As a student piano teacher, I am taught under a Master teacher in a music store’s studio (they rent out studio space for lessons). The Master teacher runs the piano program there with her husband. Technically, I work for her, though- she pays me, teaches me my lessons, and generally talks to me about anything I need to know. Her husband also teaches, but does not manage the student teachers. In fact, I rarely see him, except during recitals when EVERY student gets together to play their solos.
Well, I seem to keep pissing off the guy by accident. It first started last week, when we had a piano recital. He gave me a stack of programs and told me to hand them out to families as they arrived. I didn’t realize that there was only enough programs for about 1 per family, and stupid me, I just simply doled out a flyer to anyone who asked Very quckly I found I was out of flyers, but there were still some people coming in, and asking for flyers. When my boss’s husband saw this, he was not pleased, and lectured me about making sure that EACH FAMILY had one flyer. I felt guilty about it.
Today, I got a note in my box from my boss. Normally I teach lessons in her husband’s studio. I don’t think he’s too crazy about this- there is a lot of expensive stuff in there (keyboards, particularly) and I guess he doesn’t like the idea of letting some absentminded newbie (I’ve barely worked for them for one year; all the other student teachers have been there much longer) in his room. The note said that Boss’s husband came in the day after I teach and found his room unlocked :eek: Since I have a key and use the room the day before, it was obviously my fault. I was mortified. I remembered putting the key in the lock and turning it, but I guess I didn’t check to make absolutely sure it was locked So now I pissed him off again.
sigh I hope he cools off during Christmas break. I might have to beat him to his room tomorrow morning in the off-chance I didn’t make ABSOLUTELY SUPER DOUBLE DOG SURE the door was locked :smack:
I want to comment on one thing in particular. Just because you’re newer, don’t let this man intimidate you or make you feel unworthy of the position you’re in. Statements like
are self deprecating and destructive. You obviously earned the position you’re in, and there’s no need to feel or act like an “absentminded newbie”.
I don’t know if you want advice or not, but mine would be to relax a bit, accept that everyone makes mistakes from time to time, and have a little more faith in your ability to do your job properly. Don’t let this man make you walk on eggshells. If you’re not comfortable teaching in his studio, request a change, but if that’s where your boss wants you, then he can suck it up and deal.
Thanks for the advice. The reason I have anxiety about this is because I have been in a situation before where I repeated screwed up (totally by accident) and the person in question was convinced I was going out of my way to piss him off. So whenever I screw up repeatedly around someone, I get really nervous. Another reason is that I’m not really familiar with her husband. If I worked under him, then I could communicate with him more.
Is it possible that you’re overreacting to a couple of trivial interactions? You’ve worked there for a year, which to me means they must be generally satisfied with your work. In one case, you made a reasonable but incorrect assumption about the programs (most theaters and concert venues *do * routinely provide a program for each guest), and the guy explained what he wanted you to do in the future. In the other case, the guy left a note that he really wanted to make sure that the door to his office–where valuable instruments are stored–was kept locked properly. And you’re rattled by this? How much work experience have you had? And in what kinds of environments? Wait’ll you spend a summer working construction or waiting tables.
You might make a point of asking the guy how he wants you to do something if he hands you a task you haven’t done before. But these things are just not worth losing sleep over.
Very quckly I found I was out of flyers, but there were still some people coming in, and asking for flyers. When my boss’s husband saw this, he was not pleased, and lectured me about making sure that EACH FAMILY had one flyer. I felt guilty about it.