Artifact: Recommendation from Principal (Field) Goals: 2, 3 Standards: 1, 5, 6 What is the worst thing for me as a Chinese teacher?

The worst thing happened to me last year, while the school board decided to no longer support Chinese program. There was nothing wrong with me, but it was just all political, and I could do nothing to change it, thats the worst thing to me as a teacher. Whats the most fortunate thing in the worst case scenario? That is, when I was freak out, all the staffs in my building gave me best support, they appreciated my work first, and then started to think of helping me find jobs, at that time, the principal wrote me this recommendation letter, which helped a lot. The principal, was very supportive, he worried about me at the beginning of the school year and often made his way passing my classroom on the hall to have a chance to see my teaching. My classroom was located at the southwest corner at the building and his office was at the northeast corner, you can tell that he did his detour on purpose to make sure my class is in order. Then after a month, he never did this again, I felt like I got his trust. As a principal, he has no time to care what my teaching content is, that belongs to the department, what his focus was how I managed my class, how my classroom was, and how my relationship with other students, staffs and parents went. In his letter you could read he wrote that I made myself available for students and support the needs, I did good management, also I kept my students interest to learn Chinese (Standard 1, goal 2). He also wrote that he was impressed with my initiative in planning, my professionalism in communicating with staff and parents, and my characteristics which include my ability to build relationship with students and staffs, also my passion and determination are admirable (Standard 5,6, goal 3). In the whole letter, there is no negative word, and he gave me his highest recommendation with no reservation. Some teachers, when they left their position, others will have negative comments on them, gossip the reason for their leaving. But from my knowledge, I had no negative things at Thomas Middle School. The principal and superintendent kept in touch with me to seek if they have any chance to restart their Chinese program and get me back. In my job hunting this year, this letter weighted a lot, many schools called my principal to know more about me. As I said at the beginning, I left, although its not my fault and I could do nothing with it, it was the worst, I was sad. But I left with nothing bad, with staffs and administrator s appreciation, thats the best in the worse situation.