Hey Rosie!
St. Vincent and the Grenadines (“Jewels of the Caribbean”) boasts a newspaper called Searchlight featuring an advice column called “Hey Rosie.” Rosie deals with problems typical of advice columns, such as “My best friend’s man is making moves on me” and “I am in love with my friend’s girl.”
This morning, Rosie published a heartrending letter from “G-Peace”:
Thank you for the wonderful advice you give to people. I have a serious problem with myself. I hope you can help me with it. For years now, as a Grade 6 teacher, I have been battling with a problem of not being able to deal with fellow staff members in a fair way. I do show favouritism a lot. I get irate at staff meetings from time to time for no valid reason. I display a power-hungry attitude, attempting to take over the role of the principal. Due to such conduct, I may be losing the cooperation of the staff, which isn’t good, especially since I am the “Teachers’ Union” representative at my respective school. Could my problem possibly be hereditary? I find it so hard to change. Please give me some advice, Rosie. Thank you.
Here is some of Rosie’s reply:
Now you do have a problem, it would seem, with “playing nicely” in the sandbox with your co-workers and boss. This is even more disturbing because you did mention that you are the Teachers’ Union Representative at your school. Working in this capacity you would have to have an all round neutral attitude in order to bridge the gap between the teachers’ needs and those of the union. No one with any serious concerns or issues would want to approach you because they would be in fear of your reaction.
However, all is definitely not lost, you already know that you do have a problem, and that is half of the battle won. So what are you going to do about this? Well, if you are in the true frame of mind for change, then seeking professional counseling would be the next logical step. Remember, when seeking help you have to be open to constructive criticism. It isn’t always easy, but reminding oneself that you really would like to change is so very important.
Rosie then wonders if the letter was legitimate, or maybe one of G-Peace’s co-workers actually sent it in.
I don’t know if G-Peace’s problem is hereditary either, but if it is, the “teachers’ union gene” could be a scientific breakthrough in education.
