Survival lesson 2: meetings

I am getting better at meetings too. Sitting at the big table with, among others, the very Excellent President (watch me lose my job here) I realise that I'm honoured to have this opportunity to mingle in this select group. The President is a very elegant, perceptive and intelligent woman so I feel graced. We have lovely coffee and enough cakes for a child's party.

I listen attentively to her story of one time a few years ago when she attended a training session based on interactive activities rather than watch and listen to the expert. I am sufficiently admiring of such an experience although I do tire a bit when other important people start talking about vaguely related things. While they are talking I start plotting my strategies for avoiding any future formação which will teach us how to be more interactive in our teaching. (Does that make me someone who's holding back modern pedagogic methods?)

I've learned to look indifferent to the obligatory moaning (about illiterate students, about resistant teachers etc.) and I've learned not to open my mouth too often. My biggest learning is not to offer to do anything unless it helps secure my job and requires minimum work in return for maximum points (there is a document somewhere which tells us how many points activities are worth). I notice that there are different ways of talking, even of sitting, between those people who have tenured jobs and those who have a contract that comes up for renewal each year (which is voted on in secret).

We all worry about how there is so much to do and no-one to do anything and then we book a time for the next meeting. Two and a half hours later the meeting is over and I feel satisfied that I've just participated in something important. Yes, I am learning.