Tuesday, March 2, 2010

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

So, I'm running this Professional Learning Committee for the English Language Arts department in our district. I've posted about it here before. The idea is sound: it's supposed to be a continuation for teachers who have participated in our local Writing Project, and so the focus is on using our own writing to support our teaching of writing.

Up until now, my main complaint has been that we weren't allotted enough time to meet and share our writing and teaching experiences. That situation was aggravated last month when we were canceled because of snow, but what can you do?  Back in December I arranged to have a guest speaker for our March meeting. It's tomorrow. Yesterday and today, four out of the ten people in the group have e-mailed to say that they won't make it. Given that there are typically a couple of people who are absent without notice, I'm probably going to cancel the speaker. It seems like a waste of someone's time to ask them to speak to a group of four or five, especially a group over half of whose members couldn't be bothered to show up.

I feel angry and discouraged.  Facilitating this PLC is a voluntary position, and right now it seems like it's been a pretty big waste of time.

4 comments:

  1. Don't get too discouraged. Maybe a time change (before school?) would work better for people.
    SAS

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  2. Not a good day...but I hope you reconsider canceling.

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  3. I'm sorry...I would come if I worked there. At my school out of 40 teachers and 750 elementary school kids, I'm the only one who is held responsible for writing.

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  4. Trace - that is a bummer. Why are teachers often the least respectful students?

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