I am the web-master for our school. One of my duties is to train teachers on how to create their own webpages. The district has online sign-up for PD sessions and the PD person in the central office set up a session for today. I don’t have access to who had signed up, so for the past week, every day, I have sent out school-wide emails telling the teachers who are attending to inform me of what they want to use for a userid and password. I have pointed out that I need to have this info ahead of time so I can set up their accounts and be able to use the session time to actually teach them something. About a dozen teachers responded.
3:30 rolls around. I go down to the computer lab. There are 30 teachers there. 17 of them need me to set up their account. WTF?
So, WWMLRD?
[What Would My Loyal Readers Do?}
A. Go ahead and take the whole hour to set up the new accounts, and get no teaching done at all.
B. Explain to the 17 who didn’t get me the information ahead of time that we will set up a session at a later date for them.
C. Completely ignore the 17 idiots and start the session.
I chose C.
I began the session by giving out the URL for the sign-in page. I told them when they got to that page to type in the userid and password they emailed to me.
“I don’t have a userid or password, what should I do?”
“Go home.”
“Go home?”
“Yes.”
“Can’t you set up my account now?”
“No. Go home.”
“Well, I never…”
There is not a day that goes by that at least one of my colleagues makes me wonder how in the hell they received a college degree.
Chalk dust makes me sneeze 
5 Comments
‘well, I never….’ isn’t that where the problem started? They didn’t do their assigned homework. They should be grateful that you’re willing to set up a makeup session. If it had been my kid who didn’t do what the teacher asked he would have been SOL.
I believe this, but I think I know why it happens; so many teachers have been enabled for years (especially when it comes to technology) that they play dumb to get others to do work for them. Honestly, I do ignore some reminders to do stuff if I know I am going to be reminded again five more times. It’s terribly enabling; people should just be told, “This will be your only reminder.” I like how you handled this.
I would first choose “C,” then my Southern Nana’s voice would start echoing in my head about helping those less fortunate. Face it-some folks are just idiots. So I’d probably end up going with “B.” BTW, don’t forget our Silly Sunday Sweepstakes tomorrow. Come on by and Share the Caption Love!
As the tech teacher and “go-to” person in my building, I sooooo feel your pain. We are using a new online grading tool this year and you’d think some of these teachers were stuck in the 50s. One in particular makes me want to pull my hair out. I am proud of your choice to ignore those 17! I am applauding you.
My dad does the same thing at a community college – and spends much of his time helping people (read holding-their-hands).. .and he would have done the same thing. Esepecially with a bunch of teachers who would SO nail a kid for not following directions when they themselves can’t either.