Friday, September 20, 2013

We Work Even When We're Not Working

Mrs. Hillbilly Mom has just been released from seven hours of torture, referred to by the unenlightened as Professional Development Day.

The problem with Professional Development day is that Mrs. HM and her cronies are not treated as adults with common sense. Even though more than fifty percent of them are, and have it.

Might as well put up place cards with assigned seats. Because if one dares to sit at a table deemed not able to see the presentation, one is unceremoniously called upon to move, upon which time it will be discovered by the moving-shouters that there are no other seats available, wherein the moving-shouters will pick up the table previously sat at and carry it to the center of the venue, and command those silly adults with common sense who could see just fine to sit there, whereupon they cannot sneak to the restroom during the 2.5 hour presentation like every other person in that room.

Woe are the ones who are used to lunch at 10:53 a.m., because their tummies will rumble until the lunch buffet arrives at noon. Did you know that the smell of Red Burrito warming over a Sterno flame in foil pans is not really all that appetizing? And that one really does not enjoy sitting after lunch in closed classrooms with twenty or so peers who have partaken of this feast?

Mrs. Hillbilly Mom declined the meal. Mainly because there were no Hardee's burgers left, since the early line-goers loaded up with large burgers AND towering plates of beef tacos, chicken tacos, hard shells, soft shells, lettuce, cheese, and sour cream.

We learned all about new electronic teaching methods. Methods we do not have time to practice, because we are busy teaching. We are professionally developed, though. For another month.

A regular work day is so much simpler.

4 comments:

Sioux Roslawski said...

HM--I see your school district is as practical as others. Learn this new skill, which you will need to practice in your class so you can become proficient, but of course, you don't have time to practice something new...

Hillbilly Mom said...

Sioux,
This old dog is tired of learning new tricks. I don't think a plethora of tricks for tricks' sake will enhance the learning of the majority of my students.

Let's pick one or two tricks, see if students respond, and put our effort into perfecting those tricks.

Melissa said...

On one of my last pd days last year, I sat on the far side of the auditorium with other teachers from my school. We were asked to move because we wouldn't be able to see the screen. After we still didn't move (since we could see the screen), we were called out by name. When they started the presentation, the screen was so blurry that nothing could be read. The sad thing was other schools had the same blurry presentation the day before, and the powers that be decided not to fix it because it require getting a ladder to fix the problem.

Hillbilly Mom said...

Melissa,
Flippin' power-trippin'! Our command always comes from the same individual. One who is not our boss, but an equal to the bossage present. Just to keep us in our (relocated) place, I suppose.