I'm having an awful lot of problems with teacher politics at the moment. They seem to fight more than the children. This one is not happy with that and "don't tell her I said that"....please man. I seem to be stuck in the middle. I like to be the type of person who doesn't pick sides and is friendly with everyone. This seems to be detrimental to poor me. There are two groups at our school, within the Foundation Phase (Gr 1 - 3), who do not get along with each other. I get on well with both groups and I cannot stand the constant bickering and skinnering (South African slang for gossiping...hehe) about each other. The bad thing is, is that they skinner to me about each other and I like them all....WHAT MUST I SAY AND DO??
Recently, I went out for supper with our previous Principal and the one group. I was told not to tell anyone else because Mrs. B only wants certain teachers there. A couple days later, I went out for pancakes with the other group of teachers and was again told not to tell anyone else about it. It came out that there was a dinner with the previous principal and I was asked why I was invited and not them. How on earth do I answer that??? Heck, I don't know. I can't help I'm so well liked...haha.
Pancake group is now organising a weekend away for just 4 of us, but no-one else is allowed to know incase of jealousy. I have the perfect place to go at a relative's game farm. My boyfriend told me that if I offer that place, I will be part the of the "secret" group and will be seen as the prime instigator for offering the place and not inviting certain people. I don't know how to play this because they are really keen to go and I'm keen aswell, but of course, they don't want certain people to go and I can't invite everyone because of space. I also really don't want to feel I need to hide anything from anyone.
Then I sit back and wonder, do we ever outgrow this behaviour?