#strengthofthepack

[curioobscurio]

This is a storm order that we just finished up #strengthofthepack #strengthofthewolf #quotesign (at Duluth, Minnesota)

[nchs-college-advising]

A Unique Position

The social climate among Northampton County High School staff places members in one of two distinct strata: the veteran teachers and the new teachers.  As I discussed in my last post, over half of the teachers at NCHS are in their first three years of teaching.  There has been some tension between these two groups.  

The tendency of the younger teachers to socialize with one another outside of school has contributed to the impression of trying to form a clique.  Though this is not the intention, it is understandable that it is interpreted this way.  Long-time staff see this group of newcomers getting together on weekends, making jokes, and sharing ideas for the school.  This carries over to sitting with each other at staff meetings and being each others’ go-to people for classroom support.  It is all done in good friendship; unfortunately it gives the impression of deliberate exclusion.

I naturally found myself a part of this group from Day 1.  This was good in that I was able to form immediate friendships and professional relationships.  This gave me a great platform for establishing myself in the school community.  The downside is that this reinforced the notion among veteran staff that I am just another of the newcomers.  And this put me in a box.

Fortunately, I have been able to begin afresh with many of these teachers and support staff.  Once I recognized what was going on, I began making a conscious effort to work with teachers to whom I didn’t naturally gravitate.  This has created opportunity not only to further my student outreach (as per classroom visits and teachers sending students to meet with me one-on-one to discuss college), but to break down the imaginary barrier between staff strata.  

This has been a successful venture for me already.  I have been able to connect to staff members of a wide range of backgrounds and interests.  From discussing particular students’ academic talents during a teacher’s planning hour, to shooting the breeze between class periods, to making weekend plans to go hiking together, I have been able to address the divide of “new and old” by establishing individual connections, which transcend the binary labels that have been built up.

This division is a major issue affecting the whole school, as staff weaknesses affect the school environment and in turn impact student success.  I am by no means the sole solution to the problem; it must be a group effort.  Indeed, the School Improvement Team has taken steps to address these concerns.  And while I recognize that this is a team effort, I also recognize that I am in a situation which grants me the ability to approach it differently, on account of my unique position within the school.  Additionally, I have found that I am able to connect to people across differences in ways that not many people can.  I am in a situation to use my individual skills as part of a team, to add a strength to the team that only I can bring.