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Thursday, January 26, 2012

10 Commandments to Working in a Hostile Environment

I absolutly love this book! It is written by T.D. Jakes. Every Christian should read it!  Unfortunately I've worked in many "hostile" environments and the stress that comes along with that coupled with the stress of teaching period, sent me over the edge. A friend of mine in another school recommended I read this book. I read it a couple of years ago and it changed my life.The commandments are as follows...

1- Know that you are anointed for the job position that you hold.
This is one that I struggled with for a long time. God has truly blessed me with creativity and talent. But since I am a minority I've heard too many times "she only got the job because she's black". In the four schools I've taught in, I've heard it at at least three of them. After reading this book I realized that God had blessed me with what it takes to teach children and those qualities had gotten me the job... not my skin color.

2- Don't expect to be appreciated.
Teachers are already underappreciated as it is... this allowed me to refocus my energy into what my calling was and stopped dwelling on the fact that I live in a society where teachers are undervalued.

3- Embrace opportunties for change.
This was huge for me... I thought I would DIE a second grade teacher... but here I am in the fourth school of my career teaching third grade.

4- Do the job well while remembering the vision.

5- Don;t let the environment get inside of you.
I have to remember that "greater is he that is in me, then he that is in the world." 1John4:4

6- Increase your capacity to work with difficult personalities.
Lord knows I've had plently of opportunities to do this! And I must say, the more tolerance I have for people like this, the better I feel inside.

7- Where you are is not where you're going.

8- Achieve optimal results with minimal confusion.

9- Do not pledge alligence to cliques and groups.
This is huge! With my newest teaching assignment I have chosen to seperate myself from the negativity that can come with cliques. This is why I do NOT eat in the teacher's lounge at school and try to keep socializing about nonwork related items to a minimum.

10- Always keep your song near you.
I took this literally... I have a collection of inspirational and gospel music in my classroom. Before school, during lunch and resource and after school I love to listen to my music.

Don't get me wrong... I'm cordial with everyone and I can laugh and joke with the best of them. But at the end of the day I have to remember my purpose and my purpose is to teach those children to the best of my ability and I don't have for anything that is going to interfere with that.

16 comments:

  1. I so needed this! I was involuntary transferred right before school started and haven't loved this experience. So many of the commandments spoke to me.

    Thanks so much for sharing!
    Lisa
    Stories From Second

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  2. I'm so glad Lisa... it occurred to me that I needed to do some sort of inspirational post.

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  3. I need inspiration to make it back to work tomorrow! Thanks for this;)

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  4. I needed to read something like this before tomorrow morning. Thanks!!!!

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  5. Love this.
    The "Don't expect to be appreciated" was one that really spoke to me.


    Yearn to Learn Blog

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  6. That was fantastic! Thanks for posting.

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  7. Thanks for this post. I have been teaching for 20 years and have seen many things. I agree, stay out of the lunchroom and don't get involved in cliques or petty arguements between other teachers. I once made an innocent comment that made an enemy for life. How sorry i am that I got involved. Don't get discouraged we all have a higher purpose and teaching is 8-4 and our lives are forever.

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  8. I needed to read this! I have taught for 15 years and this new evaluation and administration is causing me to lose faith in myself!

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  9. Thanks for this post! God knows we are in one of the most challenging times in and outside of the classroom. Please be encouraged that there are others like you on the battlefield and expecting victory!

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  10. What a beautiful post! Bishop Jakes always inspires me. The way you applied these truths is also inspiring. Thank you!

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  11. I just love your blog! I would like to TAG you if you haven't been tagged yet. Go to my blog to check it out. Thanks

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  12. You've been tagged! Come to my blog to check it out.

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  13. I appreciate your comments and attitude more than you can imagine. When I began teaching 2nd grade, last year, I found your web site and thought I'd gone to heaven! It was a very difficult year but believe it or not this one is much much worse! It seems teachers are to blame for all children and what they don't know. It has been discouraging at best and I am hitting rock bottom in attitude and spirits. I will read the book you recommend. Thanks so much for being here.
    RB

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  14. wow, just came across this post randomly today after school and I really needed to-- thanks for these reminders and words of hope :)

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  15. I read this post at just the right time. It has been one of those morning and school has not even started yet.

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  16. I really needed to read this post. It really hit home. Thanks! Teaching, really is not for the faint at heart!

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