Some teachers seem to revel in drama and making life harder for their colleagues.
They love victimhood and high status.
They believe that they’re the greatest educator since Anne Sullivan, yet have no idea the destruction they cause to school climate and culture.
To join their midst is easy. It takes nothing more than a bad attitude and an insatiable ego to put yourself first.
Please forgive the negative slant of the article, but after hearing from dozens and dozens of their stressed-out colleagues over the years, I think it’s high time they’re called out.
What follows are ten things vampire teachers do that make their fellow teachers wish they’d retire to their lairs for good.
1. Never open to other’s ideas (or they steal them outright).
2. Complain excessively.
3. Gossip gleefully about their colleagues.
4. Scold students in front of the supervising teacher.
5. Dominate staff meetings.
6. Brag about all the wonderful things they’re doing.
7. Insinuate themselves into the principal’s inner circle.
8. Ask questions at staff meetings that only pertain to them.
9. Conspire to keep certain students out of their class.
10. Bully other teachers into doing what they want.
11. Make themselves look good by throwing others under the bus.
Your Turn
Teaching is challenging enough all on its own. A single colleague can make the experience downright insufferable.
I hear from teachers every week seeking advice on how to handle these vampires who seem to go out of their way to cause stress and drama. Sometimes keeping your head down isn’t enough.
And speaking up can backfire.
So we should call them out. I encourage you to add to my list in the comments section below and then share this article with your colleagues. Maybe, just maybe, it will get around to Vlad Dracula and we can encourage a little more kindness and support.
And less misery.
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Yes, spot on. It’s very toxic to the climate of the school. During staff meetings there are a cadre of these teacher types bringing everything down. I stay as far away as possible.
As a newer teacher, my “mentor” and team lead was 9/10 of these things on the list above. It made for a REALLY hard first 4 years of teaching. The only way I have managed to get away from it is by switching grades this year. I really think that as a new teacher, it affected me in very negative ways, especially during my formative years as an emerging educator. I feel that I have some form of PTSD from it!
I really wish that some action could be taken against educators that fit this profile! It’s unhealthy for colleagues and students alike…
Adding to your number 3
Gossip gleefully about their colleagues in front of the students of said colleague. Not once, but twice this happened last year and because had I developed a healthy relationship with my students, they were all too happy to “tattle”. Helpful hint to gossipers – little ears hear everything and often report in to those they love and respect.
Additional thought:
Badmouthing and story telling without having nothing constructive to say about students who are challenging. It is like a gripe session with no productive value or plan to help the students. Blowing off steam by demeaning a student that has pushed you to your limits is no way to help your student or the colleagues who have been subjected to your verbal vomit.
I have just finished the semester as an LTO teaching a life skills class, there were 3 EAs in the class and one especially was particularly bad at gossiping and demeaning teachers as well as a behaviourally challenging student (when they weren’t present) in life skills in front of the other students!
Verbal vomit! That describes it very well@
Teachers have been placed in positions that seem to help ease the administrators’ work, but they don’t foresee the ripple effect on staff members. So, therefore, these bullying teachers get rewarded for their inappropriate behavior.
I absolutely agree. I started to teach in 1982. I have seen it many, many times in 2 completely different countries.
You sure did hit the proverbial nail on the head with THIS one! I have a colleague who has said this is her last year for at LEAST five years, maybe more. She is loud, boastful, and used to teach with her door open (so everyone could hear). She reminds me of Henny Penny any time the smallest thing happens. I just want to shriek, “The SKY is falling! The SKY is falling!” I have had to call her out SEVERAL times for walking into my classroom and scolding her students while they are in my room. On the other hand, she does contribute so much to our school and works tirelessly on her craft and on school events. She does so much that I’m sure there will be a bunch of people scrambling to pick up her slack when she does finally retire.
Teaching with the door open… classic vampire move, but not to be outdone by yelling at the students with the door open!
Gah!
Thank you for this validating article. Unfortunately, I work with someone like this. Don’t you know, she has the same birthday as the principal! You’d think they’re best buds. (They’re not.) The conversation at the staff lunch table typically revolves around her. Her groupies, including the new teacher, give her lots of narcissistic supply. Ironically, even though she screams (literally) at her 5 year-old students-in front of others-she was the person with the most votes by co-workers to be Teacher of the Year.
I happened to walk by as she opened her door and yelled “Get out!” to a student. She yelled that at me, too, recently. I had confronted her privately, in her classroom, about leaving me out of a “team” decision. “Get out!” she yelled at me. Later, she brought it up in front of our team and fake cried, saying her feelings were hurt and that’s why she told me to get out of her room. She never said she was sorry, but rather justified her actions by focusing on herself and her feelings.
I’ll also never forget the time this teacher came into my classroom and yelled at a 5 year-old special needs student of mine who was having one of many temper tantrums. The teacher’s “wonderful” class management strategy failed, however, as the student began yelling right back at her. The teacher “clarified” in front of others later that her motive had been that she was worried about my safety. The truth is that she was telling co-workers that I didn’t know how to handle this student. She was hoping she could prove to her buddies that her class management strategy of yelling is what I should have been using with that student.
I’ve finally had enough and put in for a transfer to another school.
It’s very sad, these narcissistic people make it so hard for empathic people to stay.
Another victim here-
What can I say? This is where admin needs to step up to the plate and recognize the symptoms. In my case, the vampire [who didn’t approve of her direct administrator] managed to manipulate herself into a position of power. It was quite nauseating to watch, but suffice it to say that manipulators will just do their thing and toss the rest of us under the bus if they’re allowed to do so.
I have taught with Dracula for six years in a departmentalized grade-level setting. When I say Dracula, I mean using a loud speaker in the hallway, dominating every conversation with things that are unimportant or boastful, and finding negative things in staff and students every day. As I was a veteran teacher and these were Dracula’s first years, I first tried to offer feedback and positivity. We were, after all, sharing students and Drac would complain about certain things that experience had taught me to manage. It wasn’t too long until I noticed that he wasn’t asking for help, he just likes to complain. Ideally, I could just let him teach his students and I would teach mine, but since we share students it made it difficult. My authority was undermined, transition periods were awful, and I felt that students weren’t being held to the standards of excellence and hard work that i had experienced in the past.
I’m not proud of it, but I went to my administrator after three years. Little changed with the situation. Apparently the vamp had already stuck its fangs into the principal so deep that even HE realized that was just Drac’s way. He advised me to do what I could and leave it at that. Instead of collaborating, which was usually just a complaining fest or talk about Drac’s personal life, I shut my door and got my work done. This is not an ideal situation for me as I like to collaborate about students to troubleshoot issues proactively instead of reactively, but I had to do it to keep myself from scratching my own eyes out!
I’d like to end this post by saying I finally found something that worked with Vlad, but I didn’t. I’m moving to a new department. Away from the grade level and content area that I love. It’s new and scary but I’m hoping every day won’t drain me emotionally because I’m free of a bloodsucker.
If Vlad is reading this (which he probably isn’t because he knows how to do everything right already) but if he is, I would ask him to make a choice to be happy. To wake up in the morning and decide to listen to others without speaking, decide to be calm, and decide to be positive.
Thank you for posting this article Michael. I needed to vent, and also to hear that others experience the same teacher villains.
I see there are a lot of us teaching staff dealing with this. I find myself avoiding this type of work member. There company is extremely draining and negative. They sound like a broken down record who’s language around others is so habitually egotisical, dramatic, and damming that it is so hard to listen to. I find I ask why a lot or give them the other side (attempted better side) of a situation or I defend students. However it becomes exhausting, as it goes on deaf ears. Michael you’re right, they only like the sound of their own voice and struggle to see another point of view. That seems detrimental to being a teacher. Aren’t we supposed to be lifetime learners? I find it’s either best to move away if you don’t have the energy to listen or when you do, ask them why they are saying that or defend a student. Point out their skills or positive attributes, if all this person does is try to always find the worst in someone or a situation. Keep being you and teaching the kids in a positive light, they are our future, they need good strong role models and to see they can achieve stuff to get them somewhere in life. Thanks for the article. Keep up the great work Michael. 😊👍
So no actual remedy for this one, Michael? I don’t think the vampires “[getting] around to this article” is going to happen, much less help. They’re not the type to go this website and seek wisdom from it.
I had it happen to me too. The teacher was so toxic, and had the ear of the principal, and managed to get a beloved Science teacher fired. No reason given to him at all. Then the principal told me that he could not afford to pay me the next year. I asked him if I had done something wrong, or if a parent had complained. He said no, no, and no. I could have sued the school, but decided I didn’t want to stay in that toxic environment. A colleague who had left earlier in disgust, invited me to apply at his school. I am now going into my 3rd year at a school with a fabulous administration, and fabulous colleagues. I took the advice of Bob Beaudine, author of The Power of Who, who said, “Go where you are celebrated, not just tolerated.” I am so much happier now!
Michael:
Look at what teachers are facing on a daily basis, especially Black teachers, racism, xenophobia, having to prove oneself and many demands of needy students and ever-more demanding parents, when we are trying to help students develop and do well academically and also enjoy learning, despite all the negativity and narcissism around us.
I have been the victim of a bullying colleague, a principal who just did not care, and colleagues who did not empathize. So yes, there are some really difficult teachers out there, but none I would characterize as vampires. At the end of the day, we are not demons, and we are earning our living by caring and helping students succeed.
Suggestions:
AVOID.
Put up strong boundaries (psychological).
No conversations (just good morning and polite manners).
Go to another sources for information you need.
Look for another positive group, IF you need one to lunch with.
If they are in your assigned PLC, start off next year being more confident in your own classroom decision and don’t rely of any Validation from anyone else in your PLC.
CONFIDENCE in your self counteracts any payoff you get as a victim. Be your happy self and negative people will not affect you.
(Vampire Teachers have trauma they need to heal, they need counseling and mental health education, because they have no social awareness. YOU have to decide YOUR peace of mind is your priority.)
Very helpful suggestions! Gray rocking came to mind as I read your suggestions–the act of self-preservation by limiting contact with a toxic person to only that which is absolutely necessary. By your refusal to engage, they lose interest and turn their attention elsewhere.
Exactly right. Very good advice.
What about coming up with a list of traits of vampire administrators? Their draining activities go further than just tolerating vampire teachers. Vampire administrators cultivate a clique of these teachers who report their victims’ every move (even though the VTs complain bitterly about the administrators, out of earshot, of course). Vampire administrators work tirelessly at taking the joy out of teaching. They belittle experienced teachers who know what’s best and take openly hostile action toward such teachers, especially those who’ve won state or national awards. The goal of vampire administrators is to force teachers who excel to leave the school (maybe the profession) out of fear they’l be upstaged. Those good teachers who stay are the stakes in vampire administrators’ dead hearts.
Try watching some videos from ‘The Wizard of Words’ on YouTube – he’s got some great strategies for dealing with toxic colleagues!
What is super interesting is that the superintendent of my district is vamp admin. Lots of yelling and complaining about others during the staff meetings she attends. 3 principals and a VP resigned and moved to other districts in the past two weeks. Now that I complained- what to do about it? Ignore, Ignore, Ignore. I organized a small group of positive teachers and we stay away from the dark side. I recently planted sunflowers in a garden area that we sit at to eat lunch….away from the vamps and vamp admin. Stay positive, don’t get sucked into negativity and negative people. You are your own secret weapon against these types….this positivity will trickle down to your students. Everyday is pajama day, everyday is Hawaiian shirt day, everyday is crazy sock day. Make YOUR day great and by extension your students day great.
I have worked with the teacher you described for the last four years. I started praying for her to be nice and instead God moved her to another position! Hopefully I won’t have any contact with her now. I’m really looking forward to this next year!
To add to the list: they gossip about you with students you share, instead of having your back. And then tell you about the fun they had talking about how much your students don’t like certain aspects of your class (even if it’s one or two kids they will make it sound like the whole class hates you!)
#12. They come to the next grade level teachers to give a rundown of all the problem kids coming to you next year.
#13. They buddy up with certain parents to get them to request that their kid be put in that teacher’s class. They think it makes them look great when principal is getting calls requesting that teacher.
#12 – Yes! Like, let me create my own relationship with and ideas about a student. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard how lazy a kid is, but when they get to me, they work hard and work well!
How do you deal with the hidden vampires? Our school has a “comment box” where teachers can anonymously write complaints about other teachers. Someone has been putting blatant lies about the more effective teachers (ones whose test scores improved the best) claiming they are making racist comments or posting inappropriate things online. This ends up with those teachers having to report to the principle and defend themselves against the lies. We know it is jealously, but it is creating a toxic work environment because you never know when you will be called to the principal’s office.
The comment box should not exist in its current form. That is extremely toxic.
If it exists the comment box should change 180 degrees to be used for teachers to put praise of their colleagues rather than ratting them out.
What if you and others started putting praise comments in the box rather than tattling?
I must add scolding or correcting other teachers in front of students. By nature, students are being given conflicting information, which is not fair to them, not to mention the teacher’s authority being undermined. This is especially problematic when team teaching. My rule of thumb is to keep quiet unless a teacher is breaking the law or there is an imminent safety concern. Most of the time, even those can be addressed privately.