Printing shouldn't be this much of a hassle

Before my second class today, I had to print something from the internet. Based on the conversation with Bossman last week, I went upstairs to the computer room, but there was a class using it. So, I went back to the secratarys' office and said, "Young Secretary, I..." and was cut off with her saying "No." I said, "What?" to which she replied, "We're having a meeting now." The three secrataries were talking about work. So I said to her, "Look....I went to the computer room, but it's being used. You have 5 minutes to let me know where I can print something off the internet for my class." She then got up and let me use her computer.

Who Needs Computers?
This morning, Incompetent Colleague and I both had to print things off the internet for our 8h30 classes, so we went into the main office at 7h50 and used their computers, because the office is close to our classrooms and the printer is fast. The office has three desks with computers, one for each secretary. One secretary comes in at 7h30, one at 8h30 and one at 11h30. We each took a computer and went about our business. At 8h, Bossman and Bosswoman came in and Bossman saw us printing. He said, "Don't use the office computers during office hours." I showed him the papers I was printing and told him that they were for my 8h30 class, assuring him that I wasn't doing something I didn't need to do (like surfing the internet or emailing). He said, " What about the computer room?" to which I replied, "I thought we weren't supposed to use it until after the morning classes leave at 13h30," to which he replied, "You're not."

So apparently we're not supposed to use any of the computers at work in the morning, even if we find a great article to use in our classes before work (I frequently check the internet for them before I leave for work in the morning and don't have a printer at home). Also, how can we not use the computers during office hours? The office is closed after office hours and only the bosses and secretaries have keys!

Sign what?
Fun Colleague and I always leave work together and have a bit of a laugh. Today, we were serious. She spent 20+ years working our branch in a town 23 km away, but it was closed at the beginning of this year, which is when she came to the branch I work at. She's never had a written contract, hers has always been an oral one (a gentleman's agreement type of thing). Now, Bossman, who, along with Bosswoman, has only owned the school for 2 ½ years, wants her to sign a contract saying that she started in our branch on the first day of this year. FC was not happy about that. If she signs it, she'll lose 20+ years of benefits (redundancy, severance, retirement, etc). I don't think she should or will.

Big Brother is watching.
Transator was having a conversation with me (she was doing 99% of the talking) today, and all of the sudden I saw the blue sleeve of Bossman's shirt at the corner of the door . He was eavesdropping, and she had been venting about things that she feels were wrong with the school. Luckily, I had been trying to get her to see the good things about working here (there are a few).

Free Lessons
Today, Incompetent Colleague asked me if I had a few minutes and could explain a few things to him (gerunds, etc). I agreed to, but it turned into an hour.

Why bother?

Something that really annoys me is what happens when I go on holiday. Before I go, I always make lesson plans for each lesson that substitutes have to teach for me. When I come back, I find that 90% of the time, the subs haven't followed them (in most cases it appears that the subs didn't even look at them). So, I do all that extra work for nothing, but would get told off if I didn't.

Incompetence
Incompetent Colleague tried to argue with me about a grammar rule this afternoon. It was a short conversation that ended with his nose in a grammar book and him saying, "I don't know why they let me teach grammar. I don't know anything about it."

How Rude
As far as last night goes, I was talking to Nice French Teacher in the teachers' room about a class called R that I am the 'class teacher' for (I'm responsible for their administrative things like attendance as well as other problems they may have - their 'home room teacher in USA-speak). We were discussing a problem they were having with Useless French Teacher, when Young Secretary came in, heard what we were talking about and then started talking to Nice French Teacher about it in French. I asked YS a question about what was going on (in English), and was told, 'It's none of your business.' I replied, 'I understand French. You're talking about class R, and UFT. I responsible for class R and if something happened between them and UFT, I need to know about it, not to mention the fact that you rudely interrupted my conversation with NFT and switched to a language that you thought I wouldn't understand." YS got the point and we all discussed it.

Where's the CD?
Idiot Colleague and I use the same series of books for a few different classes. Our classes are at different times, so there's only one set of the CDs that go along with the books because they're quite expensive. I needed one of the CDs on Monday, but it was gone. Bossman called IC today about something else, and I had him ask IC if he had the CD. Sure enough, he did. To make matters worse, he gave it to one of his students to copy! What's the point of doing listening in class then? Supposedly, IC is going to bring the CD tomorrow evening. He had better. I need it on Friday.

Cheers!
Thanks go out to zed for recommending Quarsan's website for more info on blogging. It's a wealth of information. I'm now using a tool called Wbloggar, which makes blogging much easier. I've also sent in a few blog listing so I can hopefully get more traffic on this thing and get the ball rolling.

Another trying night with my idiot colleagues (my students aren't a problem), but I'm too tired to write about it now. Let's just say if idiots could fly, the school I work for would be an airport.

Finally!
Last Monday, I told Useless Secretary that I needed six books, because I was putting two of my groups on a Cambridge program. She left a note for Young Secretary, who I thought had ordered them (she's the best of the three at getting things done). On Friday, YS told me that she couldn't because there's a �15 shipping charge that had to be approved by Bossman before she could. I talked to YS yesterday at 17h and she told me that she hadn't talked to Bossman yet, because he had just returned from holiday, but she'd do it the next day (today).

Having had enough, I talked to Bossman at 19h yesterday evening and he also looked confused as to why she wouldn't order them for our students and said, "Let's jump all over YS tomorrow to make sure they get ordered." I went in at 9h30 and told her what had been said the night before, and she ordered them. Unfortunately, they'll take four to six weeks to get here. I'll be making a lot of photocopies until they arrive.

I always take a company car home on Monday nights so I don't have to go to the school to get one on Tuesdays, because my first three classes are in-company classes on Tuesdays. I always get the key on our class break at 19h because the office closes at 19h30 and I have to work until 20h40. At 19h40, Bossman came in and asked for the key. He never takes a car home on Mondays, but today he wanted one and there was only one available...the one I had the key for. I took it off my key ring and handed it to him. To add insult to injury, he said 'If that's okay with you.' It's his business and his car. He couldn't have honestly thought I would have said no! To make it worse, I live farther from the school than he does. Now I have to get up earlier tomorrow so that I have time to walk all the way back to school and get the car.

Last but not least, on the rare occasion I have a car, I always get a terrible parking place because of how late I get home. Of course, today there was one right in front of my front door available. It figures.