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"counter offer?" Help!
I have been teaching for 6 years. I switched schools this past year, so am a little over halfway through my first year at a new school. My new school has some great qualities (strong and organized principal, plentiful professional development, mostly young, friendly colleagues), however, I have had a very difficult year. My class is very high needs behaviorally and academically and I am very exhausted everyday. Also, the school is very high performing (in a high poverty population) and therefore, has very high expectations and teachers feel like they are under constant scrutiny. Even though I like my principal, most of the feedback I get is "constructive" and feels very critical. I have been fantasizing about resigning for most of the year.
I recently met with my principal and she asked me my feelings for next year. I said I wasn't sure and I acknowledged it has been a very difficult year for me. I know I have other options (I have some "ins" at other schools which may not be a perfect match either, but would certainly have an easier workload), but I did not reference those in the meeting. She asked if I would be coming back for next school year and I just said I didn't know and I need time to figure it all out. She then expressed how much she values me and asked what she could do to make me stay. She asked if I would be interested in a different position as a reading specialist. This would be a lateral move with the same salary scale, however, it would likely be less stressful in may ways. I'm trying to figure out what to do. I've been reading a lot of things online about how you should not accept "counter offers", however I'm not even sure if this is technically a counter offer even. She and I agreed to meet in a few weeks to talk more about this opportunity. Any advice?? TIA.
Re: "counter offer?" Help!
I get how only getting constructive criticism can feel defeating.
But she also told you in no uncertain terms that she values you and it just sounds like she was trying to come up with a role that would maybe be a better fit for you (or make you happier) at that school. When she asked what she could do to make you stay did you also bring up how positive reinforcement would be valued as much as the constructive feedback?
Would this new role keep you from getting an actual teaching position in the future?
You obviously have to get through the rest of this year, but could you talk to the teachers in the grade below you about the cultures of their classrooms? Maybe feel it out to see how the kids would be the following year. I know that the temperament of the class would change with a slightly different mix of kids in it, but you could get a pretty good idea of whether it would be the same as this year or a tad easier.
Have you asked your principal for help, either with specific needs for the class (an aide for example) or for training/coping mechanisms?
The grade below is a bit of a mess and I think it'd be a challenging year again, although probably not AS challenging as this year. The new role wouldn't keep me from getting another teaching job in the future- this would be a teaching job, just more specialized than being a classroom teacher. It might actually help getting another job in the future, as this would equip me with stronger skills in teaching struggling readers.
In terms of help for my class- well, I have gotten some support, but the message I get from my principal is she knows it's a tough group and that my kids are lucky to have me and I'm doing well with them. That is nice to hear, however, it doesn't make it much easier when I'm spending 8 hours a day with such a tough crew.
Thanks:)
It sounds like there are only benefits to this new role then!
The only decision to be made, it seems, is about staying at the current school vs. moving to a new one.
Hang in there - hopefully the rest of this year will go by quickly! Good luck with your decision.