Seriously, what I actually love about workshops is that there is this opportunity to receive other people. Quite honestly, as teachers our everyday social change is special to inside the classroom. On days when my co-teacher is out, there is a substantial probability that I leave not see or speak to another adult. So, at least for me, the welfare of the shop is twofold: I don't get to be in form for the day, AND I get to talk to grown-ups. The latter is moderately cool. If you get read past posts you are mindful that I go at an 'urban, innercity' school (if you get not read past post do so now.I'll wait) and you know how often I detest that term. However, for the use of today's post, it truly describes the disparity of what is passing on. Teachers are given laptops each year. My laptop is a refurbished (let's name it what it is, OLD) HP ThinkCentre. I don't even believe they take these anymore, but it works so I am OK. Truth be told I actually did not require these folks laptop in the foremost place, but you are rather forced to read it. It is dense and cumbersome, but I draw it to workshops like a dear little teacher. Because I am in an 'urban' school, many of our workshops are geared toward schools in the same demographic (you love what I mean...) so usually everyone has this antiquated laptop. Anyway this last workshop was different because there were a variety of teachers from across the city. All with their school supplied laptops. Then I noticed something. Everyone did not get the same laptop! As folk began pulling out their laptops and logging on I noticed that a lot of teachers had these new, thin, Macs. Then I started listening as the cursory introductions were through and noticed that the folk with the Mac were from schools like Chimney Lakes and Alamacany. And, no, neither of those school were 'urban' or 'inner city', hell a pair of schools were in places I had never heard of. WHAT THE HELL! I have been lugging around what amounts to six bricks and a little child on my backbone and these folks have a Mac? I got questions. And since were were having this education in the construction that housed the IT department.well, you know what happened:Me: Good Morning. IT Guy: Good Morning. May I assist you. Me: Well, I am concerned in turn in my calculator and upgrading to one of the Macs that the teachers are being given. IT: I'm sorry?Me: Sorry for what? I would simply wish to make you this ThinkCentre and get a Mac please.IT: I am sorry it does not act that way. Me: OK, well what way does it work?IT: Those computers were special and unfortunately were distributed to newer schools and new teachers. Me: No. IT: No? Me: No, they were not. I want a new response from you because that is not a reliable statement. IT: What do you mean?Me: Well, a dear acquaintance of mine is a new teacher this class and she was told that she could not sustain a computer because there are none. And several teachers in training right now are at schools that are not new. Namely Chimney Lakes and Alamacany. And the women in there are decidedly NOT new teachers (I'm sorry ladies if either of you are reading this, but um.y'all have each been teachers for some time. Yeah. That's the right way to put it.).IT:Well, um.there are simply no more to have out. Me: But you get NEW teachers and schools that make them and got them this year. You see I did a small sketch of the board before I left.It seems that the teachers with the newer computers are either at really good to do schools or schools that are newly built. Those of us that teach in the hood are given what they have turned in. God forbid that Nook-Nook and 'Dem see a Mac at our schooling and read it home with them as a farewell gift since little Le'Monjello did not pass kindergarten. IT: Let me see your laptop. So I took it out of the example and sat it on the sideboard with a thud. The expression on his face told me that I must bear one of the FIRST laptops the school system has always given out. IT: Wow. Me: Yep. Wow. He then went on to reach me the scoop (I have failed to remark that he was a Negro man, and I think after seeing this decided to have me to low down on why he could not serve a sister out and have her the lift up. (My Caucasian friends, talk to your African American friends around the 'lift up' if you don't understand, it is too often to go into here and would get me off topic.) It seems that those nice newer computers were disposed to exactly what schools and new teachers they wanted to pay them to. The repose of us will give to give due with leftovers. And get this, even if my laptop breaks there is no new laptop for me to have. At least not at my urban school. (So there goes my plan for my laptop to mysteriously get some kinda virus and become totally useless!) Ain't this some madness? Now, I am required to learn with the same fidelity as any other school in my district but I get whatever is left to do that. Most of the computers in our computer lab have another school's name crossed out. When we did receive newer models for the classrooms this year, yep, they were from other schools. Some don't even work. And we were only allowed three per room where we used to feature four and no, we could not save our old ones and take a full computer center in our rooms. I bet those Chimney Lake chicks have a curse IT department at their schools (no, I am not jealous.well, maybe a little...). I am saddened to believe that there is some other school out there in a worse plight than mine that got OUR old computers! I can't imagine where that power be though. Maybe somewhere on the face of a lot in the woods and over the river. Poor teachers there are probably sending email by carrier pigeon!It's OK (not) still love my job!
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