For some reason, I am having more meetings this fall than ever in my life. Faculty meetings, trainings, updates, inputs, outdates, professional developments up the wazoo.
Almost all these meetings are done LOOOOONG form: reading every word on the agenda or PowerPoint, explanations, explanations.
These are meetings for teachers, smart people who have to constantly shift and change throughout the day, accomodating all sorts of personalities, interruptions, learning styles, and so many permutations that we could be considered to be shapeshifters or consummate actors.
Also we know how to read: as in agendas and PowerPoints. We don’t need to be read to.
How smart are we? I did a presentation at our biggest elementary school in the district as part of my (volunteer) job as district arts coordinator. Our state arts office has come up with a charming and brilliant idea called Ten Minute Transitions, little arts lessons to add to the day without adding stress. The lessons are incremental, each day building on the former one, each week in the eight-week sequence building on the former one. The first segment is dance. Now one might think that twenty-five elementary teachers would feel a little self-conscious about learning and trying on a new dance curriculum, but these guys were relaxed and wonderful.
They were also smart. I handed them copies of the curriculum long-form (with content linked to standards) and short-form (cues, basically). I explained–a little. We tried out some of the lessons, just a few. They thumbed through the little lessons and understood.
I was done in twenty minutes. They are teachers, after all: smart, quick, responsive, adaptable.
Wish all our meetings could assume the same.
November 5, 2009 at 12:38 pm |
Cathy,
I understand your frustration. The topic of “Are we that dumb” is often discussed at our lunch table. We often feel the age of our students when administrators, presenters, ect…. talk to us! Yes, we know how to read – I am actually a Reading Recovery teacher.
I can also relate to all of the long meetings. This is only my fourth year teaching. But, I have had more meetings this fall than I’ve had in the past 3 years put together! It is ridiculous. I feel like I haven’t made connections with my students, because I am out of the classroom so often.
I enjoyed reading about your SMART teachers. As you stated, “teachers, after all: smart, quick, responsive, and adaptable”.
Hopefully things will calm down after Christmas Break!
What state to do teach in?
Megan
November 5, 2009 at 12:40 pm |
Your repsonse makes me smile! I am in Utah. And you?
November 6, 2009 at 7:39 pm |
Cathy,
I teach in Indiana. We just started implementing the RTI program (Response to Intervention). We have a lot of new things going on this year….. I guess that’s why all the long meetings!
Megan
November 13, 2009 at 3:38 pm |
I agree with you 100%. I thought it was very ironic that our principal was giving us a hour long power point about how if we didnt have as long of meetings and have to sit and listen to people lecture, people in the school would be happier. I agree with that, yet we were sitting there listening to one. I think that if teachers has the chance to work during the times we are sitting in forever long meetings, there would be less stress and tension in the school.