Sometimes the day before going back to work you get a call informing you that your position has no funding, "it turns out." When that happens, you get to make some decisions. Shake your fist and call the Union. Take a year off. Sleep in 'til they call ya. Raise a stink. Or, if you belong to the incredibly disfunctional system I do? Go to work like everything is all good. Yep, some folks advocate sit-ins, dance-ins, love-ins, sick outs, work outs.... But me? I am a fan of the one-woman Work In. Make it hard to get rid of you by filling your classes with students and making them fun.
Now the Work In concept goes over some people's heads. Like colleagues, sometimes.
Case in point:
Scene - A recent staff meeting
Begin moment with Principal saying: "I mean, look at S..... she is really embracing those 5 Ps we are focusing the students on this year. She shows up to work every single day and teaches class and does mediations like nothing's wrong, like she is ever gonna get paid ... and she doesn't even HAVE a job." People all look at you, which causes her to see you finally and say, "Oh S, sorry. I didn't realize you were here. And here I am talking about you like you're not even here. [Editorial Note -- Which makes me think she was all ready to talk about behind that person's back, but whatever.] See that, people? Even at a staff meeting and not being paid. Now that is P for Positive."
So you point out, "Actually it is really P for Pain-in-the-ass Persistence. (pause, tilt head) Are those two of the 5 Ps?(blink and smile)"
P for Principal: "Um.... no. Those are maybe numbers 6 and 7..." (P for purses lips and looks away from you).
End moment.
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