Strategically Deterring Unwarranted Criticism
Teachers are under fire. Those in the education field are subject to intense scrutiny. This pressure often pits administrators, parents and even other teachers against each other. It’s called the blame game and is often used to spew unwarranted criticism toward someone that cannot protect himself or herself. It’s essentially bullying those who are believed to be weaker.
The best way to avoid being targeted is to show the others that you are strong enough to defend yourself and are prepared to counterattack if necessary. There is a simple strategy that will declare to the underworld that spewing unwarranted criticism toward you is not good for them.
Documentation – documentation - documentation
Getting into the habit of writing things down will help you protect your interests. You can create paper trails by using logs, calendars, letters, email and journals.
Be open and notorious about letting others involved in the educational process know that you’re documenting everything. Put out the notebook on the table right in front of the person. This lets the person know that you care about the situation but also implicitly lets the person know that you have a record of the conversation or situation. In the cold war, the Soviet Union knew that the United States had nuclear missiles. This knowledge kept the Soviet’s behavior in check.
Put your documentation in a safe place. During the Cold War, the United States hid its nuclear missiles from the Soviets on submarines. The Soviets couldn’t get ahold of the missiles making the deterrence even stronger. Your documentation needs to be hidden away from others. This gives you control of the situation. Do not store or put any of your documentation on school property. Get copies of the documents and bring them home.
Invest in a scanner for your phone. Anything your phone can take a picture of can be scanned into PDF files which can be sent from your phone to your home computer.
Don’t rely on anyone else’s documentation. If another person with adverse interests to you has documentation that is helpful to you and hurts their cause, it’s not likely that the document will surface in a way that helps you protect yourself.
Documentation is the great equalizer that will protect you from unwarranted criticism and conflicts.