Tuesday, October 19, 2010

It's Just How I Am

Welcome to "The Gods Are Bored!" "Know thyself," I always say. Focus that inner mirror. Figure out what makes you tick. Or what makes you a tick. Grammar trick!

Are you the kind of person who, given a job to do, just wants to dig in and get it done? I am. When I have something to do, and someone's trying to chat me up, I get annoyed.

A busy high school is not the optimal working environment for me.

I get mildly annoyed when students come in my room to chat me up. But I get intensely annoyed when other teachers come gabbing at me when all I really want to do is get the doggone essays graded and get my butt home to the warm hearth.

This week I actually clocked how much time other people wasted for me by chit-chatting. Two-and-a-half hours! Why did I bother clocking this? Well, it just so happens that my daughter The Heir was home from college this week, and I wanted to get home early enough to enjoy her company.

I know this is a "Dear Abby" question, but what do I do about these pesky teachers who just want to gab? The Teacher Creature is the worst offender, but he's only in my room one afternoon a week. There are two lady teachers about my age who pester me every day. And this is how well the one knows me: She tells me all the latest gossip from her church choir. *hack up fur ball*

I know I would be hurt if someone told me, "Sorry, I would love to hear about your Druid Grove, but right now I have to get these forms filled out in triplicate so I can go home and see my daughter." I'd feel like a chump. I don't want to make anyone feel like a chump, but I would like to have some benign way to dismiss the pests.

If you can think of anything, please share. Alas, I have already tried telling Gabbing Methodist Teacher that I'm a Pagan. Any space that might have put between us was canceled when she discovered that I own a parrot. (She does too.)

When I'm at work, I just want to work. I'm all business. It's just how I am. Most of the teachers at my school are that way too. I just seem to be a magnet for the ones who aren't.

I am open to spell suggestions, so long as no one gets hurt and the furniture doesn't get stained.

Oh, wait! The only upholstered furniture in my classroom is my teacher chair, and I sit in that! So bring on the grape juice ... I fear it not!

8 comments:

Aquila ka Hecate said...

I'm like that at work, too, Anne.
I'm mildly ashamed to say that I resort to the iPod when I need to focus and there's all this...socialising going on.
Yes, I have a bit of a reputation as a curmudgeon, but in my job it's almost expected.

Love,
Terri in Joburg

Lori F - MN said...

When the adults come in, keep working. If they keep bothering you, tell them your daughter is home from school and you want to spend time with her tonight.
As for the students, be polite and answer the questions briefly. But you have to set boundries.

Intense Guy said...

Ditto's Lori F. I think she nailed it.

The "I'm busy right now" might work too - and hey... if they don't get "hints" they're too dense to get offended when you have to get blunt. That's my theory anyway.

Hecate said...

Can you cast a glamour around yourself? You know how if you want to be invisible you kind of wrap a grey cloak of glamour around yourself that makes people look the other direction?

Teacats said...

Prepare .... and use the classic "Broken Record" approach! Tell everyone who will listen how: "I am SO thrilled that the Heir is come -- and can't WAIT to spend time with her at HOME" Smile. Say it again. And again. When someone approaches your desk -- point at the pile of paperwork and say: "I MUST get this all done -- so I can get home ... etc. etc. I'm SURE you understand!!" Smile. And get back to the task at hand!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

Me, Alex said...

Oh, PLEASE, Anne, if a STUDENT wants to "chat you up", then maybe it's worth a listen.......ya never know if it's that one time you could have prevented a columbine or a suicide, just because that one kid made that one last ditch effort to reach out to the ONE person in all their world they thought would LISTEN..........

You ARE that person, aren't you?

Anne Johnson said...

I am that person.

yellowdoggranny said...

you know what I'm going to say don't you.."I'm sorry I'd love to chat, but I have to get these papers graded so I can go home and visit with my daughter who's home from school this weekend."...and put your head down and get to work..
lock the fucking door.
ask the church lady if she'd like to come home with you for a Pagan ceremony, you need a 13th person to fill out the circle..
I have more..
People that know and love me know that if asked to do something and I don't want to I'll say..I don't want to..they'll say but why? I will say I don't need a reason, I'm 66 and I don't fucking want to. you need to have a lesson from my yankee friend shady lane who taught me how to be rude.ha