Transferral

Every year, a bewilderingly large number of staff are transferred from school to school across Hyogo prefecture. There doesn’t seem to be an enormous amount of reason or logic behind the transfers and, indeed, a large number of them appear to be entirely arbitrary. This year at my base school, both the principal and veep were shipped off to different workplaces, along with three of the English department and a smattering of other teachers, amongst them my supervisor of three years.

She had been at the school from more than ten years, lived nearby, and had three young children attending schools in the area, including one at a nearby preschool. The Board of Education gave her two weeks notice and transferred her to a school almost fifty minutes drive away. Needless to say, she was less than impressed. I would be curious to see the logic behind making a transfer like that, particularly when it would appear that it benefits neither the students, or either of the two schools.

As far as I’m concerned, the transfers have little effect on my job. Occasionally it can mean a new face to teach with, or having to say goodbye to a coworker, but as my contract fixes me to one place it doesn’t concern me overly. With one notable exception.

The amusement factor kicks in when I rock up at my second school, where I teach once a week, and find that most of the staff I knew have been moved elsewhere. This signals a half hour of intense panic amongst the office staff while, “oh god, he works here? why did no one tell me? do we have a desk? what about there? quick, stick a label on it and get rid of them. No, the boxes. Get rid of the boxes. Under there. Throw everything in that drawer.”

So, now, rather than Daniel Woods, I am “ALT” printed neatly on a sticker of a whale and stuck to my desk. In my drawer, I find a folder of neatly photocopied British one pound notes, each meticulously labeled “Jem’s funny money. Oct ‘94.” I wonder if Jem got a whale sticker too.

Posted in Schooled on Monday April 17, 2006.