Free Advice Friday

A letter

***Note from the editor***

MAY CONTAIN ADULT LANGUAGE

~Sorry Maw-dine

Dear ANNOYING Teacher-Colleague in my most recent professional development class,

Just a few suggestions for you as we co-attend a summer workshop intended for everyone to interact and learn from each other in a professional setting.

Seriously. Don’t make me cut you because my Momma, Maw-dine, says she doesn’t have enough bail money.

1- Please do not feel as if you are the only person in the room who has questions. It is ok to leave a few questions for others to ask. Really it is. Please also consider that the Instructor might just cover that information later on in the presentation. Do hold your questions for the end of the session.

2- It is also ok to only ask one question.

3- While we are on questions…Please do not continue to ask questions when the instructor has already told the group we will be getting out early for the day! If you want to stay and ask 1,000+ questions be our guest. Jesus! Mary! And Joseph!!! Just f-ing shut up already so the rest of us can leave.

4- When assigned to small groups it is ok to allow the other group members to participate in the work. However, it is NOT ok to silently write out the project and then shove your idea to the center of the table and proclaim “Here! This is what we are doing! Now, pay attention!” I swear this one almost put me over the homicidal line.

5- In a room full of Alpha Males and Females (we are that way for a very good reason…we are all teachers) it is professionally wise to share the spotlight. You are not the only one doing work here. Please stop presenting to the large group that you are the only one working or I will make good on my promise above.

6- Please do not try to teach the class. Dear God, we are all professional teachers here! But only one of us should be the workshop teacher. And surprise!!! It is not you!

7- Please do not try and shame or belittle the rest of us with your Strongly held opinion during a group exercise where we stood next to our Strongly Agree-Agree-Neutral-Disagree-Strongly Disagree signs based on opinions. When in Rome…just follow the directions and do like everyone else does by stating your group’s opinion in one sentence. Group exercises are not the place for your soap box dissertations. And don’t be patronizing. Because you suck at it.

8- Please STOP having chronic sidebar conversations.

9- Please STOP re-verbalizing everything the workshop instructor is saying.

10- Please do not be THAT person. You know the annoying know-it-all who asks too many questions, holds the class from dismissal, is bossy, presents like a martyr, tries to take over the class, is belittling and shaming of others’ opinions, chronically talks and re-verbalizes everything the instructor says…In a word…STFU!

Advisingly yours,

Nadine Bodine

Your VERY Best friend in the whole wide world 🌎☮️❤️🚋

P.S. And please do not crush your plastic water bottles while the Instructor is talking. Thanks in advance.