I just need to vent...

So that last thing that I want is for this blog to become a Morgan bitch-fest, but I just need to vent a little…

Half the appeal of taking a position at MRA was because it is a small school with small class sizes and a small child to teacher ratio. I like the idea of the intimate classroom sizes. Prior to taking the position, I was promised a class of 15 children (max) with 3 teachers. Upon arriving, I was given a 16^th child and a raise for an increased class size. At a meeting with Morgan a couple weeks ago, he told me that my class was capped out and that I would not be receiving anymore children – even though there were several families interested and touring the school. Four days later, I got a new child. Not only did I get just any other 4 year old, but I got a 4 year old that does not speak or understand a word of English with developmental delays. Then two days ago, I got another new child. That puts me at a grand total of 18 children and 3 teachers in a very small classroom.

First, I have been in classes before with 18 or more children without a problem, however the total dynamic of the class changes when every child is diverse and ESL. Also, I have never been in a class so small with this many children. So the issue for me is not that I can’t handle that many children, the issue is that I feel crowded with that many children, and that I am only one English teacher with a lot of expectations riding on me from parents, and many parents are really upset!

My second issue is that I was not given any warning to prepare for new children – they literally just showed up to school one day, and then the whole day becomes a process of getting them the materials that they need, finding room for them and acclimating them to the classroom.

Morgan came into my classroom today and asked me how I was copping with my class of 18 children. I was honest and told him that my room was too crowded and that I was a little upset that I was not given any kind of warning. I also told him that I was concerned because I was told that I was maxed out at 16. He was confused – as usual – then asked me if I felt I needed another Chinese teacher in the room to help manage all of the children. I told him that I thought adding another adult in the classroom would only make it more crowded. Then he finished our conversation by telling me that next year, beginning in September, the new class size would be 18 instead of 16 so that he could afford to pay more teachers.

I had several parents address me today about the class size. They are angry because they were also promised small class sizes for their children when they signed them up, and they are worried that is it just too crowded. Many of these parents also confronted Morgan about the issue.

So here is why I am so mad… a parent, Yuri, called me tonight after speaking with Morgan about her daughter in my class (I had spoken with her several times prior to this). Yuri told me that Morgan’s explanation for the increased class size was because his landlord increased his rent on the building and so he needed to increase class size or tuition, and he decided to increase class size for now. This is lie number one because Morgan told us that he owns the entire building (so he is lying to someone). Then when Yuri mentioned something about the child to teacher ratio, Morgan told her that I refused to allow another Chinese teacher into the classroom, and since he is afraid that I will run away and abandon the classroom like the previous teacher, he wants me to feel like I am in complete control of the decisions. Lie number two – I never refused! I just told him that I did not think that was the bigger issue. He is the director of the program and there are laws for child-teacher ratio, so if he needs to put another teacher in there, it is his decision. How dare he lie to parent and say that I refused! Then the kicker was that he told Yuri that he cannot promise that more children will not be added to the class – awesome!

The thing about Morgan is that he cannot possibly take responsibility for anything, and when he is confronted about an issue, all responsibility is diffused away from him and onto other people. But seriously, man up and take responsibility for your actions. If he decided to increase class size to make a little extra money for his business then man up to that, and tell parents, I am the director and this is what I have decided – take it or leave it… Don’t make lame excuses or make up lies, and really, don’t put it on other people!

So now I can’t wait to go into work tomorrow and have a chat with Morgan. I just hope that he understands that if he is planning on increasing my class size again, that he is also going to have to increase my salary. Although I really don’t think this will be a problem because he has been bending over backwards to make me happy so I don’t “run away”. I am just so frustrated and I feel like this is the most unprofessional work situation that I have ever been in. And with the Spring Concert coming up, I know I am going to be hating life… I can’t wait to tell you all about that later.

14 more months, 14 more months, 14 more months, 14 more months…