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10 Ways to Make Yourself Unfireable

Tania Khadder | TheApple.com

9. Keep Time Off to a Minimum

If you’ve got strep throat, stay home. Is your sister getting married? Go ahead and take a day off (the wrath of Bridezilla = scarier than being fired).

It’s not that you shouldn’t take time off. It’s just that you should try and be a little more particular about your reasons, especially if your school district is experiencing cutbacks. Don’t plan any long, extravagant vacations (at least until the waters settle).

A week-long trip to the Bahamas sounds fun, but coming back to no job will be anything but.



…And the Last Tip >>


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    neilkelvin

    about 1 month ago

    298 comments

    Ever think that it's not the employee but maybe their superior who has the problem??? I think more articles need to be geared towards on how to be a good superior not the other way around!
    I have done all the things listed above, but sometimes someone will be insecure and will cut you down to ur knees! I do my best but I see it this way, when God wants me out of my job He'll lead me out, it's not about performance!

    ginkgo biloba

  • 100_0516_max50

    SFerraioli

    4 months ago

    4 comments

    As a recent graduate who is looking for a full-time teaching position, I can easily relate to the advice in this article. During my student teaching, I was assigned to a 1st grade classroom and was always very helpful to the teacher. During the first week before school began, I was the only student teacher who stayed late to help my cooperating teacher set up the classroom. Another teacher, a speech educator, also noticed how helpful I was and how nice it was to have a teacher stay later than 3 p.m. I didn't leave until 6 p.m., and I enjoyed learning how to set up a classroom effectively. I was eager to learn and feel that, in the end, it will help me when I have my own classroom! Always be willing to help others and learn new things, and you will do well in life.

  • Me_max50

    jones_sensei

    4 months ago

    50 comments

    That last tip... tooting your own horn... is surprisingly important. Even if the other teachers know all of the things that you do in and out of the classroom, it doesn't help if th principal has no idea. It doesn't matter how much you have done you need to let them know.
    In addition, you have to keep doing more; more ideas, more new projects, more to help the school. I have started keeping a record of all of those bright things that I have brought to the table, the extra training I have been to, the workshops I have presented to colleagues, every new, killer project that I have been a part of or contributed to. I learned the hard way that no matter how much a district asks for people who can be on a team and contribute to the team, if they don't see you as an individual contributor they don't see you at all.

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    esmith

    4 months ago

    2 comments

    Money is Money! The district I work with is probably the same as any other. However, when the principal is screwing two different teachers on the side while being married who can you trust? Even our recent superintendent has his side lady, and he was married! What gives? I guess when you are at the top it matters not what you do, just make sure everyone below you does their job, gives more hours, works twice as hard, and doesn't complain to you. Sounds about how it is at my school.

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    teacherkerry

    4 months ago

    10 comments

    Where I teach, your job is pretty safe if you have been at the district longer than others in your subject area. I mean, you still have to be good at what you do, but I don't agree with putting in even more hours. Plus, many of my colleagues have kids and just take their work home.

  • Coleman_t_max50

    thc8891

    4 months ago

    2 comments

    Here is a tip: Have two cars and keep one parked where the boss is parked so whenever he comes and goes and sees your car he knows you come in early and leave late which is the key. Sounds to me like being overworked and underpaid to add on work longer hours too and give up vacation time. Nice

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    theprof

    4 months ago

    4 comments

    These are great tips, but they are a little naive. I followed most of them in my last teaching post; I even developed websites so that students would have 24-hour access anywhere in the world to my classroom work. However, none of these tips work when a BOE is determined to vacate 50% of the faculty. My former school system hired a principal whose sole job was to eliminate the highest paid teachers, even when students and parents objected, all to avoid tenuring and reduce the bottom line. Interestingly, the principal received an eleven thousand dollar raise for reducing faculty costs by 350K. Most of the faculty that was fired have not been hired in other districts due to cost cutting measures. Thankfully, I have part time university work, but I haven't found a high school teaching position in over a year. So, I am in the process of re-certifying in an area that is highly sought after, science. Do you know that I interviewed for several positions and because neighboring states have hiring freezes, these principals are bringing in their "friends" to fill positions!

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    CharlotteB

    4 months ago

    6 comments

    This article highlights good work habits; they should be in place regardless of the economy.

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    rona31

    4 months ago

    4 comments

    All that sounds great if you live in La La land. If your school or school system is having funding problems, most of these cutesy tips will not matter. America"s school systems are all about money. Staff will get the boot to save a dollar no matter how much you "suck up" or are highly skilled.
    Wake up

  • Id_pic2_max50

    ag_bergara_bella

    4 months ago

    10 comments

    Article focused on the right skills - perseverance, hard work, integrity, creativity and initiative - to stay on top of things on the job. Kudos to the writer!

  • 409685881_img_max50

    oreste2ndera2000

    4 months ago

    2 comments

    To add to gossip. One should always be willing to defend their school/ job however small the issue is. In addition to your colleagues there are friends and parents within the school that will carry news to those in authority.

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    missymilby

    4 months ago

    2 comments

    Great Article.

  • 081906-4d_max50

    Mrs_Giselle

    4 months ago

    868 comments

    He he, good one tcrafts.

  • Photo_user_blank_big

    tcrafts

    4 months ago

    2 comments

    Let's move - have more years in the union to #1, because that is all that matters.

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