No kids today at school. I raided a disused classroom for some good stuff: texts, a screen, a functioning PC, a book rack. I moved some shit around in my room, made some posters, did some lesson planning, and attended a two-hour meeting wherein not much was accomplished.
City school teachers are an odd lot. Many are passionate and committed to student achievement, but they don't know how to meet productively. The meetings quickly derail because instead of taking turns sharing insights or ideas, everyone starts yelling. The loudest yeller gets the floor, and so the volume quickly becomes ridiculous. Everyone yells over top everyone else. I don't thrive in such environments--it reminds me of childhood when there was always yelling and fighting and I shrink into myself. Don't get me wrong--the yelling isn't hostile, it's the modus operandi. I wish the facilitator had stepped up and put a stop to it for the sake of my eardrums and mood, but instead she participated in the yelling.
Got to go back to the Book today. Lukie called because someone sent me a package--donated books from New Jersey! A big thanks to Sharkycharming's friend for the juvie titles. Karmic re-distribution, following the theft of my Bluford titles this week.
4 comments:
can you use more books? my folks are always getting rid of my precious childhood belongings.
Sorry for all the fighting and yelling!
Oh, yeah--send me precious childhood belongings!
Maybe you can leave an anyonmous request to have the meetings more organized, with a set schedule, and actual topics listed to discuss. Or suggestions that you break into smaller groups and then after a set amount of time, pick one person from each group to go over major points.
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