How important is it really?

Well,

A couple of months ago, through the school intranet, i was informed that my official title was "Full-time teacher". So that's what will go on the plaque next to my door.

no, sorry that won't do. stop the plaque making.

not in the least because, even though the gross of my hours is spent teaching, they didn't hire me only for teaching purposes.
so if they hired me for more, i want more in the way of a title.

so far, i've decided to not get snippy; and not insist they put on the door what is written in my contract. which is officially Gretta's (my collegue - and "boss") title.
although from time to time, i think, why not? It was their 'mistake' to put it in the contract, why not make them live out the consequences? And what the hell? maybe they did hire me to be her collegue and not her assistant. No one has clarified anything. to me or to her. and if they did to her, she hasn't passed it along to me.

So, american and loud-mouthed as i am, my first reflex was to go straight to the top. Gretta suggested otherwise. as she would of course. and for the moment i'll follow her advice. don't want to rock the boat quite yet.

so, i asked my cool-headed portugese what to do.
and with great clarity and simplicity he explained what to do. i so love that about him, what is a confusing mess to me is clear as a bell to him.

first i should write up a job description.
then get Gretta to sign it, then get the next higher up (Martine) to sign it, then send it to the big boss.
good, that's good.
something written, something signed. administrations like that kinda thing.

so, toute de suite, i put myself to writing a job description.
and yes, it's quite a fine job description.
However, as obvious or as clever as it seems, in the list of six or seven categories of functions on the list, teaching comes last.
I put it last on purpose, not to say it's the least important of my official functions, but to point out that there is more to my job than just teaching.

not so much later, i present Gretta with it - to which she responds

"Well, I never had a job description...... and you put teaching last...."

to which i think "this is clearly not about you"

to which i reply "I did that on purpose"

It has now been approxomately a month and a half since i gave her a final copy to sign. it has since been buried under piles of things on her desk.

passive aggressive behavior anyone? rumor has it Gretta avoids conflict at all costs.

so i find myself at an impass.
Do i type out another one and ask her again?
this seems to be the most logical step. i seriously don't see her taking this in hand again.
so yes, next week, a new one will be handed to her.

Really, what a shame. I had illusions that we would sit down and really discuss between ourselves, in detail, what responsabilities she wants to give me. Really hash out some things she's willing to pass along.
There's been no passing, there's been no discussing, there's been no hashing. There has been no task giving.

I'm young, I'm ambitios, I'm hard working, I wouldn't mind her giving me things to do.
And yet so far I find myself inventing projects to do. Indeed, I'm doing useful things, things the other teachers appreciate.
But, and devil of me to say so, I get the feeling she's hoarding the work.
How strange is that?
Not.
As was so perceptively explained to me by a friend last week, it could be that Gretta's afraid of me "stealing" her importance. This job is a large part of who she is. maybe too large ?

What contributes to this hypothesis is that I get the feeling that it still hasn't registered that the school has hired me to help her. And yes, that is why they hired me. in addition to the teaching of course.
Again, her behavior makes sense when I consider the "stealing " aspect.

I am egotistical. I recognize it. I need to feel important. I get it. I want to be trusted with projects. I want to be tested.
And then I think.....Leila, don't be an idiot. You come, you do your job, and you do as much or as little as you want -outside of the 22 hours of teaching a week. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

So really, what is going on here?
1. I want a cool title to go outside my office door.
2. I now realize i'm a hell'of'a self starter. I can find projects to keep me busy no problem.
3. I have hit bottom with the number of posters I can make for the staff English teachers office
4. Gretta is hogging the work & doesn't realize she doesn't have to do to work of 2 people anymore.
5. I'm too ambitious (?)