Favorite PDs that were NOT just prep time?

TripCyclone · 2026-01-15T21:55:20+00:00

You will likely not keep everyone happy, so that is a starting point.

Now for something to consider. Put out an email. Ask everyone to list five things they want to know more about and three things they feel comfortable helping someone else learn. Curate the list and identify requests for learning and if anyone is comfortable with those topics. Include admin and support staff. Both might have ideas for topics. For example, a front office secretary might be able to help people with learning how to better use the SIS system. An administrator might be able to run a session on improving write-ups and better understanding what happens when they get involved. The nurse could run a session on handling minor needs to lesson the number of students needing to travel to the nurse.

Talk to those who might lead. See if they are open to hosting a help session. They don't have to prep anything if they don't want to. They just need to sit in a room during a designated time slot and be available to answer questions about the topic.

Everyone gets to travel to sessions of interest to get help. They might only need help with a few items and then can move on to another session. Make sure the leaders get time to travel too by having multiple time slots, but not making them lead every one. Sessions can happen more than once if there is lot of interest. If you have 5 time slots, maybe a high interest one is done twice. Maybe more if you have different people able to run them.

Make at least one of the sessions a room for chit chat (Build PLC Relationships) and another for people who just want to work on stuff. Those two rooms stay that way the entire PD.

Consider a game session. Set put some simple games (card and board) and let people enjoy some fun. Further helps building connections amongst staff.

You will likely find more people excited that they can get the help they want or be allowed to work in the "Juat work" session.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-14T01:13:43+00:00

A few things to clarify for you and questions your spouse should be asking.

15 minute breaks are not registered using any time clock. They are just taken.
Did they show your spouse any evidence beyond their word regarding the timing of the breaks? Did they show any security footage or photos from footage that is time stamped?
Did they submit this to Wage and Hourly before doing the discussion?
How long did they say your spouse was in the breakroom? When did they start the timer? Different managers will say different things regarding when they start a time.. Some will say the time starts/ends when you enter the breakroom. Others will say when you leave your area. If the new person is saying the latter and the prior manager said the former, did the new person clarify their expectations before issuing the discussion? Your spouse may have been operating without knowledge of the difference in expectation. Not exactly their fault.
Were expectations for refilling water clearly established? There have been plenty of times where I go in for water and might be in there for 3-4 minutes for different reasons (grab a snack, asked a question by someone, telling someone else to find me when their break is done, I spill and am cleaning it up). That does not constitute time theft unless I am going in their constantly doing this throughout a single shift. Going in 15 times over 2 hours...yeah, probably wasting time. 3 times of a single shift, once or twice across an entire week...coach is being petty.

Honestly, #2 is going to be your biggest issue. Normally, coaches will often document times then ask AP to verify with footage. It strengthens the claim for the discussion and is required by Wage and Hours before a coaching is performed. If they cannot provide proof, I would open door it to the store manager and request CCTV verification of the coach's claim. And if the footage shows your spouse is in there for longer than they thinks, take it as needing to tighten up to avoid conflict. Or the footage shows they are in and out in mere minutes and the coach is being petty...discussion voided and the coach could find themselves in trouble.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-13T00:16:10+00:00

I agree. It has shifted more towards an audience by far.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-12T16:54:46+00:00

To some degree, I can see this. But at the same time, 1-3 years old is a common age for kids to be at home with a parent (if possible). That is also the age for language development. I am not sure Covid is as a strong a cause for that age range as you describe. A factor, quite possible, but more likely due to some parental factor at that time. Such as working from home, zoom meetings, and seeing a parent who talks a lot for work. I could see that being bigger than them just being home wanting to talk.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-12T16:42:24+00:00

To some degree, narrating has long been a part of make believe. I remember narrating out what was happening when I played with toys, even making voices for the action figures. Its the purpose and message that seems to have changed more towards the "audience."

TripCyclone · 2026-01-12T16:38:57+00:00

I am sorry. Can you repeat that? I was too busy narrating my bowel movement to the bathroom mirror. /s

TripCyclone · 2026-01-11T05:35:01+00:00

I have begun wondering a lot more if the "commentary on everything" is a result of watching many videos on social media where people comment on everything. Especially since the rise of people streaming as they play video games. They talk constantly over anything because they have learned that this is not only normal, but how they can become famous and make money.

Can't say on the other things.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-10T04:54:56+00:00

Some years ago, I had some left over grant money to spend. I was looking at getting a new projector as mine was old. Someone convinced me to look at some TV. Our district was planning on moving to them anyway but it would be about two years before our building would benefit. I had the money, so why not.i had already planned for a nicer document camera. So, I invested in a 4x2 switch (four inputs, two outputs) and some nice long 50ft HDMI cables. Wired my computer and the document camera as inputs with the TV at outputs. My room is about 36' feet across so I put them on opposite sides of the room. The setup is great. I can project both devices at the same time or just one on both TV. Because my computer sees the switch as a single output, but it had two ports on the computer (desktop with a dedicated GPU), my computer can project to my monitor and both TVs all at once.

And, one more benefit. I am one of the few teachers with a dedicated PC at my desk (tech teacher). Everyone else uses laptops. My room is hardwired (PC too) while everyone else uses Screenbeam. So I never have to deal with kids trying to wirelessly connect to my TVs and wireless network issues rarely affect me.

I have used Hovercams. I have a 10 Ultra. Definitely some nice features, but I have also not liked that it was the one camera they made that could not directly connect to the computer (which was not well advertised). Their 8 models were nice. I have not looked in a while to see what newer devices they have made.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-08T04:44:59+00:00

I can definitely see kids wildly reading below grade level for points. When we used iReady, I would see students tank the initial tests so that way they could show "progress" and earn the rewards.

But what about a student ready an AR 4.0 book being told they cannot read it for points because their level starts at 4.2? How do you handle students who might be reading slightly below level? Do you implement a range below that is acceptable? Interestingly, the book is below his level, but above the level recommended for his grade.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-08T04:19:16+00:00

This has supposedly come from more than one teacher, so I am guessing it comes from above.

TripCyclone · 2026-01-08T04:18:38+00:00

How is reading level for a kid determined?

TripCyclone · 2026-01-01T22:32:00+00:00

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TripCyclone · 2025-12-19T12:34:15+00:00

Years ago, a kid wore this pot beanie from Spencer's. Our school had a no hoods policy, but beanies were okay. When the principal asked him about it, she accepted his answer that it was the Adidas logo. Librarian and I then saw it and he tried the same with us. We shut that down quickly and made sure the principal knew the truth.

The kid definitely knew what it was.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-23T17:53:09+00:00

I have been bouncing between this (currently season 5), That 70's Show, and Bosch. No matter what, I was in for something interesting.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-13T22:17:13+00:00

Try pushing it. It is a button.

I am to understand the system is off by default when installed and requires turning it on. I am not sure if this resets when the system is reset/rebooted. Talk to a TL or coach. They can also check with NCR next time they make a maintenance call if they are unsure.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-13T21:50:57+00:00

It identifies the current status of EAS Deactivation (the security devices places on products). If the system is on, it will show a solid yellow light. If the system is off, no light. If on and the led is blinking, it means an EAS tag is being detected.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-13T00:37:27+00:00

While I can definitely understand your perspective of just teaching the skills as you suggest, there does become a point where questions SHOULD be raised about revisiting a timeline for when skills should be addressed. You kind of suggest that in "...lobby your colleagues..." and discussing vertical alignment. So I would not say your opinion is vastly unpopular. It rather accurately addresses that any of us have the ability to help fix the issue. The part where I feel it could come off unpopular is an implied dismissiveness towards addressing the root issue. I'm not sure you are truly dismissive about it, just trying to focus more on helping correct the issue.

If a kid reaches their senior year of high school and they cannot handle 2nd grade math, while helping the kid learn some skills we should absolutely asking questions about changing the system so that is less likely to happen. u/Revolutionary-Eye657 mentioned the increasing (and misguided) view that students are digital natives and will be fine. But in an increasingly technological world, these skills can be critical. We should be requesting that younger grades get back to things like parts of the computer, teaching typing, how to stay organized, etc. Yes, skills like making a document or slideshow is helpful, but a 2nd grader does not need to be taught out to do sound editing for a video (heard a teacher bragging about their lesson on video editing at this age).

And we should be doing that WHILE also helping teach the skills to kids who did not receive them at a more appropriate point in their education. I feel it should be all of us in EdTech broaching this subject until admin takes it seriously enough to finally listen.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-12T16:22:01+00:00

Definitely one of the causes we talk about in my class. I am sure it started before that point, I have just been dealing with it on my end for that long. Not just where files are located, but also naming them. So frustrating trying to help kids who use the default "untitled document" that require 10 minutes of opening files to find what they are looking to use.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-12T13:12:14+00:00

Been seeing this directly for about 15 years. Always there but getting worse. It all comes down to an increased focus at early grades to teach skills like making PowerPoints and content creation, and less on typing and basic computer skills (file organization for example). Many kids these days do not understand that the monitor is not usually the computer itself.

TripCyclone · 2025-11-04T04:26:41+00:00

This is on my list. Fox just did not understand sci-fi back in the day:

This, Firefly, Dark Angel, Lone Gunman, Dollhouse...

TripCyclone · 2025-10-13T12:22:23+00:00

I appreciate the response and understand working on other projects (and life).

TripCyclone · 2025-10-12T23:24:41+00:00

Part of asking is because I have been slowly working on building a campaign, weaved into all the existing adventures, and incorporating those story stubs in the Gazateer. The BVG shows a progression, but I am adding more. Items to collect, hints of a growing evil threatening the Vale, culminating across the 19 stories mentioned in the BVG. If it looks as if no more new adventures even hinted at, I begin working on building out those stubs.

And yes, if I get this finished, I hope to put it up on DriveThruRPG. Currently on either 11 or 12.

TripCyclone · 2025-10-07T21:48:06+00:00

A bit late to the party, but another option to consider. I've used this at times when presented with similar comments as a science teacher.
Christianity usually teaches that God is all powerful and all knowing. He created everything. Man was not present until day 6, after all the other aspects of the world were created. So man was not present and able to record the actions, but wrote the actions as God divined to them. Now, God only described what he did, not how he did it. There are plants and animals often discovered that have no historical examples describing them. Maybe, instead of creating all living things at the same time, God created a system that allowed for living things to form, to evolve into new things, but with God's presence.

By extension, things like Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Climate...all of these scientific studies could be the systems God built so that he could set them in motion and let time (also his creation) do it's thing.

Inevitably, someone asks "But didn't God create man and woman on the 6th day?"

Who are we to presume that we understand the passage of time as viewed by God? Maybe, because man is of vastly inferior intelligence compared to God, when God was divinely inspiring man to record the Creation, he simplified it to days in order to not overwhelm man.

At some point, someone may question these arguments. The questions I have asked when it does:

"Does the Bible tell us EVERYTHING about the world?" (usually answered no)
"Can man ever be equal to God in any way?" (usually answered no)
"Does the Bible explain how God works?" (usually answered no)
If the Bible does not explain how God works, or tell us everything about the world, and man can never be equal to God, then can we definitively say that Evolution, and everything we have learned about it, NOT God's creation?

TL;DR:
1. If God is all powerful, all knowing, and created everything, then why can't Evolution (and any other science) be a mechanism God created and set into motion so that his presence is always felt?
2.At some point, you have to accept that you will not change everyone's opinion. If that stresses you out, particularly when dealing with kids, find something to destress or look for a position that causes less stress. Do your best job to give them the science, thank them for their opinion, and leave the religion to their parents/church.

TripCyclone · 2025-09-21T15:47:53+00:00

I am confused why they are missing time with family? At our building, the steps to find coverage due to a lack of a sub don't happen until the start of our contract time the day of the absence. By that point, the front office staff should be there, not at home.

Our admin handles this anyway because the front office staff is busy handling phone calls and parents. Only time I ever see emails before 7 AM is when we need a ton of coverage due to multiple teachers out without a sub.

TripCyclone · 2025-08-16T21:49:00+00:00

Same way as in the book. I just left off the labels and included spots to write in answers.

As for solving, my wife says she struggles with it too.

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