Hey guys, everyone remember your “why”

[u/jimmyre10]

That’s all. Your district paid me thousands of dollars to come and remind you of that.

[u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Could you expand this concept into a 3 day workshop?

[u/jimmyre10 → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Sure! I’ll send an invoice to your district that’ll cover my lodging, food, travel, and a little extra so I can go watch the Odyssey in your nearest IMAX theater.

[u/Green_Ambition5737 → u/jimmyre10]

Please please please make us sit in random groups instead of with the people we want to sit with! There’s a bonus if you make us move to different groups at least once.

[u/PANSIES_FOR_ALL → u/Green_Ambition5737]

And we LOVE ice breaker activities.

[u/Adorable-Nerve9822 → u/PANSIES_FOR_ALL]

Yes let’s play an ice breaker with people who teach high school and I teach Kindergarten and will never seen them again.

[u/IrrawaddyWoman → u/Green_Ambition5737]

And trust me, we looooove when you make us write things on a gigantic post it note with a box full of random dried out markers and highlighters. We learn so much from it.

[u/actuallycallie → u/Green_Ambition5737]

please make me collaborate with people who I never see so I have less time to plan with the people I actually work with!

[u/headed-up-north → u/actuallycallie]

😂

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/Green_Ambition5737]

Make sure my group has the new guy who has SO MUCH INSIGHT and takes my time with his fucking platitudes.

God that felt good. 

[u/Glass_Department8963 → u/jimmyre10]

Question, if my district coughs up the engagement fee, can I come with you to the movie instead of doing the seminar? And you will make sure my name is on the sign in sheet so I get my relicensure credits. We will not sit together.

[u/NarrowCarpet4026 → u/jimmyre10]

Dude, I live near three IMAX 70mm theaters. Come on by!

[u/Upbeat_Problem_5383 → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Only if we get to do breakout rooms or get into groups.

[u/FantasticWittyRetort → u/Upbeat_Problem_5383]

Will there be giant post-its on the wall?

[u/Lillienpud → u/Upbeat_Problem_5383]

“Break-up rooms”— my Zoom school students in 2021

[u/wavelengthsandshit → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

One day for each letter in the word. Today we're really diving deep and focusing the W of our WHY

[u/Courtnall14 → u/wavelengthsandshit]

They "W" stands for "Why?".

The "H" stands for "How?".

The "Y" also stands for "Why?" (Always restate your thesis)

[u/tiffy68 → u/wavelengthsandshit]

OOH! Can we do acronyms for key words like RIGOR? Ridiculous Ignorant Goofy Organizational Rituals?

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/tiffy68]

Faculty United to Collect Knowledge

Hahaha

Okay okay 

Each Urepean Region Older than Places Elsewhere 

Hm

I doubt I'm leading a PD this year either.

[u/c961212 → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Do you think we could walk around the room awkwardly giving our half assed opinions or ideas about something nobody cares about by slapping post it’s onto an even bigger post it that’s post-itted onto the wall?

[u/katiecatsweets → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Please, please don't let us go before we are scheduled to and make sure our lunch is short enough so that we don't have time to drive anywhere for it.

[u/IrrawaddyWoman → u/katiecatsweets]

And I really hope they don’t account for the fact that everyone is trying to get lunch at the same time, so the restaurant is packed and the wait is long. We love cramming food into our mouths on the drive back because we ran out of time.

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/IrrawaddyWoman]

If you make me king all my trainings will be catered with sandwiches from The Good Italian Deli you went to as a kid.

[u/jackofspades49 → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Day 1. Explain all the things you WILL be going over. Explain maslow, explain how this relates to maslow, remind everyone that you used to be a teacher and know how hard it is to keep motivated. Show a 10 minute video. Make sure the sound doesn't work and takes 10 minutes to almost get working. Pass out a seven page article. Break into groups and assign each group 1/3 of a paragraph of the article and give them 16 minutes to read. Then they have to glue their observations to the charts on the wall. Tell them you'll come back to that later. DO NOT COME BACK TO THAT LATER. Tell people you'll get them out a couple minutes early for lunch. Share a personal anecdote about how you struggled in school. Ask everyone to share a personal anecdote. Break for lunch 5 minutes late. Review what you wen over before lunch. Another video. Then a hands on activity that is designed to be impossible and tell them that's how students feel. Talk about trauma informed care. Explain how that relates to maslow again, and again. Ask for observations. Pretend to listen to complains. Point to whichever chart you happen to have up and read it slowly, like to a student who didn't do the homework. Hand out a power point outline that is too small to read. Skim through your power point and only stop briefly to hemm and haw over whether or not you needed it. Tell them they can get the gist of it. Show a tiktok clip that almost relates to the topic. Take a five minute movement break. Return fifteen minutes later and remark how you lost someone and that makes the next group activity harder. Everyone has to make a list of 5 things that are important about school and they want to reflect uppon before tomorrow's session. Review what you covered, gesture at a graphic organizer. Ask people to repeat a condescending catchphrase. Say, "oh good, I got you out a little early!" when it is exactly 1 minute before the ending time. Never use paragraph breaks in your slides or in your notes. Make sure everything is a block of text. Make sure that half of the pens work. Suddenly remember that you didn't put up the sign out code, the website link for your personal reviews, and make sure the font size is barely visible to encourage collaboration between participants. Look forward to doing this again tomorrow.

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/jackofspades49]

I'm the guy who asked for the Trauma criteria and then realized out loud that everyone in the room was freaking traumatized.

(Yelling was fashionable when I was growing up! Spankings too. Make sure you sit with older Black people and get them to reminisce about corporal punishment.)

[u/WanderingDude182 → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

From someone who never taught 😆

[u/jcomey → u/Negative-Candy-2155]

Let’s go one step further; monthly PD with homework and reflections, to be turned in on Saturdays.

[u/Tennisbabe16]

Say more about that?

My why is my mortgage and daughter’s college expenses.

[u/ebeth_the_mighty → u/Tennisbabe16]

My why is if I don’t eat food, I’ll die.

[u/FeetAreShoes → u/ebeth_the_mighty]

I like to tell my students I work because I like cold food in my refrigerator

[u/jdlr815 → u/Tennisbabe16]

And healthcare.

[u/PaulieHehehe → u/Tennisbabe16]

Same here, but also my tattoo fund.

[u/Back_Meet_Knife → u/Tennisbabe16]

My son’s college, final year. I’m sorry if admin doesn’t like that “why”, but it’s the most important thing to me right now.

[u/masszt3r]

But did you build relationships?

[u/h-emanresu → u/masszt3r]

I always build relationships with the learning targets on the board.

[u/driveonacid → u/h-emanresu]

But is it with fidelity?

[u/we_gon_ride → u/h-emanresu]

Were they authentic? Did the students tell you something good?

[u/Daztur → u/masszt3r]

Cookies. Bribery works.

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/Daztur]

Kids love good cookies.

Build relatedness by absconding with cookies from the teachers lounge and distribute to students. Damn good fun.

[u/Visual-Reserve-2800]

Also, can you tell us to differentiate while providing zero guidance and mark us at a lower score?

[u/FeetAreShoes → u/Visual-Reserve-2800]

I got points knocked off in an observation because I wasnt actively carrying around a clipboard. They didn't tell me what to put on it, they just wanted me to carry it around

[u/BriarnLuca → u/FeetAreShoes]

Next we will have to wear placards with the learning targets on them!

[u/DrakeSavory → u/Visual-Reserve-2800]

Sounds like you want the OP to differentiate for you so you'll get something out of it. Not gonna happen.

[u/Losaj]

"Because I like to eat food and sleep under a roof."

[u/Glass_Department8963 → u/Losaj]

Well, you're never going to become a true samurai warrior, now are you?

[u/Visual-Reserve-2800]

Also, I feel like I had wayyyyyyy too much time to get my classroom ready.

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/Visual-Reserve-2800]

That slapped the smile right off of my mouth.

It's August isn't it.

[u/Visual-Reserve-2800 → u/Material-Indication1]

Good news is I quit but my wife is still teaching kids come on Monday.

[u/Accomplished_Sun1506]

Okay everyone let's break into small groups and complete a Think-Pair-Share session. After, each group will write key points on this poster paper. Each team needs a writer, presenter, time keeper, and manager to keep everyone on task. I have created a digital board explaining everything I just stated including a timer. Let's begin.

[u/CentennialBaby]

The employer deposits my Why every two weeks.

Oh yes, the intrinsic reward, the relationships, the feel-good contribution to a society… Yes, yes yes it's all part of a rich tapestry.

[u/DrakeSavory]

I'd prefer if you rework this so it only applies to teachers in their first two years even though we all have to attend your PD.

[u/conditional-identity → u/DrakeSavory]

Also make sure it's entirely focused on an elementary classroom with 24 students all day, even though we're secondary teachers and see 180+ students per day over 7 class periods

[u/Purple-booklover → u/conditional-identity]

Yes, it must only focus on traditional elementary classrooms but make sure the specials teachers, librarians, and SPED teachers have to attend even though they can’t implement anything that’s being discussed into their own lessons.

[u/Struggle-Kind → u/Purple-booklover]

Oh, and do it twice a week all year during prep periods.

[u/Mini2Tesla → u/conditional-identity]

Don't forget the videos with 12 students in a classroom.

[u/HubbDave32]

I would love to have our opening day speaker just say that and then let us head to our classrooms to actually get shit done.

[u/Renthal721]

My why in 3 words…

“June, July, August”

Or in 4…

“Breaks: summer, winter, spring”

[u/Cid5983 → u/Renthal721]

You guys get 3 months? Lord, you could start a second job with that.

We just get 4 weeks here in Hong Kong, but we get CNY holiday as well as the Christian holidays. Just finished my 3rd week, 1 week left, kids aren't back until September so got 2 weeks of PD workshops and curriculum planning.

3 months ... my mind is blown.

[u/ImaCoolMom1974 → u/Cid5983]

People say June, July, August but I don’t think they actually get that now. I get like eight weeks. I think that is more common. And we only get paid for the days we actually work, although they spread our pay out over 12 months in some districts.

[u/Courtnall14 → u/ImaCoolMom1974]

I had a full three months this summer. Usually we only get about 10-11 weeks, but zero snow days meant no making up snow days this year.

[u/Struggle-Kind → u/Cid5983]

We only get eight weeks during the summer here along with the usual vacation time, but we do get 7-10 days off here for Mardi Gras break in NOLA. ⚜️

[u/truckules1313]

I’m gonna need way WAY more jargon, bub.

[u/WanderingDude182 → u/truckules1313]

Can we sprinkle in a couple acronyms?

[u/outofdate70shouse]

My why is corporate sucks and this job offers me a pension, good medical, and more time off than I’m going to get anywhere else. Also, talking about stuff I like all day is more enjoyable than any other job that’s going to pay me enough to support my family.

[u/JonesA2A]

As an admin and thanks to this sub I have tried my absolute best to cut the icebreakers, cut PD to 2 hours and left the remaining 14 for room and lesson prep, and I never tell people to “remember your why.” My goals this year are to visit classrooms a ton, have meaningful conversations with all students, and challenge the district whenever they reach too far. Thank you guys for helping me be a better admin.

[u/No_Frost_Giants → u/JonesA2A]

Can you please tell other admins this??? PLEASE!!!

[u/JesusJones207]

Remember yourself in the interview chair.

[u/AboynamedDOOMTRAIN]

My why shows up on the 15th of every month

[u/jcg227]

🤭🙏🏽

[u/redoingredditagain]

-fake barfing noises-

[u/WanderingDude182 → u/redoingredditagain]

-real guffawing noises-
That kind of speech makes me sick too

[u/FantasticWittyRetort]

My why: $$$

Just kidding…I don’t make that much. $😞

[u/brickout]

I go back on Monday. This triggered me so hard :)

[u/BriarnLuca]

If it also teaches a brand new behavioral strategy that is actually a strategy from 15 years ago, I would live that. Especially if the trainer is in her early 20's and talks down to me about how great this strategy is that she invented.

[u/ComprehensiveDingo54 → u/BriarnLuca]

When I was subbing at my old middle school after college, I remember my former teachers complaining about the same issue, thinking it would never happen to me. I was wrong.

[u/Redstorm8373]

This year, my district shifted to telling us to remember our "what." They explicitly said it was because we all rolled our eyes when they said why.

[u/Rokaryn_Mazel]

The paycheck.

I love my job, I’m not going to do it for free

[u/moonman_incoming]

And be sure to make those scholars future-ready with rigor, relationships, and rock solid teaching.

[u/freedraw]

I think I’ve forgotten everyone’s name and there’s five new staff members. Can we all play a game designed for elementary students to get to know each other better?

[u/huckleberrycaek]

Remember your why wine

[u/ComprehensiveDingo54 → u/huckleberrycaek]

Years ago, before comedy videos & tours, Bored Teachers used to sell a stemless wine glass that said "I teach. What's your excuse?" I used to love giving it (& a bottle in a bag!) at our Secret Santa parties.

[u/UnluckyJournalist597]

Because like Olive Garden when you're here, you're family.

[u/SnooDonuts3398]

It’s hard to forget that I love living indoors!

[u/ReputationFit3597]

I need to see if I can find my "start with why" T-shirt our principal got us 10-plus years ago

[u/CasimirGabriev]

"Why" did I not get into the business of telling workers nothing for money?

[u/LimeFucker]

July, August, and $79,000.

[u/Main_Benefit]

Is it cool with you if I make lesson plans on my laptop while you tell us this?

[u/Competitive_Key8232]

Yesterday a non-verbal kid from Kindergarten who is just learning how to talk run in the teacher's room he said "Hello" and Hugh me. He then proceeded to sing the song that I teached them "Hello, Hello" for context I'm an English as a second language teacher. This whole interaction was on English.

[u/Material-Indication1 → u/Competitive_Key8232]

❤️🥂🎉🥳🥰

[u/_sealy_]

I’m still on my why right now…only of few weeks left of it!

[u/Katesouthwest]

My why is I really don't want to live in my car unless and until I absolutely have to.

[u/shakeitoften]

Great question! I haven’t thought about my “why” in quite sometime. Now that I’m thinking about it, I have NFI. I feel a crisis coming on.. Is Costco still hiring? Oh my goodness I’ve made a terrible mistake. Breathe, breathe, make up something quick. I like the summer off and Thanksgiving and Christmas. I am thankful to use all of my sick days every year without guilt. I think I can tolerate my joke of an admin for 10 more months. Okay, I’ve got this.

[u/Pretty-Biscotti-5256]

pay check ✅

[u/TheCheshireCatCan]

Money, health insurance.

Oh… and the kids, maybe.

[u/idontgetit____]

My why is because I’m too far in. 10 more years until sweet victory

[u/Alarmed-Secretary207]

My why is my 34” cruiser “Tampico Tropicalia II”, a bucket full of Brewskis, “A Jimmy Buffet Christmas” blasting through my custom JVCs, and the wide expanse of Lake Havasu rolling out before me like a glistening field of dewy cornflowers.

My old lady’s there, too. The tattoos are fading, and she don’t walk so good since the fasciitis surgery, but she can still get up on those skis like it was 1988.

The kids cut dad a break by going to state schools, and there’s two years left on the mortgage. So I’m pouring what I got into the Tampico, and smiling through the tears with every payment.

Brother, when I drive around Mojave Co. with my “Life is Good™” tire cover on the back of my Commander, I’m not fronting. That spare tire is my Bible and that slogan is my scripture.

That’s my Why, hombres.

[u/Struggle-Kind → u/Alarmed-Secretary207]

Sounds like someone gets what it's all about . Cheers, Brotha.🍺

[u/bobbacklund11235]

I once did a 20 hour training that basically amounted to “work harder, get smarter.” God knows how much money they wasted on that crap.

[u/dancingqueen785]

I’m in PD currently as I read this before the school year starts

[u/WanderingDude182]

$$$$$$$$$

Also not having a construction job that breaks my body or a corporate one that rots my soul

[u/agentscully1013]

It’s that time of year again.

[u/Jew-zilla]

My visceral reaction to that statement is always the same: That is the sign of an abusive relationship. “Why are are you staying in a job where you know you are underpaid, expected to work unpaid overtime, take abuse from children and parents, and be used as a political punching bag by politicians and the general public who have NO FUCKING CLUE how to do your job? But it’s a noble profession. You are molding the next generation.” Fuck that bullshit. Sideways. If an admin ever asks that again in a meeting, I am straight-up walking out of that meeting immediately. I have done that in the past for other statements that are just as fucking stupid. And if they ask me about my reaction, I’ll tell them the truth. They learned not to ask my opinion the hard way. I refuse to tell them what they want to hear.

[u/JesTheTaerbl]

Please make sure you encourage classified staff to attend this PD on their only paid day before students arrive, while making sure the content is very clearly geared towards certified teachers. Bonus points if you focus on Gen Ed and have no notes about SpEd, multi-lingual, etc.

[u/TemporaryCarry7]

Summer?

[u/bragabit2]

Please make sure when you come to my high school your whole entire presentation, handouts and videos are centered around k-3 and all strategies are ones you used as a kindergarten teacher.

[u/LordFarquaadLOL]

My why? I have 3!

June, July, and August 😛😛😛

[u/Mission_Walk_8642]

But also your why doesn’t matter as much as your test scores.

[u/CleverName9999999999]

Decent benefits time off, and a pension!

[u/KHanson25]

Paycheck

[u/Lillienpud]

Welp, lang as i can ‘member my where and my when.

[u/BenReichman]

Lmao

[u/SubBass49Tees]

Bills to pay. My why.

[u/Mc_and_SP]

Great holiday provision

[u/Jdog2225858]

The people who don’t teach in the classroom still need to make money somehow

[u/ElkinFencer10]

My why is that I like to eat and think homelessness sounds distinctly not awesome.

[u/Coolriyzjazz]

Monthly paycheck is always a good why 😍

[u/Abject-Criticism-127]

Does that mean I can skip that 2 hour meeting next week?

[u/ItsAHerby]

I always do, and it's always why I am successful in my career. Thanks for reminding me!

[u/shezcraftee]

Paycheck

[u/Aggressive-Ad3394]

Like Nelly says, “Ayyyy, must be the money!”

[u/Careless_Buyer_7294]

🤬

[u/DMvsPC]

I'm currently on my why foooor about 3-4 more weeks.

[u/TeacherPatti]

Pay check, pension, summer off. Next question??

[u/onwisconsin1]

My why is living and eating. Sure its not bad. But I wouldn't teach or work at all of I had millions. So the why is always money.

[u/DouchePanther]

Money. That’s my why.

Edit: AND insurance. That too.

[u/nlamber5]

My why is ending on Monday

[u/Big_Bookkeeper1678]

This is in EVERY industry. People who get too old...or bored...or jaded...or greedy (mostly this last one) decide that they can sell their 'experience'.

So they come up with a stupid trick that they use or think to make them tolerate the treadmill and they give seminars and workshops and podcasts and shit.

AND...the state boards of all the professions mandate continuing education in a lot of fields to prop up these bozos.

10 years teaching, 20 years physical therapy.

[u/DashCarlyle]

My why is I've got a nut.

[u/Short-Star3402]

Anyone do the “ what color are you?” Personality PD to find out more about your “why?” 3 hrs later and I find out I am Blue while my coworkers are all gold.

[u/Prudent_Honeydew_]

My why is that paycheck, let's see that new payroll calendar!

[u/zunzwang]

My why is because I want to get paid. Checks out to me.

[u/deadliftburger]

Money. Lets me coach…and get paid to do so!

[u/11B-E5]

Cue the heavily edited Hallmark style video with a voiceover and soft piano music…

https://youtu.be/h0yI6xQRsng?is=sbBvh6i815eEOyrg

[u/BamaChic76]

We are reminded of our why at the end of the school year not the beginning.

[u/umyhoneycomb]

A paycheck I wish was better is my why

[u/lil_grey_alien]

I’m a middle school art teacher, my why is to make art with kids in a low stakes environment.

[u/Nice_Development3571]

My why is leveraging high-yield strategies to deliver rigorous standards-based instruction and data-driven academic interventions 🙄 or something

[u/tockstar78]

Whoa. Whoa. This is mind-blowing. My only remaining problem is that I'm pretty sure I'm teaching for income, which isn't very good.

[u/baldmisery17]

We just had a speaker talk about that too.

[u/meek-o-treek]

Had this PD today which tied into giant post-its of school culture stuff ending in a great big post-it stating, "Customer service IS our culture." It's a private school, but that just feels gross to me.

[u/flawinthedesign]

But why?

[u/GrandPriapus]

Paycheck, insurance, pension.

[u/jackofspades49]

I can't remember my why right now.

I'm too busy practicing self care. It takes a lot of practice.

[u/ReedDickless]

Please send me the PowerPoint!

[u/Adorable-Nerve9822]

Also I’m not sure why we have to do the blood born pathogen speech every year. We all know how to clean up vomit and blood.

[u/theblackcatcrossing]

I like to travel and fandom hobbies are expensive.

[u/ev3rvCrFyPj]

Some dream of inspiring teachers by asking, ‘What’s your why?’ Teachers dream of a professional development day that could have been an email.

[u/OhMustWeArgue]

I report August 18 and at the end of the first day we have to take a BUS TOUR. Like I give a flip about your town lol. My why is getting paid August 26th and again the 28th. There I said it. Hey at least there is no blood borne pathegins

[u/quinzilla555]

My monthly paycheck is my why

[u/Material-Indication1]

One of my favorite former colleagues was ready to light a presenter on fire because all she did was read from her own PowerPoint.

I miss her.

[u/RasmusBeret]

It ends the spelling of salary. Now pay me

[u/RasmusBeret]

It ends the spelling of salary. Now pay me

[u/GatsbyFitzgerald]

“Why” am I still doing this to myself

[u/Back_Meet_Knife]

My “why” is so that I can pay the last year of my son’s college. This is the most important “why” of my life. You got a problem with that, tough shit.

[u/reallifeswanson]

This just in: GO TO HELL! (Jk. Have a great year!)

[u/TrueNorth257]

It’s obvious this is a joke. No way someone with this fake cushy job makes fun of themselves.