Inservice Choices

Monday we had an inservice. We had discussions with our "smaller learning communities". We were treated to a performance by our drumline and had our memories refreshed about emergency procedures (lock down vs. freeze "drill"). Then we spent the rest of the afternoon planning a unit to ultimately do but for today to present for a gallery walk (you write 2 questions you want other teachers to comment on, and they walk around and make suggestions and such about those 2 things).

It was useful, and for me, isolated. Usually most of our department goes out for lunch, and lunch is usually 1.5 hours (very nice when compared to our usual 45 minutes in which 15 minutes is used up for a duty). But. On Monday, I was feeling like I could better spend that time finishing up chores and making homework sheets and printing out grades for advisory and such. I went to get a quick sandwich (yum, veggie delight with cream cheese and avocado and veggies) to bring back and worked through lunch. Man did I get a lot done. Then in the afternoon when we were planning our lessons, I happened again to be working alone. I finished early and spent the rest of the time again doing chores.

On the one hand, I like going out to lunch with teacher friends. It helps build a cohesive department and it's stress relief and it's fun. On the other hand, I just saved myself (all day) about 1.5 hours of work I'd have to make up at some other point (usually in a rush and stressed about finishing on time). Hmmmm, tough call.