of that there are a few who are in ongoing communication with their penfriends through email.

I think that it is tragic that a dedicated teacher such as Joanne Light Miller has received such bad treatment by the school authorities, and hope that this injustice can be rectified. It is Hong Kong's loss that she is no longer teaching there - I am sure that her teaching was a ray of light in what sounds like a rather oppressive and rigid system.

Yours sincerely,



Molly Hurd

Headteacher, Halifax Independent School





M

[ChrisRose]

Joanne perhaps you would like to clear up a few points that several posters have mentioned.


1) How many months of your contract did you complete? (Excluding sick leave)


2) The PNET contract seems very straight forward. I assume that you broke your contract. Did you provide the 2 months working notice?


3) You mentioned 3 meetings which you refereed to as Kangaroo courts. At whose request were these meetings called and what was the official purpose?


4) You mention medical bills of approximately $12,000 HK. As a NET you are entitled to use of government hospitals and clinics for a very nominal fee or free. Did you make use of this?

5) How many working days were you absent on sick leave?

6) Did you complete your probationary period?

7) What was your official number of contact teaching hours per week?

Was it requested that you initiate the Pen Pals programme, or was that done at your own initiative?

9) You mention that people at the school, (A catholic school) enquired 5 times, �Are you Catholic?� Within what time frame were you asked totalling 5 times?

10) Did you recieve any written warnigns from the school with regards to your teaching, syllabus, or conduct? If so how many?

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Good counter chris!

Joanne,

Why on earth are you asking people for testimonials on a discussion board? Should that letter not be attached to a CV?

Can you post a photo so I can visualize the extent of your mental and physical anguish that those namby-pamby people put you through?

Do you have enough time to find a new job or is 'your cause' taking most of your time away?

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

No need to send a picture. I have seen yours on your old schools website.
I have met you before.

[Joanne Light Miller]

God, I've actually been face to face with you. I feel like the woman who was Ted Bundy's girlfriend. Yeccch!

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Not only did I meet you but Ithink you were comming on to me. Perhaps it was my good looks or all the wine you had.

Joanne...try to behave like a lady next time!

[ChrisRose]

1) How many months of your contract did you complete? (Excluding sick leave)
six months
Six months is actually the probationary period.

2) The PNET contract seems very straight forward. I assume that you broke your contract. Did you provide the 2 months working notice?
How do you give notice when, if you don't leave, you'll probably die.
You give notice as per the written clause in your contract. By providing 2 months written notice to quit. From what you have answered, can I assume that you did not provide notice to quit but just left?

3) You mentioned 3 meetings which you refereed to as Kangaroo courts. At whose request were these meetings called and what was the official purpose?
The kangaroo courts were what the PNET calls the process of working out problems but at the first, the ATT APM and AT said to the school "Mrs. Miller isn't suited to being a NET so I guess they were in the kangaroo's pocket already.
If meetings were called to discuss problems, then I assume that the performance expectations were discussed. It takes both sides to recognise and discuss problems and solutions.

4) You mention medical bills of approximately $12,000 HK. As a NET you are entitled to use of government hospitals and clinics for a very nominal fee or free. Did you make use of this?
Dawn Irvin told me to call the British Council (in charge of PNET pastoral care). They referred me to St. John's Counselling Service. I met with a counsellor there who referred me to a Dr. they use. I wasn't in any shape to look for a government hospital.
Are you suggesting that felt ill due to a spiritual / religious nature ?

5) How many working days were you absent on sick leave?
I'm not sure exactly, about 20. I used up my sick leave.
That seems quite lot. When we take into account school holidays, test, exams, meetings etc that is around one week a month, or 25% of available contact teaching.

6) Did you complete your probationary period?
I don't know. I doubt it.
6 months is the probationary period. From what you have written it would appear the school chose would have chosen not to continue the contract.

7) What was your official number of contact teaching hours per week?
17
17 contact teaching hours is a low number.

Was it requested that you initiate the Pen Pals programme, or was that done at your own initiative?
I was following the Short Term Objectives, page six of the Curriculum Guidelines, which stated that we initiate projects that would stimulate openness to other cultures. During the orientation we were asked over and over again by the EMB to follow these objectives.
The implementation of the 'guidelines' is at the schools discretion. As such the organisation of communication; Principle to Chair Panel, to Supervisor, to NET, is the correct chain of authority. Did they approve or request this programme; did they suggest or request other methods of teaching?

9) You mention that people at the school, (A catholic school) enquired 5 times, �Are you Catholic?� Within what time frame were you asked totalling 5 times?
Over the duration of my time there.
Being asked 5 times within 6 months at a Catholic school doesn't suggest persecution.

10) Did you receive any written warnings from the school with regards to your teaching, syllabus, or conduct? If so how many?
The first written warning was a report which A*** G**** AT sent me via e-mail in which he had recorded what L** M** S***, the panel chair at St. Pat's had said to him at their meeting to discuss me on Jan. 22. She later denied that she had said some of what he had written.


In answer to why I posted the letter from Molly Hurd on this forum because I think some of the posters see me as the persecutor. I wanted to post something from a respected educator who supports me. Why not?

I was doing my job. I was following the panel chairs. I was following the EMB guidelines. I was getting great results. I just should have shut down those panel chairs by going to the principals as soon as they started bullying me (like other PNETS have done and then gone on to be successful in their schools). I was too nice to them, trying to follow what you sign your notes with--be polite, be quiet, save their face. In my case, in trying to save their faces, they knifed me in the back.
Well apparently something went wrong somewhere didn't it? For whatever reason the members of the School were not satisfied with the work / results. Due process appears to have taken place, e.g. meetings & written warnings. As far as I can make out. You were unable to change either behaviour and/or teaching style to meet the schools standards or desires within the 6 month probationary period. Also it appears that you had a large amount of absence from school and failed to meet your contractual obligations, e.g. providing written notice to quit.

Why does Freddy_Unbelievable hate me so much?
I do not know, I think you should ask him.
[/i]

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

I don't hate you. I think your a little paranoid though.

Is that how you are: agree with joanne, your great ; disagree on her points, your foe.

I'm beginning to see an ugly pattern here. Perhaps, your experience in Hong Kong drove you mad mad madddd!

I do not hate you. As a matter of fact, I love you, and always will!

Forever love,

Freddie_Unbelievable

[dractalks]

error

[No Moss]

Gee, Freddie, apparently the ability to spell is not a prerequisite to the big bucks.

[Freddie_Unbelievable]

Hello Molly.

Could you check in and see if Joanne is OK?