Conversations I wish I hadn't overheard...

..."were they caught masturbating together?"

Today was a great day, partially because it slowed down a bit, but mostly because I stood corrected on an incorrect perception I had of the parent I spoke of yesterday. Based on her demands echoed through her son; based on my co-worker's perception of her attitude/actions when she came in early yesterday to wait; and based on my previous experience with parents who exhibit similar behavior, I braced myself for a rude, demanding encounter. What I got was a pleasant, concerned, and understanding parent.

The way a person says "hi" is a good indication of what to expect: whether their smile and affect is genuine, or whether it is more "let's get these pleasantries out of the way and get to business", or "I'm gonna cream you".

Another great indicator of personality is, as I said before, how a person responds to not getting "what they want". Some will kick and scream before I can finish my explanation of the circumstances. Others will afford me the luxury of finishing my statement but jump in with both sleeves rolled up immediately after. Still others understand constraints that cannot be magically removed, and brainstorm other possibilities along with me instead of waiting for me to present solutions for them to shoot down. I guess what it comes down to, is some parents feel the need to hang onto the upper edge in the power dynamic while others are more willing to share. This is perhaps due to their past experiences with the school and how they have been able (or not been able) to collaborate.

I actually had time today to work on my schedule. I tried palm pilots, I tried our calendar application, I tried paper, I tried a combination of all three. I have a new paper-based system right now which works well because it contains a monthly calendar; and daily calendar that includes before, during, and after school times. I know this sounds trivial and basic, but bouncing from a monthly/weekly calendar, and a school calendar, makes an on-the-go job that much more difficult to manage. I'm diggin' this.