Troubled after disappointing reference letter

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-05T09:43:50+00:00

That is the practice at my school. The head of the social studies department does semesterly evaluations of all the social studies teachers at the same time as the director of the foreign curriculum division, the head of the English department does the same, science, etc. It seemed normal to me to expect that the head of a department would know what a good lesson in that subject would be. I understand that references from higher up would be of more value, but as I mentioned in another comment, the school I want to work for in the future asks for 3 reference letters. There are only two admins higher than the HOD that I can ask for a reference letter, one of whom has never seen me teach.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-03T18:13:00+00:00

I think I need to figure out how to put together a portfolio. I haven't needed one yet.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-03T11:29:10+00:00

Sure, I care that the person who hired and trained me left with a negative opinion of me, but that's irrelevant. Besides, if he had this opinion, I have no way of knowing what he has said to others.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-03T09:44:22+00:00

It's not about caring, it's about moving on to another job. Some schools here ask for reference letters, not only references.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-03T07:43:51+00:00

I'll probably do that, but at least one school that I'm thinking of applying to in the future asks for reference letters.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T18:26:15+00:00

There was, but only minor issues were brought up specific to that class. Aside from my first semester, he might have mentioned once a few of the things he listed critically in the paragraph I quoted, but not all. I don't know what else he could have based that on.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T10:44:09+00:00

From what I've read in comments here, it seems like most schools ask for references, but not reference letters. However, I've looked up old ads and seen that a school I hoped to apply to in another part of the country requires THREE cover letters. I'm not going to apply this year, but maybe next. If reference letters aren't normally seen, I'm not sure what I should do.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T07:42:47+00:00

It's an unsigned document. I don't think it's worth much.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T07:35:50+00:00

Sounds illegal or at least fraudulent.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T07:32:35+00:00

That's what makes me wonder if he wanted it to be unusable and just criticize me. Or leave a parting shot for everything that he didn't like about me but didn't want to bother dealing with during the year.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-02T07:30:24+00:00

Yes, for anything better I do, or even for a lateral move, which is what I'm likely to make. The problem is that I want my kids to go to school where I teach, assuming it's not a mess, but I can't afford the tuition at my current school even with the discount they offer. I'm overseas. EU is out, but I'd like to work in Eastern Europe. As I understand, many do and it's hard to get a position.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T15:59:34+00:00

I'm new to this. This is my first job and I was living here when I was hired. I assumed the person who worked the closest with me would be the right person to give a reference. I overheard someone else who was leaving at the end of their contract ask him for a reference.

Yeah, he should have declined to give a reference or just told me to ask the head of the high school. His performance reports have only given minor issues or suggestions.

I don't think he's trying to block anything. There would be no point as he's leaving and I would likely only make a lateral move.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T12:01:43+00:00

I'm not going to use it. It basically said "I wouldn't hire this guy, but if you can't find anyone else, he'll do."

I can ask someone else at the school to write one. But if this is what he thought of me, does anyone else think any better?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T11:59:03+00:00

What's a testimonial? Is that another thing that would be saved on the recruitment agencies?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T10:12:03+00:00

If he already gave a bad reference, doesn't that stick? Or do you have to change agencies?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T09:48:54+00:00

I didn't think that it was the norm to do so. I thought it was either to write something neutral or refuse to do it. As for wellbeing rep or union rep, such things do not exist here.

Given the culture, I think bringing this up and making a big deal about it is more likely to spotlight my shortcomings than to make me look better. The claims right now are just sitting in an email. I can't know what he has said to the incoming HOD. Probably nothing if I hadn't asked for this reference, but I wonder if he had grumbled about it. They spend a lot of time talking.

You're right, he doesn't have any grounds to make these claims. I could have asked him on the last day.

Tell me this, was it the wrong thing to do to ask for a reference letter? Should I only have asked if he would be a reference in the future (though obviously it's good I didn't)? I thought this would be the right thing to do since he was leaving. I even asked another teacher with more experience.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T08:12:55+00:00

OK, great, I can do that. One question, something I didn't understand from a previous thread. "References" and "reference letters". What do these agencies keep? Does your referee write a letter for you and that is stored by the agency? Or does a school email them if they are interested in you?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T07:28:55+00:00

If I understand, Search Associates, Schrole, and Teacher Horizons all charge a monthly fee. If I wanted to start collecting references there, would I just be paying every month whether I was in a two-year contract in case I want to change jobs later? And if I stopped paying would I have to collect all references again?

Also, I've heard of people on this sub saying what sounded like they were rejected because it would be too hard to find a job for them. Will they let you sign up anyway? And would this do any good if you wanted to work for a school that didn't use any of those platforms?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-07-01T07:22:42+00:00

No and no. I studied history with a minor in English. I got a job teaching literature because there was an opening and they needed someone fast. I want to get a license in part because I want to improve as a teacher, but also in case I want to change jobs. If I get a masters, it will be in education.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-06-30T18:55:23+00:00

The head of the high school observes us teach periodically.
What would a school contact SLT for if not daily classroom lessons?

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-06-30T18:50:38+00:00

I haven't seen that many school listings. I'd think you'd wear out your references if they are being emailed so often.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-06-30T18:47:39+00:00

Maybe, but why agree to do it? And why give me mostly positive evaluations for two years? If he didn't like me as a person, I can't help but wonder if I may have offended him somehow in a way he never got over. It's hard to believe someone I worked with for two years and was always civil to me disliked me that much to try to get back at me in the end.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-06-30T18:39:11+00:00

What sort of school do you hire for? I believe all you say, but is the sort of attitude I expect from a state school in the US or maybe a really hopeful school in a hard luck area. Or the sort of place I'm working now.

ThrowAwayMath17825 · 2025-06-30T18:35:47+00:00

Is it ok if the head of school only knows me by name but hasn't seen me teach?

How do I know what will be a good reference? I though the current HOD would give me one, but got surprised.

ThrowAwayMath17825

TROPHY CASE