Wednesday, December 15, 2004

My kingdom for a simple explanation

When I got back to school yesterday evening, I went into the office to get the log book for my class D. Old Secretary looked at me and said, 'You teach class D, don't you?' After confirming that I did, she said, 'Your class has permanently been moved to room 23, second floor,' to which I responded, 'Why?' Apparently that was the wrong question to ask.

OS: Because it has.
MrT: Why?
OS: Room changes.
MrT: Why?
She ignores me.

I have no problem being flexible with room changes and things like that, but I felt that after teaching the same class in the same room for 2 1/2 years, I was owed an explanation - AND I SHOULDN'T HAVE TO BEG FOR IT! Especially because I knew that my students would want to know why, and I'd have to tell them why (I told them it was due to 'office stupidity' yesterday).

MrT: OS, why has my class been moved to the second floor? We've been in room 14 for 2 1/2 years now.
OS: Nice Spanish Teacher is now in room 14.
MrT: Why?
OS: NST can't teach on the second floor anymore.
MrT: Why? Can't he walk up the stairs?
OS: No.
MrT: Has he broken his leg?
OS goes back to ignoring me.

Realising that any further attempts to get a straight answer would be fruitless, I went to the teachers' room. A few minutes later, NST came in.

NST: Do you know that I'm in room 14 now?
MrT: Yes, but I don't know why and no one will tell me.
NST: I don't know either. All I did was tell them that the heating on the second floor wasn't good and they moved me to the first floor.
MrT: The heating isn't good on the second floor, so they moved you to the first floor and me to the second?
NST: Apparently so.
MrT: This place never fails to amaze me.
We chuckle together.

Young Secretary walks into the teachers' room:

MrT: YS, is it true that my class D has been moved to the second floor because NST complained that the heating wasn't good?
YS: Yes.

YS walks out of the teachers' room.

I'm fairly sure that OS refused to tell me why because she was afraid that I'd tell her what a stupid idea it was.

On an unrelated note: If you're wondering: I'm still ill but can't take another sick day today. My evening class is having a going away party for a student who's off to Australia in January, and I want to be there.

**** Update 7h59 ****

I've called in sick to work.

When I was shaving, I managed to shave half my face off, and then as I left my flat for work (part of my face still bleeding) I slipped and fell down a flight of stairs, banging up my knee so badly that I could barely walk. Figuring it just wasn't meant to be, I hobbled back upstair and called Bossman - who told me he's also sick and not going in - and he told me to call the office. Our office opens at 8h, but Old Secretary usually gets in around 7h45 if her train isn't late. SfH answered the phone at 8h06. I bet she's going to love scrambling around to find a teacher for the 8h30 intensive class I was supposed to teach today.

I've just emailed the student the going away party is for and wished him all the best.