Master Teacher Blues

My master teacher is a sad woman. I took the high road early in the year, listened to her, watched her teach, even brought her some gifts because I thought she was depressed and felt sorry for her, listened to her talk about her family problems, listened, listened, listened. I even brought her baklava, homemade at that.

I also listened to her put me down in her passive aggressive ways, talk about how people who speak a foreign language at home will never "cut it" in teaching or as students, correct me in front of the whole class when I called "Calliope" (KA-LEE-OH-PEE) which is the proper way to say the term (not Cuh-lye-oh-pee) told me that I would be better in middle school, metacognitive stuff "dumbs down lowell" that I'm too easy a grader, etc etc etc. People would come up to me and ask and I would say "oh, it's fine" etc etc. Then I would also get comments from various people who would ask me who my master teacher is and when I would say her name they would respond, "Oh, you poor thing." I didn't get it! I thought maybe she is moody and I felt very sorry for her. So I sat and quietly listened. She thinks grouping is bad teaching, overheads are unnecessary, and lecture is best. Well too effing bad. I may be nice, but I'm not an idiot.

Then, in January when I began getting my preparations in order, I asked if I could use an overhead. It's a damn overhead, it's not much to ask for. She had a cow. So, I went to the department chair and innocently asked "are there any extra overheads in the classrooms, M doesn't seem to have one? And when she found out that my master teacher doesn't use one and also doesn't allow me to use one, the poop hit the fan." The dept. chair went to the VP and then everything went nuts. This woman has a history! Why the hell did they place a student teacher with her!!???
All the teachers come up to me and congratulate me for being a "trooper" and working with this crazy nut. I am sick of this.

Anyway, the VP has been very supportive and so has the department chair. I am actually hoping they can observe me next week. What to do? It is so awkward and I hate animosity. My sister has always said that I would be nice to Osama if I met him and I am too nice, so I feel good that I was a little assertive. It is a very awkward situation. I think the woman needs medication!