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helenl
Joined: 04 Jan 2006
Posts: 1202
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 Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:40 am Post subject: |
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EFL teachers tend to have a LOT more meetings than content. I remember one woman who was so stressed out because she had 3 (three) meetings all scheduled for the same day and time. I suggested she tell each of the meeting conveners that she was attending one of the others and then just go home  (they were also all scheduled for late Thursday afternoon - cripes almighty  )
I can't remember what she did, except she didn't go home (God knows I would have) |
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D. Merit
Joined: 02 May 2008
Posts: 203
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:07 am Post subject: |
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Cheesy - you're a star. 
However I thought a lot of staff love the thoughtfest.
It beats getting lumped with extra work covering for the absentees. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 11:47 am Post subject: |
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| D. Merit wrote: |
However I thought a lot of staff love the thoughtfest.
It beats getting lumped with extra work covering for the absentees. |
I can't recall ever meeting a teacher who loved meetings (OK maybe a few, but it may have been an act to try to suck up to mgmt). I found that they were merely for management to bloviate and try to appear as if they actually did something. Of course, the "something" that they did do was create ways to make the teaching job more onerous.
Personally, between my time in business and education, after attending thousands of meetings, I really can't recall one that couldn't have been covered by a memo... or nowadays, by a group email.
VS |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
Personally, between my time in business and education, after attending thousands of meetings, I really can't recall one that couldn't have been covered by a memo... or nowadays, by a group email.
VS |
I agree 101%. |
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D. Merit
Joined: 02 May 2008
Posts: 203
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 12:17 pm Post subject: |
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| veiledsentiments wrote: |
| D. Merit wrote: |
However I thought a lot of staff love the thoughtfest.
It beats getting lumped with extra work covering for the absentees. |
I can't recall ever meeting a teacher who loved meetings (OK maybe a few, but it may have been an act to try to suck up to mgmt). I found that they were merely for management to bloviate and try to appear as if they actually did something. Of course, the "something" that they did do was create ways to make the teaching job more onerous.
Personally, between my time in business and education, after attending thousands of meetings, I really can't recall one that couldn't have been covered by a memo... or nowadays, by a group email.
VS |
Very true VS, but my comment was about the Festival of Thinkers. 
I don't consider the number of meetings I'm expected to attend to be excessive, personally.
I think I've been to about four hours worth over the last two months.
They were useless admittedly, but not excessive. |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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| D. Merit wrote: |
Very true VS, but my comment was about the Festival of Thinkers. |
Do you mean that grand hoo-haa at the beginning of the year when we would group hug and try to stay awake during those cheerleading sessions? Or is this something new and exciting that I missed out on... (il'hamdulillah)
IMHO, anything over one meeting a semester is excessive.  And of course, I would exclude those informal sessions where teachers in the same course get together to make sure that they are all hitting the goals at approximately the same speed.
VS |
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johnkg
Joined: 06 Feb 2009
Posts: 127
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:49 pm Post subject: |
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VS - The Festival of Thinkers is yet another of the many things you have no idea about in your decade-plus absence from the Gulf. I'm surprised your "contacts" didn't keep you in the loop.
Wait for it... |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:58 pm Post subject: |
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Dear johnkg,
Thank goodness for Google:
http://festivalofthinkers.hct.ac.ae/index.asp
http://www.newyorksocialdiary.com/node/3029
http://www.ameinfo.com/214100.html
"We believe that this event is very important being one of the main festivals that are adopted by HCT, and will help us reach out to our nation's 'thinkers of tomorrow'. This festival provides our youth with the inspiration and insights of the Nobel laureates, who are here to share their wealth of experience and knowledge," commented Mohammad Nasr Abdeen UNB CEO. "As a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to supporting the education of our future generations. We actively pursue and train talented young Emiratis in the industry, and strive to develop their finance and commerce skills," he added."
Sounds like a nice junket for the intelligentsia - free food, free booze, and free lodging.
Regards,
John
P.S. Did you attend? |
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Never Ceased To Be Amazed
Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 3500
Location: Shhh...don't talk to me...I'm playin' dead...
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:01 pm Post subject: |
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johnkg! Long time no post! I missed ya, altho I do use yer pod when I come in on the weekends to print things out!
NCTBA |
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veiledsentiments
Joined: 20 Feb 2003
Posts: 17644
Location: USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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| johnkg wrote: |
VS - The Festival of Thinkers is yet another of the many things you have no idea about in your decade-plus absence from the Gulf. I'm surprised your "contacts" didn't keep you in the loop.
Wait for it... |
Oh... they are my friends. They don't bore me with the newest and stupidest stuff that management dreams up. I couldn't tell you the names... and surely they had one... of the silly "festivals" they had when I was there. This sounds like a "professional" development hoo-haa...
VS |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 10:56 pm Post subject: |
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Dear veiledsentiments,
Eat your heart out - you missed it whereas I'm sure johnkg had a wonderful time absorbing all that " . . . inspiration and insights of the Nobel laureates, who are here to share their wealth of experience and knowledge."
Sounds like a life-changer to me.
Anybody up for a "Festival of Drinkers?"
Regards,
John |
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Middle East Beast
Joined: 05 Mar 2008
Posts: 836
Location: Up a tree
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| Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 12:38 am Post subject: |
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| johnslat wrote: |
| Anybody up for a "Festival of Drinkers?" |
Yes.  |
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johnslat
Joined: 21 Jan 2003
Posts: 13859
Location: Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA
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| Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2009 2:00 am Post subject: |
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Dear Middle East Beast,
And our Festival song, provided by A. E. Housman:
"Oh many a peer of England brews
Livelier liquor than the Muse,
And malt does more than Milton can
To justify God�s ways to man.
Ale, man, ale�s the stuff to drink
For fellows whom it hurts to think:
Look into the pewter pot
To see the world as the world�s not.
And faith, �tis pleasant till �tis past:
The mischief is that �twill not last.
Oh I have been to Ludlow fair
And left my necktie God knows where,
And carried half way home, or near,
Pints and quarts of Ludlow beer:
Then the world seemed none so bad,
And I myself a sterling lad;
And down in lovely muck I�ve lain,
Happy till I woke again.
Then I saw the morning sky:
Heigho, the tale was all a lie;
The world, it was the old world yet,
I was I, my things were wet,
And nothing now remained to do
But begin the game anew."
Regards,
John |
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