HIT: Frustrated w/"no-shows"

[Sally Lantz <sarahl@CCPL.CARR.LIB.MD.US>]

LM_NET members are incredible!  Last week when I was so frustrated and
discouraged because yet another teacher had failed to show up for the
media time and instruction he had signed up for I turned to you for
suggestions, solutions, empathy.  I was totally overwhelmed with the #,
length, and sincerity of the responses I received.  Perhaps the most
important thing I learned is that we all face, at one time or another,
very similar problems and frustrations.  It helped me to know that my
misery had company:)  The compassion that you showed and the suggestions
you offered have spurred me to strive even harder to convince *all* of the
staff that the media center and its program need to be an intregal
component of the daily education of our students.

For those of you who can benefit from the suggestions I received, here's a
summary:
*use appointment cards or notes to remind the day before
*photocopy your schedule/plan book and place appropriate sheet in mailbox
*go get them or use the PA system, student assistant, e-mail, voice-mail
 to inquire if they are coming once they don't show up
*work for better cooperative, integrated planning w/ teacher involved
*keep written records
*discuss w/admin if it's the same people over and over again
*write (or say) a "Gee, we sure missed you; when can you reschedule" note
*keep an appointment book & have teachers write own appointments in it so
 there's no misunderstanding
*discuss at staff meeting or team leaders' meeting
*concentrate on doing what you do best with/for those who apprecaite you
 and your expertise; word will get around to the others
*stress that you're looking out for the general well-being of the
 staff and that there are others who could have used the time if you had
 known that that class wasn't coming
*develop "Assertive Courtesy".."you are a fellow professional and deserve
 to be treated as one!"  Another wrote, "Don't be a patsy".
*stay polite but firm
*t-a-l-k  to the teacher(s) involved; tell them how you feel
*don't ever give up!
*finally..."treat yourself to a massage, chocolate, coffee"..."yoga, long
 walk"...what ever makes *you* feel better about *you*!
*don't take it personally; use the extra time to get something done
*"What are you upset about?"

Keep in mind:
*teachers get stressed this time of year (true, but I'm a teacher and so
 do I!)
*rarely do these people act this way toward only one person; check w/
 special area teachers (will at least make you feel better)
*teachers are like the rest of the population---all sizes, colors, and
 degrees of foregtfulness and/or manners
*"you're the one who is doing what you are supposed to do..."

So...I made the "joint planning form" even before I wrote to LM_NET and
finalized it this weekend.  Will require teacher to fill our his/her half
before signing up for time and then I'll fill in my half including media
objectives, instruction to be provided, possible resources.  Dates and
times we'll fill in together.  I'll then Xerox it and return a copy to
teacher. Guess I'll also remind them and track them down if they still
don't show.  Most of all *I* need to strive for the "Assertive Courtesy".
I'm afraid there are many who still think we do nothing but "fiddle with
books" as one LM-NETTER said.  Will continue to try to change that
perception!

I sent a note to the teacher last Tuesday...no response!  He is a nice guy
so assume he's totally embarrassed.

Again, a millions thanks to each of you!
Sally Lantz
sarahl@ccpl.carr.lib.md.us