This week students at the high school are writing exams. This leaves teachers to facilitate exams, prepare for next semester, and wade through stacks of marking (one English teacher measured a two-foot high pile!). Unfortunately for the English department, it also meant a three-hour professional development meeting.
The meeting was beneficial for me to be a part of as a new teacher. The meeting went a little awry -- I watched with a tinge of admiration as one teacher firmly told another teacher off.
I was reminded again that people's perceptions of you can change depending on simple word choices. Using objective terms like: "you're right," "the way to go is...", "the problem with that is..." or "excellent idea" can come across as arrogant. Even positive phrases can come off as condescending. Talking to your colleagues this way will get their backs up and you will eventually be told off.
A simple little "I think..." can go a long way -- professionally and personally.
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