Friday, October 12, 2007
An Email for Therapy
Sometimes I get so frustrated at work that I like to write snipity emails to my boss. Of course, I never send that version, because the message would most certainly be lost in choosing such a method, but I write anyway because it helps me feel like I'm expressing myself by not holding back. And a day later when I've calmed down I read what I wrote and see the valid points I made, and re-write the email so that the message will be heard.
One such example:
Do you know the expression "the left-hand doesn't know what the right-hand is doing?" I feel this expression accurately depicts our weekly class schedule.
Why are there three or four copies of the schedule every week? How can the schedule change in the middle of the day? and twice a day? How are we communicating these changes to our teachers, staff and students? (I feel like these are the kinds of questions we'll have to address in accreditation!) I'm going to guess your answer is "post a new schedule" which is good in theory, but practically this system is not working.
The problems with the schedule this week:
--Not enough teachers available to teach.
--Last minute changes and teachers/students not being aware of them. (Brian covering AAP for Mike on Thurs, Lu being pulled for office hours Wed night, Nick being pulled to work on computers)
--No office hours for Luciana when we KNOW she will need them.
--Andrew scheduled to teach while also having an all-day activity.
--Brian scheduled to take students on a trip and also teach, and also he's supposed to be off.
Here comes the "if I were in charge" portion of the email...
Pulling teachers from the schedule because they are not needed is simple. Adding teachers because the classroom is overflowing wreaks havoc. I would like to make a personal goal of making one schedule which anticipates needs of all students, teachers, and activities. One schedule that goes out the previous Friday, and doesn't not change dramatically from day to day, hour to hour.
I know this is probably not as easy as it sounds, but I think we should strive for this every week until we figure out a way to make it work consistantly.
Sierra Kenney
Student Affairs
Approach International Student Center
617-787-5401
617-787-4926 (fax)
skenney@approachusa.com
www.approachusa.com
...
That was the snipity email, NOT the revision!! Don't you love the "if I were in charge" part?
Actually, I keep hearing such good things at work. I've been told that by the end of the year we will have a restructuring at Approach and I'll most certainly be "moving up the ladder." I'm not sure exactly what my new position will entail, or what it will be called, but I like to muse that I will be Administrative Coordinator or Academic Coordinator.
My supervisor's position (currently Administrative Coordinator) is going to be divided and I'll be getting the other half. I'm not sure I'm ready for all that responsibility (managing three employees or the teaching staff and curriculum, depending on which I'm offered), but if they pay me well, I'm sure I'll find a way to accept the new responsibilities!
Which do I prefer? I'm leaning toward the administrative side because, simply I'm not sure I'm qualified enough to do the Academic side, and my superviser is planning to get pregnant next year and someone (who's patiently observed for a year) needs to fill her big shoes!
One such example:
Do you know the expression "the left-hand doesn't know what the right-hand is doing?" I feel this expression accurately depicts our weekly class schedule.
Why are there three or four copies of the schedule every week? How can the schedule change in the middle of the day? and twice a day? How are we communicating these changes to our teachers, staff and students? (I feel like these are the kinds of questions we'll have to address in accreditation!) I'm going to guess your answer is "post a new schedule" which is good in theory, but practically this system is not working.
The problems with the schedule this week:
--Not enough teachers available to teach.
--Last minute changes and teachers/students not being aware of them. (Brian covering AAP for Mike on Thurs, Lu being pulled for office hours Wed night, Nick being pulled to work on computers)
--No office hours for Luciana when we KNOW she will need them.
--Andrew scheduled to teach while also having an all-day activity.
--Brian scheduled to take students on a trip and also teach, and also he's supposed to be off.
Here comes the "if I were in charge" portion of the email...
Pulling teachers from the schedule because they are not needed is simple. Adding teachers because the classroom is overflowing wreaks havoc. I would like to make a personal goal of making one schedule which anticipates needs of all students, teachers, and activities. One schedule that goes out the previous Friday, and doesn't not change dramatically from day to day, hour to hour.
I know this is probably not as easy as it sounds, but I think we should strive for this every week until we figure out a way to make it work consistantly.
Sierra Kenney
Student Affairs
Approach International Student Center
617-787-5401
617-787-4926 (fax)
skenney@approachusa.com
www.approachusa.com
...
That was the snipity email, NOT the revision!! Don't you love the "if I were in charge" part?
Actually, I keep hearing such good things at work. I've been told that by the end of the year we will have a restructuring at Approach and I'll most certainly be "moving up the ladder." I'm not sure exactly what my new position will entail, or what it will be called, but I like to muse that I will be Administrative Coordinator or Academic Coordinator.
My supervisor's position (currently Administrative Coordinator) is going to be divided and I'll be getting the other half. I'm not sure I'm ready for all that responsibility (managing three employees or the teaching staff and curriculum, depending on which I'm offered), but if they pay me well, I'm sure I'll find a way to accept the new responsibilities!
Which do I prefer? I'm leaning toward the administrative side because, simply I'm not sure I'm qualified enough to do the Academic side, and my superviser is planning to get pregnant next year and someone (who's patiently observed for a year) needs to fill her big shoes!
