Teacher and Now "Administrator"

I recently wrote an entry about my duties here at the university. Well, as of today I can add something along the lines of "administration advisor."

I had a meeting today with the director of the school. I met with her to discuss several issues, personal and professional. The bulk of our time was spent discussing two very serious school issues: early semester attendance problems and student fees problems. The last 15 minutes we discussed the terms of my involvement with such larger institutional issues. I asked if I could attend weekly director/department head meetings. My weekly department meetings just aren’t enough. I would like to be in the room with the people that make the decisions and hopefully take part in some of the decision-making. She (the director) was very willing to extend an invitation.

After an hour and a half of discussing various topics, I began to realize that I want to do more. I want to be more active. In addition to wanting to improve the quality of English instruction at my school I also want to join in on discussions of how the school is run, to talk about what the real needs are. After all, if certain administrative problems are not addressed and/or corrected, it makes teaching English, teaching in general, extremely difficult.

I really feel that being a good Peace Corps volunteer is more than just teaching English classes. Being a good TEFL UT PCV is improving the quality of education at my school, in and out of the classroom. If I did any less I’d leave here after two years thinking I did less than my best. The experience of working with the administration is mutually beneficial. These new challenges are both overwhelming and invigorating.

From my meeting, then, with the director today, we have begun problem-solving steps to correct current issues. I have already written one proposal: "A Proposal to Remedy Early Semester Attendance Problems." Because the director had already approved the document, we've moved to the next step. A committee has been formed, people selected by myself and the director. Leaders from the administration, of the teachers and the student organization, myself and a translator will all meet as many times as is necessary to have a draft ready for the start of next semester. Our first meeting will be next week. We will prepare a proposal that is ready for discussion during the director/department head meeting on the 14th. Many of the same people, including myself and my translator, will be at that meeting as well. From there we will discuss the attendance committee’s proposal for a document that will be ready for the beginning of the spring semester. A copy of this document (as well as other new school policies and general university information (all projects I will be a part of) will then be sent home to the students' families. A second copy (along with information regarding new student fees regulations (for which I must now write a proposal) will be given to every student at the beginning of the spring semester during a mandatory all-school meeting.

It appears as though all of the initiatives I have begun are in full swing. Partnership, change and progress after only 2 months is a pretty good start.

A commitment like this means more of everything. More hours at school. More work outside of school. More work in general. The thought is exhausting as I already feel I am working a lot of hours and investing a lot of myself in this school. On the other hand, I know that I am only here for two short years and this is an opportunity I can’t pass up. It’s why I am here. It’s why I love my job. It’s yet another reason to love the ivory tower, Mongolian or otherwise.

Proposals. Committees. Meetings. All in a day’s work for an English teacher.