It sounds like she would rather point the finger than truly evaluate herself. Her excuses may have been valid if they were at one job or even two (though I know few teachers, let alone administrators, that would be jealous of where a teacher got their education), but after several I am sure she has figured out that the problems are really with her. Her putting blame on others is probably to cover her lack of work ethic.

Administrators evaluate teachers ALL the time. I have already had one and the principal pops in at least once a week. Because of this she is getting feedback all the time. If the administration isn’t doing it, she as a teacher, should be doing it anyway. Thats basicly 1/2 the job of a teacher. To constatly be assessing if what you are doing is working in your classroom or for you.

Honestly I would just listen and say “Oh, that’s too bad”, “Really?”….generic answers that wont get you between a rock and a hard place either way you look at it. I really don’t think it would be a good idea to call her out. She may put this same blame on you as well.

1) She is African American so, yes, probably does get some automatic discrimination because of that. TRUE

2) She is a woman , so probably does get some discrimination because of that. TRUE

3) She has an excellent education, probably better than her bosses. TRUE

4) Bosses are indded intimidated by people with better educations or smarter than they are. TRUE

5) She is kind and loving. TRUE

6) Liking to talk is a detriment in a teaching job, often. TRUE

7) Working slowly is a detriment in a teaching job. TRUE.

Therefore:

1) It is unlikely that she will be happy in her current position, over the years.

2) She has wonderful potential and ability.

3) She can find a niche where she can be welcomed.

4) I think she would do better as a community college teacher.

5) I think she would do better in a suburban or rural school district, not an urban one. In the others, her education would be more valued.

6) I think she would do better on the West Coast, like Sacramento, because there her education would be seen as more special than on the East Coast.

7) She should not teach in public schools, with No Child Left Behind. Better to look at the private school arena.

8) She would do well with a Non-Public School setting, where the kids are often minority…especially at high-school level, where she could use her “talking” skills as an asset, not a liability.

9) She would do well in a setting where quality is valued over hurry, such as working with Gifted but Learning Disabled college students, perhaps in a Disability Helping Center.

10) Ask her to contact the head of the English Dept., a female English teacher, at Cosumnes River College, Los Rios Community College District. She is similar– a very bright, highly educated African American woman–who may have ideas on work in West Coast colleges–if your host mom is able to move to the West. She would offer excellent advice. (Don’t contact her if can’t move to West Coast–would be bothersome).

Good luck! She’s just not in her niche, yet…but could be, soon.

Teaching is a difficult job. There were some times when I was convinced the administrators (my “bosses”) were out to get me. Most teachers feel that way sometimes.

I seriously doubt this has anything to do with race or her education. I can’t imagine (especially on the East Coast) that she would be the only African American teacher in her school. Perhaps she needs to sit down with the administrators and go over her evaluations. It does sound like they may be getting frustrated with her work ethic. If she would talk to them about how she could improve, she’d probably be a lot happier.

She has very low self esstem and probably encountered vaious avenues of racism growing up, her family probably influnced her thinking by constantly discussing the times when we were a segragated society, thus this caused her to develop an instantive dislike for white people, because she thinks society’s image of a likeable and successful person is that of someone which they portray on the news of these Hollywood galmorized women. She thinks no matter what she does all white people think of her the same, she thus could indeed be harbouring some prejudice towards whites, because of her low self esteem and hard life, she feels that no matter how hard she works to prove herself, society will still only view her as a “black women”, when in actuality it has been proven that prejudice has gone down in our society and that if ask anyone on the street, most people hardly “see” peoples color anymore. Yes there are extremeist groups out there still, but I doubt her Principal or co-workers “see” her color. She is “seeing” other peoples “color” and perhaps maybe even feels jeolous, uncomfortable or at a distantance because she herself is prejudice against whites, she thus in turn thinks that white people or other black people are prejudiced against her. If she would only stop and get to really know people and realize that in our society especially as a Teacher you must be a Team player and learn how to get along with other people. If she would perhaps open up to other people she would “see” that world is not out to get her, and that yes segregation happened in our society, but we have overcome that time in our past, society has learned from their mistakes! But all in all, you will really only see racists like Neo Nazi’s on the Jerry Springer show-LOL! We have become a very open society, where most people except most people for who they are, not their color, yes there are a few out there who are racist, but they are the minority, most non racist people are INDEED THE MAJORITY. She may even need to talk to a counselor to discuss these feelings, and yes even in New Orleans FEMA screwed up on that BIG TIME, and that was a devastingly terrible blow to our world, the US has realized that a more effective plan should have been put into action to help the people of New Orleans. Our world is not perfect, but if we, your Mother and others try and stop “seeing color” than together we can make the better a world place. Even if she does feel like people around are racist, well than, she should stand above them, and be strong and show them that she is just as brillant and strong as they are. People need people, overcome, that is a test of truth, we have to work together, not against one another!!!!

I really don’t think being African-American is the reason. There are racists out there, but EVERY boss? How do other African-Americans hold down jobs? Nah, that’s not it. I don’t see anything from what you told me as grounds for firing. There must be something you don’t know about her. If she is so intelligent that she intimidates her boss, she would be smart enough to hold her job. I’m not downing her, I’m just saying, maybe she’s not all that intelligent as you think.

A way to improve oneself is learn from past mistakes and look for a bad pattern/habit that she can change.

It is hard to believe she’s run into racism and jealousy so intense it leads to her being fired year after year, in a fairly diverse area of the country. If she doesn’t like the opinion of her administrators, maybe she should ask the other teachers at her former schools why she was let go . . . I’m betting she knows why, but doesn’t want to admit it to you or herself. If it is in fact racism, she should consider legal action.

I would suggest to her that if she feels she can’t get a fair shake in teaching, maybe she should pursue other positions that are related to teaching and that take advantage of her education.

Also, I can tell you are uncomfortable hearing about her problems . . you are a guest in her house, and she shouldn’t expect you to be her therapist, at least I wouldn’t. You could suggest to her that if she’s really feeling depressed, she should seek professional therapy before it gets worse . . . maybe the therapist can also spot why she gets fired so much.

I would have to say it must depend on the the individuals. I think we are more familiar with men leaving their family in this society simply because that has been the case for far longer. However, it seems to me that there are women out there that do the same. For example I have a male friend who had a baby girl with a women who chooses drugs over both of them,sad when the little girl needs her mother. The dad is the only one who takes care of her and supports her. In this case I would put the blame on the cold heart,due to drugs,on the mother. It just depends on the situation. One more thing, I am a child of parents who have divorced when I was in about 14 years old. My dad was never around,always working, and for a lot of years I was angry at him for not being around and I saw that as him having a cold heart. Now being older I realize we always had a home over our heads,food in are stomachs and more than enough of everything,my dad worked to take care of us,the only way he could.

I’ll be a student teacher soon! It sounds to me like she doesn’t want to take responsibility for her actions…or maybe she really thinks she isn’t doing anything wrong. Maybe you could talk to her and ask her (for your “classes” of course) what she thinks her strongest and weakest qualities are as a teacher. That might get her thinking about what she could to to improve her standing with her principles.

Some people really honestly do believe that they’re never wrong and everyone is out to get them. When people come to me complaining about others and how they’re unfair, I just say “Well, just do the best you can and be the bigger person.” That usually makes them think twice as well.

You could ask her what type of feedback she is receiving from her bosses while she is working. That could be the key to narrowing down what the overall problem is. Race may have been an issue for one boss but that wouldn’t wash for repeatedly not being asked back year after year.

I might only be 14, but i think i could help, she needs to talk with her bosses about it. if they have a problem with her, they will come out and say it (if they haven’t already). If they don’t have a problem with her then she needs to tell them that they are hurting her feeling and that she would like them to stop. if they do have a problem with her then tell her to ask them why, and if she could resolve it. I really don’t know much else to say, i hope this helps!