By: Kennette Babb, V.V.T.A. President

A Seat at the Table, a Voice in the Discussion

    “Often a seat at the table and  a voice in the discussion are more valuable and productive than creating discord.”  Those are words to live by.  Not my words.  I can not take credit for saying them.   But they are from another teacher in our district who recently shared her feelings about the positive relationship building VVTA is trying to implement between the district and ourselves.  One of the key words in this statement is the word “often”.  It is our hope that site reps will have a good working relationship with fellow teachers and site administrators.  There is a right time and  a right place to take the offensive, be assertive and if necessary on that rare occasion, even aggressive.  But it is our hope that we have site reps that approach all problems with an attitude of reasonable problem-solving.

    Often things get done quicker when the association looks into an issue.  Often organizing into a committee to look into a specific problem is enough to get the ball rolling.  Often, just making your opinion known will make people aware of potential difficulties before they can become problems.

    While we should never feel afraid to speak out, we need to understand that sometimes when people do speak out it is more to vent frustration and not for the need for action.  It is always a good practice to talk to others before addressing an issue publicly.  Sometimes issues can easily be resolved  quietly and behind the scenes.  When we make issues public, when we broadcast problems to others, it can create sides and put people on the defensive.  However if we initially approach issues with an interest as to how they can best be resolved, then we often avoid making a small issue into a bigger problem. 

    Communication is key to problem solving.  Talking to each other, addressing rumors head-on, treating each other with respect, keeping all parties informed and current on progress being made is extremely important.  Only by working together with a goal of mutual resolution can we make forward progress.