Posts by GrreatTeacher

The parent of one of my students called the principal to complain her child was being bullied in my class. The principal got all of the relevant details and also asked to also speak to the student.

Principal: So, you've been bullied?

Student: Yes.

P: When did this happen?

S: Today

P: And, who bullied you?

S: Jason

Principal: Really?!

S: Oh, yes!

P: Well that's funny because Jason has been absent for the last 3 days!

20

Hourly vs Salary which is better?

by hoser in

jw
friends

i am hourly.

what are the pros and cons of hourly or salary?.

GrreatTeacher

I am a teacher. I am officially required to be in school 35 hours a week. My pay is bargained for hourly, but my contract requires me to sign an overtime pay waiver.

The effect is that our official school start and ending times add up to more than the 35 hours of the contract. Also, I work 11 hour days to get everything done, including grading papers, writing lesson plans, copying papers, administrative paperwork, creating a document trail for EVERYTHING, modifying assignments for students with IEPs (special ed students,) attending meetings for those students, attending faculty training meetings, collaborative planning meetings, special ed referral meetings, storing and readying science materials and equipment for class, and maintaining the physical classroom space. And, if I need to find a substitute to access any of my personal days for doctor appointments, there is a lengthy process of leaving sub plans which have to be in excruciating detail and likely involve a total new creation of lesson plans because a sub cannot handle science experiments.

So I get everything done from my "35 hour" per week job in 55 hours. I can't even randomly call in sick because of the excruciating 'getting a substitute' process. Today is Saturday and I just spent hours grading labs, which in "time-saving" process must now be entered into the online gradebook. Tomorrow I am pacing the curriculum so I get through the mandatory concepts before the quarterly science assessments. Then, they throw in parent conference days which are, bewilderingly, before report cards, so I will have to prepare grades and narrative comments for each of my students. Then, 4 report cards each year (also with narrative comments), and 4 manatory sets of interim reports.

We are public employees, and as such, are not allowed to go on strike. We would never have to. All we'd have to do is work the actual 35 hours per week of our contract. Public education would fall apart at the seams.

77

Inappropriate Behavior

by rebelfighter in

jw
friends

now i know i am getting older or of the older generation.

i have had a very strange day with a lot of strange dealings with people with strange behavior today but this one incident was just over the top.

so i came out of a store in a busy shopping center.

GrreatTeacher

Why is no one else skeeved out by the fact that this guy apparently came out from a workout at the gym and put his nasty, sweaty body directly into a business suit?

I would hate to be stuck in the cubicle next to him for the rest of the day!

26

The bOrg Cult Tactics

by pale.emperor in

i'm wondering if the borg actually studied mind control and coercion tactics deliberately or wether they just evolved over time through trial and error.

from reading steve hassans books, studying hypnosis and methods psychopaths use it all seems very complex.

like it would never occur to me to do a, b and c in the right order at the right time in order to get control of someone or control their lives.. for example, repetition of words (the word "loyalty" was a big one in the last convention), using loaded language, encouraging people not to trust their own thoughts, restricting their information, demonising those who leave etc.

GrreatTeacher

Well, Charlie Russell was a salesman first. He owned very successful clothing stores. Then, a religious publishing house.

I think the trick was getting his salesforce to not realize that they were actually salesmen. That's the beginning of doublethink and manipulation, IMHO.

15

My thoughts on our online community.

by The Rebel in

jw
friends

i will start this o.p by a review of the mental conditioni i find many former or current witnesses at when they join the board :-.

1. broken relationships.. 2. lonliness/ depression.

3. guilt / shame .

GrreatTeacher

The Rebel, your thoughtful post speaks to the value of being a good listener.

Your thoughts, feelings and personal experiences are a great way to start sharing and healing.

Contentious debates are another thing entirely, and those who listen carefully and extensively before weighing in are going to get the best reception and will be able to help move the debate forward.

It's not like chess; thinking several moves ahead prevents you from listening and responding to the actual thoughts behind the comments. This can only happen when you slow down, listen closely, and truly understand the other person's point.

Which is exactly why drinking and posting is a recipe for disaster. Drinking loosens inhibitions. And, it takes effort to inhibit an impulsive, emotional response.

Methinks you are a wise man. :)

9

My JW mother asks me to be 2nd on her "Medical Directive" card

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

my mother's parents, my grandparents were not jw.

my jw mother had medical power of attorney and her husband (never jw) was secondary on that.

when grandma needed blood, mom let her husband sign off.

GrreatTeacher

When my parents were in a severe car accident last year, one of the most hurtful things was that the children could not make decisions for their parents.

I would sign that thing in a minute and then make my own decision if it were ever necessary.

14

Latest Ancient Coin - 660 Year Old Fourpence

by cofty in

after a very quiet couple of hours detecting this afternoon i was chuffed to find this silver coin.. it is a groat of edward iii of england.

for a long time the only coin available was the silver penny.

if you wanted to spend half a penny or a quarter you literally cut it up.

GrreatTeacher

That is so cool. Thanks for sharing that.

There's no way anything that old could be found in the US.

I get excited if I find a wheat penny from the early 20th century!

28

Daughter doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her

by jws in

jw
friends

so i was talking with my daughter the other day and she tells me that she doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her.i am agnostic.

which isn't a belief.

it's a lack of belief.

GrreatTeacher

Steve2 hit the nail on the head. It's the teenager's developmental task to separate from the parents. She's right on track.

All she is telling you is, I need to figure this out on my own."

Don't consider what she says she believes to be her Final Answer. She will likely change her mind several times again.

She absorbs enough of your opinions anyhow, without you having to say a thing. Yes, kids are that good. They pick up waaay more than parents give them credit for.

When my son was about 13 he announced one day out of the blue that he had decided to be an atheist.

"Oh, yeah?" I asked.

"Yeah, Grandmom's a little weird sometimes," he said, speaking of my JW mother.

And that was it.

6

Real Estate turn over in Amqui, Québec

by StephaneLaliberte in

so, the jehovah`s witnesses sold a kingdom hall that used to be a little too big and started to build a new one a few streets away: .

http://www.lavantposte.ca/actualites/societe/2016/7/22/l-edifice-des-temoins-de-jehovah-prend-forme.html.

what i find absolutely ridiculous is that they could have taken the profit of the sale of the first hall to have a contractor build the second.

GrreatTeacher

Commercial buildings have flat rooves above the Mason-Dixon line. However, the construction is the much more expensive commercial type.

I imagine it is ever more expensive the greater the snow load.