Back for class
Teachers often make the transition to a position as vice principal or director. Reversed? That rarely happens. Yet there are managers who resume their old love for the classroom.
Picture: Fred van Diem
Jo van der Coelen (64) was director of primary school De Vuurvlinder in Veenendaal and is now a teacher in grade 7/8 at Panta Rei primary school in Ede.
“For many years I was the director of a school with 22 students, 2014 groups and four locations. That was a lot to manage, but the biggest problem for me was getting further and further away from my team and students. The administration and writing of plans consumed so much time that I could not get enough into the classes and could not support my people enough. That was precisely what it had started for me. That started to squeeze more and more and when in XNUMX I came home with severe fatigue symptoms due to mononucleosis, I was confronted with the facts. Did I still want this? My doctor advised me not to continue like this and when I was later offered the opportunity to stand in front of the classroom again, I seized it with both hands.
Jo van der Coelen with his students from group 7/8.
No, the students are not that different from twenty years ago. Perhaps they are more articulate and more easily distracted by all stimuli such as social media. Unless I let them work with them, they have to hand in their cell phones at XNUMX:XNUMX AM. Parents have also become more articulate, but I can deal with that well. It helps, of course, that in those years as director I had to have many difficult conversations with parents, which means that I don't let myself be blown away so easily now. I sometimes see this happening with younger colleagues. Moreover, I think that as a teacher you should be open to criticism from parents. After all, it's about their child.
I see myself in front of the class for a few more years, no problem
I can see myself in the classroom for a few more years, no problem. I would also prefer to use my experience to coach younger colleagues. In my opinion, this can prevent many younger teachers from ending up with a burnout after a few years and eventually turning their backs on education. Yes, that costs money, but it also saves a lot of money in the long run. And it saves directors a lot of headaches with arranging replacements. ”
Ron Hartman (57) was site director at Almende College (location Silvolde) and is now a history teacher at the same school.
“In recent years as a location director I had such a thing To do-booklet in which I wrote down everything that had to be done and in which I ticked off when I had done it. That was really necessary because a lot was coming my way. Much more important was the feeling that started to gnaw at me and the question I asked myself aloud: do I still have a link with education and the students? After a process with a career coach, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to be in the classroom every day. I have been doing that for three years now and I have not regretted it for a second.
Ron Hartman in his history classroom.
It has returned my energy to me. I can really enjoy it when I have been able to give my lessons a different accent or when I get some nice answers from students. Yes, I spend a lot of time preparing, including on my Friday off. This is necessary because I have noticed that you have to put in more effort to interest students in the world around them. If you know how to stimulate them, they will find it very interesting. What I often do is translate current events into history. For example, with the tweets of US President Donald Trump, I can very well make the link to the Cold War, for example.
I also get so annoyed when the education inspectorate calls that ambition has disappeared from education, what nonsense
The motivation for me is stimulating students. That is why I can be so annoyed when the education inspection calls out that the ambition has disappeared from education. What nonsense. Just come and have a look, I think. And don't approach education with such generalities.
Colleagues were very positive when I made the switch. You could say they were glad I had stepped down as director. Nope, just kidding. I think they always sensed that I hadn't lost my love for teaching. I also heard that they thought it was a brave step, but for me it wasn't. It was self-evident and I don't see it as a step back. I'm back in my place here, also for the coming years."
Aat Kasbergen (60) was vice principal of College De Heemlanden in Houten and is now an economics teacher again at the same school.
"The fact that I once ended up in a management position was because I was in danger of losing my job as a teacher. I was 31 years old at the time, had a young family and applied for a job as deputy director at a secondary school in Huizen. I didn't have a millimeter management experience, but I was young and still on a low salary scale and that was the deciding factor.
Aad Kasbergen among the adolescents he teaches.
After three years from deputy I became director and eventually ended up as vice principal in Houten in 2000. I had a heavy portfolio there with Finance and Personnel & Organization. Over the years I noticed that I was writing more and more reports and annual reports and that the workload was increasing. I often worked during the holidays. Tensions between the participation council and the school management caused me to sit at home for a while. At the time, an interim director said to me: I am considering offering you a job as a teacher. After some thought, I didn't even think that such a crazy offer. I then did raid work at a school for a few months and I liked it. In August 2014 I started teaching again at my own school.
The students don't care if you are thirty or sixty, both are old in their eyes
Only then did I realize that I had missed teaching. In recent years I have obtained my master's degree thanks to the Teachers' Grant and now I teach the upper years of HAVO and VWO. My work life is now a lot clearer. Teaching thirty adolescents is top sport, but you can focus on one thing and I can get along very well with 28 of the 30 students. At first I was a bit concerned about the age difference between me and my students, but they don't care if you are thirty or sixty, it is both old in their eyes. My wife also had a management position in education and she has now taken the same step as I have. We enjoy ourselves to the full. And when we have vacation, we really have vacation. ”
This article appeared in the Education Magazine in June 2018. The Education Magazine in the mail every month? Consider one membership.
