How to focus

[IdahoTech]

Hello all,

Working in a school district is frustrating enough. New staff that think they tell you what to do, old staff thinking you know nothing. Kinda works on ya.

The only problem I seem to have lately is getting motivated. I have all these things I want to do and get them done, but I can't. Or maybe I don't because I don't want to start anything new. Anyone know what I mean.

My boss is the one in control and he will let you know when you try to take some of it. I know that is harsh he is a nice guy and a good boss but when I start something I would like good input and not that I am doing something that is not needed then a few months later to have it done again and not by me, get my point? Or telling them about certain issues in the district we need to address years ago now they are getting fixed, again Hmmmmm??

Is that why I cannot get motivated? I just am tired of dealing with it. Seems like sometimes I take steps forward but then get thrown back a few leaps. And to top it off I haven't seen a raise or cost of living raise in 4 years!!!!

I am not the only one though no one here has except for the Super and he gets one if he smiles good enough which I think is crap. If it wasn't for the people below him, School staff, Tech staff, etc... he would be nothing.

I guess I am just ranting, but am I wrong to take a break from it all and just sit and veg out??? I mean things are working good a few problems here and there I go fix when they arise, but for the most part all is running ok. Some of the things I need to do is setup a new Groupwise server, Setup a new DNS/DHCP and FTP server. Start making new images for the coming year, thinking of where to replace cable and run new cable....HELP!!!

Anyway if this makes sense let me hear what you have to say, I guess I need some inspiration, if it doesn't make sense then I apologize and should seek help

Thanks for taking the time to read...just had to let it out....

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[DoubleD]

Start by typing up a list of all the ideas you'd like to implement. Identify the benefits of accomplishing each of the ideas. Next estimate the cost (time & money) of accomplishing each idea.
Take this document to your boss along with which ideas you feel would be the most valuable right now. This allows your boss to make the final decision on prioritization, but allows you to provide your feedback regarding what you feel is most beneficial.

On a side note, unless I absolutely loved the job, I would never stand for not getting a raise for four years. Unless you were being grossly overpaid when you started, this is just not acceptable.

I am what I am based on the decisions I have made.

DoubleD

 

[jaymaechtlen]

Time to brush up the resume, review goals, etc.?
Jay

 

[IdahoTech]

I wish that was the case. When I moved here I took a cut in pay from when I was in chicago. The cost of living here is definately a lot less then back there and the the adjusted income meets the daily living expenses from here to there, but as gas goes up and such it is starting to get a little thin...



IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[HeWhoRoams]

The way I get through it all is to make a list.
And keep at least 5 things on it.

When somehow it gets below, start something new I want to do.

It sounds simple, but it keeps me organized and focused, so when calls come in, or the boss wants something I can take care of it.
Than look down, and get back to what I was doing.

Before I started this, I would wander around lost for days.
ha

 

[buck2506]

IdahoTech, you forgot to mention a few things. In our school district all of the campus machines are from the lowest bidder and almost the lowest quality machine they offer. Our teachers are not trusted enough to load software that is bought for them and that the school system paid to train them how to use. Every campus is networked and then networked to the admin building so that to use a computer in a classroom students and teachers must log in. Unfortunatly, because of mistrust from teachers the adminstration appears to be spying on the teachers and not watching what sites the students visit.

In reference to your other post, you have techs in the buildings on campus? Here the campuses are lucky to have a unofficial computer tech.

 

[svanels]

Maybe time to take a vacation? Have you worked a lot (overtime) lately and things are calmed down?

I mean things are working good a few problems here and there I go fix when they arise, but for the most part all is running ok

Maybe you are bored, remember there are a lot of interesting things to do outside the work place

Steven van Els
SAvanEls@cq-link.sr

 

[russellbcopeland]

And I thought no raise for 1 year was unacceptable! Seriously, even fast food workers get raises. Find a new place to work that at least gives minimal raises. Without that you'll find each year you budget gets tighter and eventually you cant pay all of your bills.

 

[chiph]

Because of the state of the economy over the past few years, I can see going for a couple of years with no raises. I have a couple of friends who have been in this position -- their company sayed alive, but just barely. With things improving, I would expect a decent raise this year.

The question you need to ask yourself is, is this the sort of company that will recognize that the employees need a raise? Hopefully, on their own, but would they need any prompting from you or coworkers?

Otherwise, I would start preparing the resume.

Chip H.


____________________________________________________________________
If you want to get the best response to a question, please read FAQ222-2244 first

 

[IdahoTech]

I know I need to maybe look other places. Here in Idaho though jobs are not as easy to come by. I moved here to be with my wife after we got married. I have often asked about raises and never heard otherwise.

I think we all need them here. Everyone I talk to in the school district has not recieved one and they all say it is due to our legislature. They are the ones cutting funding for schools, thus cutting our raises.

That could be my biggest thing on my mind. I know it would be best to look other places, but there are not a lot of choices if you know what I mean? Then next town is about 20 thousand and then about a hour away it is 40 or more thousand.

North of me there is not much either. Jackson Hole but that is about a hour and a half away. Well I hope sometimes soon we will get one otherwise I will need to consider my options. I am however working on my resume just in case.

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[benlinkknilneb]

IdahoTech,

You might as well start searching. You never know when you're gonna get lucky and find much more than you thought was available.

As far as the situation with your boss, it's no fun to deal with someone like that. This guy's power trip seems to be hurting the school district though... since he won't allow anyone else to make major advances, the technological usage by your district will be limited to HIS understanding. Forge relationships with other people within the district. That builds credibility for any project you want to do... if you can get someone else excited about it, they'll go to bat for you. Then approach him in a way that allows him to hold on to his ego. You should be able to get lots of new ideas injected into the system this way.

In the meantime, think of little projects that fall under the "radar" of your supervisors. They don't have to be big fancy projects, just something you think would be really cool to try. I don't know what your background is, but I'm a programmer. I write little apps that help me do my job better. Talk to teachers and administrators when they're free. See if they need anything special. I bet your computer classes could benefit from a guest (especially if your school/district has a "Career Day" of any sort). As stated above, keep a list of things that MUST be done, and make sure it stays up-to-date.

I find it doubtful that the government will allow any more money for paying its school district employees. That's a problem nationwide, as far as I can tell. If money is a big concern for you, start hunting and be sure to leave no stone unturned.

Good luck!

Ben

There's no place like 127.0.0.1.

 

[willir]

IdahoTech

Working in a school district

This is the biggest part of your iisue, the biggest hurdle...
- School districts get their money from taxes, and many tax payers feel they pay too much in taxes. Consequently, money is very hard to come by. And any increase will tend to go to the pwople who make the decisions. Many of your decision makers may feel they are under paid too. The value of education system may be under valued in the public shool system in the USA, and anything not directly related to the class room may be low priority.
- Is your boss under payed? How is your pay compared to that of your colleagues?
- Money will be hard to come by, and unless you belong to a union or are not directly related to the classroom, you will be very low on totem pole. Especially if the decision makers also feel stressed.
- Much of the outcomes of the school board meetings will public record. Try and get a copy of the budget meetings to get an idea of the financial pressures. Also, read the local paper for the local perspective on taxes and the budget.
- My experience (via friends who work in IT on school boards) is that the board understands that they are not payers and have seen people leave for more money.

I moved here (Idahoe) to be with my wife after we got married

The state of Idahoe has certain qualities of life to offer. Higher wages is not one of them. If you compare salaries within Idahoe, you will find they are lower than other parts of the US. Fortunately, the cost of living is less and various culturual values may be thought to be better.

In my opinion, your marriage, family and faily values come first in my opinion. What ever change in income and financial benefits may come your way, you will have to weigh them against the cost of living, if your spouse can get a job, the change in family values, and the cost of moving (can you seel your house if you are a house-owner?).

...My boss is the one in control and he will let you know when you try to take some of it. ...I cannot get motivated...

Motivation may reflect the lack in job satisfaction.

And please realize your boss may feel just as trapped as you feel. This may be why he does not relenquich control.

So what can you do? DoubleD's idea of making a list is excellent.

You want to...
- Develop a track record to make your skills more employable. To do this, you want to instigate some improvements. Note: Improvements will have to cost just about nill, and rely on only you doing the work.
- Do not threaten your boss. If I am right, he will be protective of his job because he is in the same trap you are caught in.
- Make suggestions that will make your boss look good. If you can do this, it is more likely he will be on your side, and champion your idea,
- Ideas that can have a direct input into the class room will be more visible, and more likely to receive positive feedback and support.
- Glow slow. You have to gain the confidence in the poweres-that-be that you will not upset any "apple-carts".

I am just ranting

That is okay. Just have a cool head when you make any decisions and include your wife.

 

[IdahoTech]

Thank you all for you input. I do appreciate it and it makes me know I am not alone. Willir you are right in saying Idaho is low in paying, but that it can be outweighed in other areas.

Some of the things that are a major improvement for me is travel time. Used to be a hour and a half to go to my job every morning. Now, 5 minutes, three if I speed.

Another is the way of life. Things are somewhat laid back here better than back in the city. I miss the city greatly, but when I go back for vacation to visit and such it makes me feel cramped now.

Well my wife makes more than me oddly enough. I make about 15 less than her. Do I mind...no. She has family here and that is why I moved here and took the paycut. It was kinda harsh, and can be hard at times missing my freinds and family back east, but I like it here believe it or not. Just the whole working in a school district thing like you said is the killer. And if jobs pic up I will look.

As for the list I am working on it as I speak. I am working with one of the district maintinence crew to make a board that is dry erase as well as has clips on it for paper and such like a big cork board, white board, message board, etc. Something that can help not only me focus but keep all of us going.

I do make suggestions that he thinks are good ideas and I try to make it sound like we thought it up together sometimes. Once in a while I have to have a huge pile of info on why, but 99% of the time he will think about it and possibly go with it. He does leave me to do my job. As long as things are runnning and I am moving he has no issues like any boss would actualy.

As for the raise issue, well.... I still find it troubling though that in Jan. there was a board meeting and the board members decided to give the Super a 15% raise. Which on 100k is a lot. If they would of taken that and spread it to the staff it would of made a lot of people happy, it made a lot of people mad. He accepted it of course. And see my thing is if he was a good man he would of said something to the tune of 'I appreciate your offer, but the workers in this district have not recieved a raise in 4 years and they are the true backbone of the district. If things were even across the board I would accept, but with people that work for us who are finding their spending money growing thinner and thinner I will have to decline at this time to because I believe the money this time needs to go to the workers in the district. Once they have been compensated for their frustrations and money shortages, then I will accept your offer, it is the only right thing to do at the moment. Thank you for considering me, but I believe we need to help them out first or we will loose a great resource and that is knowledge and experience over not giving them the respect with a raise that is long overdue.'

That is how it should of gone not "A raise well thank you". Know what I mean??

Anyway sorry that last one was a little winded. I used to be a Asst. manager back east and actually had to do that because a worker who was working his ass off never got a raise, but made the company money. I declined my raise till he was compensated for his work for the company, and you know what? They did compensate him and gave me my raise as well. They liked that I looked out for my employees wellbeing. That is what is missing here it seems these days.

Well anyway I am appreciating the input and hope to hear from more. It just helps knowing that here in the Tek tips forums I can be heard and understood where people here in Idaho sometimes just don't care....

IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[buck2506]

IdahoTech

The raise issue will always come up in a school system. Where I live the super has recieved a raise two years running while teachers have not. We have a coaching staff that makes a tremendous amount of money and within the last year the main football stadium recieved artificial turf. And yet the high schools are being told to reduce expenses and possibly eliminate programs. The supers wife teaches in the district as well so between the two their approximate salaries are 200K. So I guess what I'm saying is that school systems are odd places that don't always follow normal business rules. On the plus side of this if you make no serious waves and can stand the crap you have a job for life.

 

[russellbcopeland]

Slavery was also a job for life. Seriously though, I hear your pain. Its a system with misplaced priorities and no accountability for accomplishing what the system is actually supposed to be there for. Not a situation I could deal with. Good luck.

 

[IdahoTech]

Yes slavery is about what it is. When you are in a situation like I am and jobs are very very scarce slavery sounds about right.

The day I got hired I was here for the kids to make sure they got a proper education through technology. They come first always in my eyes. Not the teachers or staff. They have other ways of doing their jobs, but when the computers go down for them it is the end of the world. When we were all growing up weren't we taught by things called textbooks? And made to do homework on paper and pencil.

I was in a teachers room one day (one of the last ones that has computers) and I was working on them upgrading the Netware Client when I heard the teacher say, and I quote because I will never forget this 'Well it looks like the computers are down for the day. Since you cannot start on your rough draft for your papers, you might as well have study time until the bell rings.'

How does that sit?? What about paper and pencil I asked the teacher. And do you know what she said? 'Some of their handwriting is so bad I cannot read it.' This makes me sad. You wouldn't believe all the comments I get here on how my handwriting is very legible and elegant. I learned how to write in SCHOOL!!!

Well Again sorry about that. Yes I will have a job for life if I don't rock the boat to much, but with out rocking it once in a while there would be no change for the good, you know?

Thanks for feeling my pain russellbcopeland, and you know what you typed is very acurate. I am actually going to print it up and hang it above my desk. You are dead on with that phrase.

I actually have my degree in programming and photography. Photography is my getaway. My Programming was in cobol, CICS, and C.

I am starting up with C++ to learn it again and VisBasic. It helps me get my mind off things once in a while. And if all else fails I get on and play UT2004 or Counter Strike Source and just play my guts out.

Thanks again for the comments


IdahoTech
'Only two things are infinite - the Universe and human Stupidity, and I'm not so sure about the Universe' Albert Einstein

http://www.sd60.k12.id.us

 

[shannanl]

I keep a note pad beside my keyboard at work. I write down everything that i need to do. When I come in first thing in the morning I start with the first unchecked item and do it, regardless of how motivated I am. Then I work down my list. Lets face it, some days are better than others. Maybe you didn't get enough sleep the night before, maybe you and your wife were fussing last night and you just don't feel like doing anything when you come to work. Its called motivation. Some people have it and some don't. Some have internal motivation. They can get to work on a project and complete it without much supervision. Some can't. I had a boss that would do nothing at all unless forced to. He would wait until the last possible minute, run through his a#((* to get it done and then make them think that he was so busy that he just had time to do it. Well they soon figured out what he was doing and he is now gone. I guess its just a balancing act. Get your work done even if you are not motivated.

Shannan