New Year’s Revolution teacher Predictions:

First day back, second semester meetings.  Administrator- “I hope you had a relaxing break and focused on your health and family.”  Translation- You’ve had a few days to breathe amidst shopping, spending, family, and stress from what seems like the end of the world. Now it is time to suck out all that energy and get back to work. Again.  Admin- “Ice breaker time.  Everyone has a number and we will play songs…”  Meanwhile, at least a third of teachers are texting jokes, playing admin bingo, or planning for tomorrow when 150 ish kids will need safeguarding. Some teachers will pay particular attention and then complain later, at lunch, as to the wasted morning ice-breaker activity. 

Meetings for teachers don’t differentiate much from regular school- only with much older looking people. Teachers complain like kids in a classroom about meetings.  At least I did, and talked to others with similar sentiments.  Predictable.  I wish I had put more thought into it.  Here are suggestions-

Go to the meeting like you are Spongebob Squarepants and you love flipping burgers! This is your life’s dream job, your choice, and your destiny.  You must truly believe this is good, because you do not tolerate pointless busy work.  Meetings are meaningful and crucial for educators. Catch is, you must be sincere. Sarcasm will just make you look like a jerk.

Or… if you do not truly believe that, don’t say anything at all.  No texting, no complaining, just do it.  Griping is futile.  No, I take that back, griping is not futile, it is divisive. It breaks down relationships. Like talking crap about a friend and then complementing them when you see em.  It just feels wrong and it is.  ‘Venting’ to a friend is different than complain about the same things over and over again with no resolution. Re-solution turn style, indefinitely. 

Or, if you really believe some meetings are a waste of your time, do something. Question. Question respectfully, personally, honestly, and openly and with good intentions.  If you really believe, after some experience, that you can make better use of your time, then question. 

Example: “I see we have a meeting on august 10th about differentiation. As I am a veteran teacher and helped develop the differentiation curriculum, I was wondering if I could use that morning to plan for AP instead?”  Reasonable question. Predictable answer.  “No.”  Reason? “This is a family and it is important for us all to be at every meeting”.  A Family?  Did that answer the question?  Differentiation?  A meeting about the importance of treating kids differently due to different learning styles, stages, ages, and ability.  

“All must attend!”  (Pause) Does anyone else see the hypocrisy here? Right. Don’t question, is the message here. Clearly, outcomes are predictable because choices are limited. 

Personally, I have been in all of those rolls. The cheery optimist, the griper, the jerky sarcastic one, the quiet ‘I can’t believe I am here doing this, but I have to’ one.  After decades naively going along, then griping, then questioning with no results, I got creative. If curious, and you accept consequences- *Ask me how.