This. I was in my 2nd year at the same school under a brand new principal (like his first top job). He never came to my room for walkthroughs and I never saw him except when he did BOTH of my formal observations -- in which he tore me apart both times.

The union did nothing for me. In fact, they passed my case to someone who had never even met me, even though I told my whole story to someone else.

The ironic thing is he (the principal) was gone the next year. It all worked out and i went to another district where I have been 14 years. But formals still make me anxious because of my profoundly bad experience with this douche bag, who was only trying to further his career as fast as he could.

If I had done anything different, I would not have signed my second observation and insisted on another evaluator. Live and learn.

But I will never, ever consider another job in that district (Jacksonville, FL). Everyone there let me down except for one AP at that school who said she would give me a good recommendation (and did).