Lesson learned

When I started teaching I didn’t realize how dedicated I would become to my students and my work. Over the years I have done a lot of things for my students and in the name of students. In general I am a really nice person. Sometimes….too nice. This has been proven over and over again.

Such is the case with my most recent ‘faux pas’ of being nice in a work environment. Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with being nice and helpful. But when it turns out that u are cleaning someone else’s mess, it becomes misguided and down-right stupid. Not to mention that it is a detriment to your own reputation and sanity.

I am the mentor of a 4th form class. These students are exam students. And as exams students they have to complete several different tasks before they can graduate. One of their tasks is a 6 week period of industrial training. As their mentor and their restaurant techniques/guest-relations teacher I am responsible for making sure that these students are ready to take part in the work force as trainee’s. The school has appointed a job training coordinator for the several sectors that we have present: Hospitality and Basic health. Each sector has their own coordinator who is responsible for structurizing, supervising and guiding the students and teachers in these sectors. In most cases the sector coordinator also teaches the students. Such is the case in my sector. My colleague is the coordinator and kitchen teacher.

Now….my colleague has been at the school for years. He is knows the in’s and out’s of the sector. Parts of his coordinating tasks are to assign the students to a company (read hospitality establishment) where they can be trainees for the 6 weeks. True to form he compiled and submitted his list of company’s and the corresponding student names. The list along with the task book was submitted to the principal and the Job training coordinator in October. Everything was fine and dandy. (or at least so I thought). He was supposed to have called the company’s received a written confirmation back from them, and finalized the paperwork for the students.

Right before the x-mas break my colleague falls ill. I speak to him before the break and ask him if everything has been finalized for the students who are scheduled to go job train on the 14th of January. My colleague assures me that everything is in order. I ask him if there is anything I should do in his absence. He assures me again, that everything is taken care of and I need not worry. My only task according to him is to make sure that the students are mentally prepared to go out into the workforce.

X-mas break comes and goes. Upon return to school I find out that the company’s are not aware of the fact that the students are coming to job train on the 14th. Now being the ‘helpful person’ that I am, I take it upon myself to call the company’s to verify if this is true and to try and get the ball rolling where this is concerned. Every company I call informs me that they have no clue that these students are coming. When I inform them that my colleague was the one who set up the appointments and allocation of students, they inform me that they will need a written confirmation of this agreement. Of course I don’t have a confirmation because I was not involved in this whole process. I am just calling to confirm and inform on what has transpired. Most of the company’s are willing to accommodate the students even at this late stage. And I am grateful. But these are the small establishments. The larger establishments (read Resort Hotels) will not hear of this. This results in ME being reprimanded like a little child for being unprofessional and sending these students out without prior agreements.

I was deeply embarrassed and highly upset. But the question is at who? I could be partially upset at my colleagues for not having done their work correctly. But most of the anger is at myself, because I took it upon myself to be helpful. Result: that I made myself look incompetent and foolish.

Lesson learned!!! do NOT make yourself available for helping out in certain situations. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. The only thing that results from this is that you end up looking like the one who caused this mess and that your name and reputation are discredited.