You can’t always guess what they want
In-service training is a field unto itself. From a student’s point of view, the subject matter fits the need. From a teacher’s point of view, the students are finally faced with a subject area that may interest them.
Reality is a harsh master. I am involved with in-service from time to time, either as the facilitator or the technician. Both put you in the limelight, one gives you star billing. The audience; always tough.
Earlier this week, I helped with a group that required a small area network to be put in place while they were still “at table”, if you will. Every time we closed the door to the adjacent office area, the wireless network disappeared from the radar, so a quick and dirty wired solution was put in place. There is a rule that says that a wire on the floor must be tripped over repeatedly, even though “everybody” knows the wire is there. Similarly, a quick and dirty solution is always dirty, never quick. Forty-five minutes into the workshop we simply propped the door open and went back to the initial wireless solution.
The audience; tough. No matter how obvious it was that we were trying to fix things. their computer was obviously unique; after all, they didn’t have the network that had been promised. We made it through, but the sweat on my brow was earned.
Today, I faced the same group. This time, my role was to present a topic I was sure would be of no interest, but that’s what the roll of the dice had ordained. An introduction to sound editing. The audacity of me. Funny thing, though. They all were in tune, on task, ideal students. I think it went well. They asked for more.
So let’s add this one to the rule book. You can’t always guess what they want.
