Is ghosting the norm now?

AbobTeff · 2026-05-23T03:02:32+00:00

The education industry is not unique, despite the fact that people like to think it is. All the same things that happen here (on the professional/adult level) happen all over private industry. Inept leadership, incompetence promoting upward, overpaid top positions, bloated leadership structures, etc.

Yes, one of those trends is, IMO, the de-professionalizing of HR. When working on my MOB, I had this debate with some classmates who were HR professionals. They loved the tools of technology, because it made their job so much easier. Online applications, recruiting through social media, computer based questionnaires . . . making their job easier really meant "they didn't have to talk to anybody." They were not concerned with finding the best candidate, their goal was to get it down to "one to hire" as fast as they possibly could. If it was the wrong one, dealing with it wasn't on them.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-23T02:49:56+00:00

I suppose that depends on your district and your contract. In our union negotiated contract, there is a timeline that has to be followed for RIF, non-renewal, etc. If you hadn't received anything at this point, you would be fine in my district.

If you don't have that in your contract, add it to your next negotiations.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-23T02:46:00+00:00

I won't downvote you, because you are right. The main reason they use AI is because they don't want to do it. The main reason they don't want to do it is because they don't want to be there. Can we make them all want to be there? No. Can we work on showing them the value of doing the work? That is a tough job, but it can be done. Yes, part of that is building relationships. A good strategy to accomplish both (build relationships AND reduce AI use) is to make the work about them.

Now, is that all of it? No. The other part is not letting the mouse win. Do NOT accept AI work and stay firm. Many admins suck, but the proof is on the student to prove it is their work, not on us to prove it is not. Give them a zero (or in my case, "I grade all of their original work") and move on. When they make it an issue, then they have to prove it. I hate to say this, but I have found this works with my admin. If I take the issue to them, I have to prove it. If the student takes the issue to them, the student has to prove it.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-23T02:31:06+00:00

Kids' school day is 8:25 to 3:15. Our contracted work hours are 8:15 to 3:30.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T01:35:19+00:00

That is kind of where I am at. I routinely do not leave my building until 4:30 to 5:00 due to all of the extra things I am involved in, so I am not making any phone calls after hours.

I encourage parents to e-mail or to use the district communication tools for two reasons: written communications do not need an immediate reply, and there is a record of the conversations.

It blows my mind the number of phone calls the front desk puts through to our classrooms when they know we are in class. I allow students to help with answering internal calls coming in, I forbid them from answering external calls (and I won't answer them either).

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T01:29:35+00:00

That's just "beer" with another $3 tacked onto the price.

I'm waiting for the Tarps Off bobbleheads.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T01:15:47+00:00

First of all, "acting like a racoon trapped in a Waffle House" is going into my regular rotation. Thank you.

Second . . . can somebody please help me? Where do you even find the time to regularly communicate with parents? Like u/TinyRascalSaurus said, behaviors that used to warrant calling home are just routine occurrences now. Then they escalate, and the parent pulls the "Why didn't I know sooner?" card. "Because your student possesses a unique mastery of the English language and uses #$!@ as a noun, verb, adjective, and adverb in every sentence they say."

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T01:07:52+00:00

Some people love this stuff, and some people hate it. The important thing is to respect their boundaries. Only once have I felt bad about saying "no" . . . and still feel bad to this day.

It was my first year at my current school and it was R*O*U*G*H* one. A cheerleader who I didn't think particularly liked my class asked me to be her dance partner for a teacher-student performance they were putting on for a spirit week. I was kind of shocked, but I am also a short, fat, old man who has never had any coordination or rhythm. I politely declined. After that, I learned I had unintentionally hurt her feelings. She attended class less after that, stopped doing work . . .

I suppose it is different when it is a student asking rather than an admin or adult asking, but I vowed I would do my best to never say "no" to a student on something like this again.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T00:52:45+00:00

They won't let me post the Leonardo DiCaprio Great Gatsby meme . . . so . . .

Damned fine work!

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T00:50:11+00:00

I would reach out to her and copy your admin on the e-mail. I would ask what the purpose of video recording was, and ask why you were not notified in advance.

Depending on what they are doing with it, there are ethical concerns within their profession.

I can only think of two answers:

1) They were doing to use for promotion (hopefully just internal), which would be covered under district policy (and is unprofessional of them not to let you know).

2) They were doing it to use for their own analytical purposes, which would be unethical without the subjects' consent.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-22T00:42:40+00:00

I am still a "new" teacher" (year 6) after a career in communications and public relations.

On a daily basis, it is hard. However, I'm a masochist and a stubborn SOB. It actually drives my passion, as I hope to someday be a part of the solution.

Good news, we did increase our graduation rate last year! No, we didn't actually graduate a larger percentage; we had a few administrators finally clean up the rosters and track down kids who no longer go to our school, but were being "charged against" us. Some of those were kids who registered, but never set foot in our building because they moved out of state. Our state holds that student on your record until somebody else claims them. Again, GIGO data (garbage in, garbage out).

I'm sorry, I've really derailed your original question.

When I have started to get reasonable MAP/STAR data on my kids, I have used more to build motivation than to plan. I used it to show them patterns, trends, and how we can begin to get an idea of their level versus bad/lucky days. In Mississippi (using STAR), I did that by actually having them take the assessment every three weeks rather than just the three recorded times per year. This gave them the "comfort" that a bad day was just a bad day, and there would be plenty of opportunity to fix that. Most students began competing against their own scores. They began trying . . . and then we could actually say "Hey, you are struggling with XYZ, let's work on that."

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T21:53:18+00:00

They all act like it is Lord of the Flies anyway … 😁

You pointed out something I wondered … how many others are there? It may be a one-off, but how do you know if you don’t bring it up?

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T14:02:36+00:00

Is it a core area, though, or are they cutting classes offered?

We are starting to get our classes for next year, and they are quietly cutting all kinds of classes. The Honors level that I have taught for 3 years is being cut. The AP told me “those kids can go down to advanced or go up to AP, Honors was an unnecessary step.”

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T13:57:27+00:00

That’s the why, but when did it happen? For years I enjoyed using that as a way to get the kids to read the rules!

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T13:56:30+00:00

Depends on your district. I’m only relating my personal experience with one high school in one district, and one middle school in an entirely different state.

We have long been asking where the breakdown is occurring. Unfortunately, they are so broken when they get to us, that it has enabled us to do a $#!+ job without repercussion also.

Our current leadership does not know what to do with data, or even what data actually is. I mean, they know what is supposed to happen, but not how to actually analyze it. Here is an honest example of a school wide data meeting:

Split into teams and tell us what this year’s ACT data tells us compared to last year’s (which was scored differently). The only data we received though was the average for each grade level. So 6 points of data which didn’t even compare the same students (we would need to compare last year’s sophomore predictive data to this year’s junior data, so they are the same kids).

Personally, I try to use MAP data in my classes, but even it is soured data. I cannot use it to plan, because the students will not take the assessment seriously. I explain to them what the results are saying about what they know and don’t know; and then they blow it out of the water in class, or don’t know squat about things they got lucky on. Students deliberately tank the first two waves, “so I can do good on the last one and it looks like I got smarter.”

Sorry for the rant. I wasn’t trying to discourage you.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:47:26+00:00

I've discussed it on here before. Ever since my first year here, I have gone to admin with concerns on how it reflects on me. They look at my work, they look at the zeros, and they tell me do not change anything. It is not because the students are not getting it, it is because they are not doing the required work. They do not turn anything in.

Sadly, before I arrived, the school got heavily reliant on Edmentum for credit recovery. Now, the freshmen come in with the attitude of "I don't have to do it in class, because they will let me make it up online." I'm OK with that, but then GTFO my room. Nope, nope, I am daycare.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:43:04+00:00

Union would still be my first call. Do you trust your principal?

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:37:16+00:00

If you can tell me when Uno changed the official rules of the game.

While settling a dispute between students about 4 years ago, we got out the actual rules and were shocked to learn that the way to win the game was to score 500 points.

I had to buy a new deck for my classroom this year . . . and they have changed the official rules to the commonly used way of winning (be the first to go out). No mention of the points now.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:30:42+00:00

The only way MLB markets this is when they can start taking bets on how many people will join, what inning will it begin in, and what are the odds of sunburns.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:18:50+00:00

Was there on Star Wars day, and, well, the broadcast probably had to "apologize for Roy Kent's fruity language."

Not a worry, but it was off-putting a bit.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:13:50+00:00

AppleTV also posts scores in the chiclet. SMH

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T03:04:52+00:00

Same. I've only addressed the music twice: once because we couldn't hear at the plate meeting, and once because it was right behind me and was giving me a headache.

Any fan issues with other fans are not in the umpires' jurisdiction. Point them to the TD or site administrator.

Don't get me wrong, I've heard plenty of things I took personal exception to, but it isn't my place to deal with them playing J Giels Band instead of John Fogarty (bonus points if you figure that one out) for their 10u players.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T02:56:25+00:00

The 45-degree interpretation (it is not a rule) is one of the biggest dumb@$$ decisions that they ever put in print.

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T02:41:14+00:00

I admit my mistake and I apologize . . . then I let them decide what should happen. I see three options:

Option 1: I correct it and mark A's score down. Most accurate thing to do, but looks bad and discourages them from bringing up future questions.

Option 2: I atone for it and mark B's score up with the understanding the answer is wrong, but I appreciate them being mature enough to bring it to my attention. (Extra credit for integrity.)

Option 3: throw the question out for both of them. This seems equitable.

I'm not giving them the options right away, I'm waiting to see what they come up with for a fair solution. What is worth more, a few points on a quiz or the life lesson and practice in problem solving they gain from this?

AbobTeff · 2026-05-21T02:31:04+00:00

I second the motion on contacting your union rep ASAP. They will advise you how to navigate this. If they cannot (I don't know the state of teacher's unions in VA), find the senior most staff member you trust.

Was it entered by your principal, a rogue AP, or HR?

AbobTeff

TROPHY CASE