At last, training has started! Gill has spent the last two days delivering training to 2nd cycle maths teachers. Doing the training seemed to be the fun part, getting set up for it was unnecessarily stressful. The lack of systems and procedures in the college coupled with the lack of experience of our colleagues at preparing and giving training meant we learned a hell of a lot the hard way. Sometimes it’s only when things get tough do working relationships get tested properly, and the cracks really started to show. After explaining several times how we were going to approach 2^nd cycle training, and writing a document for my colleagues to read and comment on, and my colleagues saying they liked our idea, etc, when reality hit home and we actually did what we said we would do (empty the never-used Pedagogical Resource Centre and turn it into a training room) one of my colleagues was clearly very unhappy. I could sense what was going to happen and when he blew up at me I was actually quite pleased. For once we had an honest conversation and he said what he thought instead of what he thought I wanted to hear. Unfortunately we didn’t get time to come back to it and talk more but maybe we can make progress in communicating more effectively now. Unfortunately this same colleague, after helping to get set up during the afternoon, refused to help anymore saying he was “tired”. I was feeling stressed and fed up at the lack of organization in the college and struggled to stay calm. If I’d had the power I would have fired him on the spot. Fortunately I don’t. So, I think we’ve all learned a lot: my colleagues, about organizing training, and me, about how to understand my colleagues a bit better. I’ve also started to notice that letting some of the frustration and anger leak out has a generally positive effect. Even more than at home, anger isn’t expressed here, so when I do get a bit angry everyone pays attention and tries to cooperate. The downside is I’m not meant to be getting things done by getting stroppy. I’m meant to be getting things done by helping to build the skills of my colleagues so they get them done. But, if I don’t get angry, nobody does anything.