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Gilda · 02-10-2006, 05:57 PM

I've cried at work, but only on rare occasion during the performance of my duties.

It happened just this last week. In my YA literature class, we were discussing the book Bridge to Terabithia, and I was reading a passage from the very end aloud, and I teared up a little and had to stop for a minute to regain my composure.

It happened more than a few times with my middle schoolers over the previous six years, too, especially when we'd hit a particularly powerful scene or poem or when discussing certain historical events. It's always pretty much the same; I tear up a little bit and have little difficulty reading or talking clearly, I take a minute or so to regain control, and go on.

The type of crying in which I'm an emotional wreck because I'm being chewed out? It's never happened. I don't like the idea of showing that kind of emotional weakness in front of a supervisor. Besides, it would be embarassing, and I hate being embarassed in front of others more than anything.

On the other hand, I have had crying fits, more earlier in my career, in reaction to stress, but I always try to hold it in until I can get off by myself, or with Grace. Or in the past year, I come here and post about what's been bothering me, and I've done a ton of that.

I've done the let-out-the-stress crying a couple of times the last three weeks when I've gotten overwhelmed by the workload and frustrated at my inability to connect to colleagues at work. But I've done that in my office.

So I guess I have done it on more than a few occasions, but never for the purpose of manipulating others.

I've seen a few weepy middle school teachers, all middle-school, and all female. It is annoying, but then again, I'm very easily annoyed.

Mal: Your training story sounds remarkably similar to the grad student trying to teach me how to do a . . . I can't remember the name. It's the computer thing that does slide shows. Anyway, he was assigned to teach me to use the system in the lecture hall where my world masterpieces class is held, and I, to my shame, spent the first five minutes of the lesson griping about learning something that's next to useless for a literature class. All we need are books and a place to sit, really. It's in the lecture hall solely because it has, after late additions, 93 students and won't fit in a classroom. We read. We talk about what we read. They take tests and write essays about what we've read and discussed. Not really a slide show friendly class.

I didn't cry, but I did gripe. It was stupid. Almost as stupid as wasting my time teaching me something that I'm not required to know how to use and don't plan to use anyway. I hate it when I waste time like that. Had I not griped and delayed, I'd have been done that much earlier and been able to get back to reading.

Presentation something? Present-Point? I can't remember.

Gilda

02-10-2006, 05:57 PM	#28 (permalink)
Gilda 32 flavors and then some Location: Out on a wire.	I've cried at work, but only on rare occasion during the performance of my duties. It happened just this last week. In my YA literature class, we were discussing the book Bridge to Terabithia, and I was reading a passage from the very end aloud, and I teared up a little and had to stop for a minute to regain my composure. It happened more than a few times with my middle schoolers over the previous six years, too, especially when we'd hit a particularly powerful scene or poem or when discussing certain historical events. It's always pretty much the same; I tear up a little bit and have little difficulty reading or talking clearly, I take a minute or so to regain control, and go on. The type of crying in which I'm an emotional wreck because I'm being chewed out? It's never happened. I don't like the idea of showing that kind of emotional weakness in front of a supervisor. Besides, it would be embarassing, and I hate being embarassed in front of others more than anything. On the other hand, I have had crying fits, more earlier in my career, in reaction to stress, but I always try to hold it in until I can get off by myself, or with Grace. Or in the past year, I come here and post about what's been bothering me, and I've done a ton of that. I've done the let-out-the-stress crying a couple of times the last three weeks when I've gotten overwhelmed by the workload and frustrated at my inability to connect to colleagues at work. But I've done that in my office. So I guess I have done it on more than a few occasions, but never for the purpose of manipulating others. I've seen a few weepy middle school teachers, all middle-school, and all female. It is annoying, but then again, I'm very easily annoyed. Mal: Your training story sounds remarkably similar to the grad student trying to teach me how to do a . . . I can't remember the name. It's the computer thing that does slide shows. Anyway, he was assigned to teach me to use the system in the lecture hall where my world masterpieces class is held, and I, to my shame, spent the first five minutes of the lesson griping about learning something that's next to useless for a literature class. All we need are books and a place to sit, really. It's in the lecture hall solely because it has, after late additions, 93 students and won't fit in a classroom. We read. We talk about what we read. They take tests and write essays about what we've read and discussed. Not really a slide show friendly class. I didn't cry, but I did gripe. It was stupid. Almost as stupid as wasting my time teaching me something that I'm not required to know how to use and don't plan to use anyway. I hate it when I waste time like that. Had I not griped and delayed, I'd have been done that much earlier and been able to get back to reading. Presentation something? Present-Point? I can't remember. Gilda __________________ I'm against ending blackness. I believe that everyone has a right to be black, it's a choice, and I support that. ~Steven Colbert