Good News/Bad News: I Have Been Nominated As Teacher Of The Year

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

Now you are probably wondering why this is good news/bad news.

It is good news because, well, I was nominated. I have to fill out some paperwork and, assuming I make it through the process, I will be invited (all expenses paid) to a big gala, with people throughout the USA at a luxury hotel for three days. I suppose that is an honor.

Bad news.
OK - these events are deadly - three days in a hotel with about 3 minutes of free time, mostly going to “inspirational” teachers’ meetings and wearing a suit, sitting next to people having dinner and making chit chat and basically being bored out of my mind. A wise teacher once told me, “The three most useless things on earth are rain over the ocean, moonlight by day and teachers’ meetings.” How true.

In past years, these meeting were held in the Bahamas, Puerto Rico and other exotic locations. Not this time. Nope. This year it is in Los Angeles - downtown no less. Hey, I lived in LA for over 10 years and only went to downtown twice - let’s just say it is not the greatest part of LA to spend three days. Downtown LA after dark is about as much fun as roaming a parking lot in Detroit after midnight.

The problem is, if I don’t fill out the paperwork and go to this conference, I will not be considered a team-player. So, although I suppose I should be honored to be nominated, I have never wanted to be passed-over for an award as much as I want to be passed over this time. Hell, it it were at least in Beverly Hills, or Santa Monica, or Santa Barbara - but downtown LA? Big whoop. And, as mentioned, the three days are really nothing more than the usual bullcrap edu-speak of useless blah blah.

I know I am doomed to filling out the paperwork, and most likely will be one of the 100 or so invited to attend. Bet ya $1000 next year, when I am not nominated, the event will be held in Hawaii or Cabo or someplace fun. No - I will schlep over to LA, check into some bland high-end hotel in an area that looks like Kabul at night and eat rubber chicken for dinner and make nice with a perky teacher from Nashville who wants to meet Brad Pitt and thinks he will walk by the hotel tomorrow morning…sigh.

Lucky me.

2

Awww that sucks. Congratulations!

(I do feel for you, downtown LA is no place to vacation. Well not if you’ve already lived there.)

3

Maybe you could conveniently get sick?

Also, would it be that noticeable if you skipped out on some events?

4

Suckgratulations!

5

Congrats on your nomination and who knows? Something interesting may come of it. Meeting new people is always interesting, at least to me. Miss Perky Nashville might actually know Brad Pitt! :stuck_out_tongue:

And … I’m moving this from IMHO to MPSIMS, which seems a more likely forum.

6

It’s an honor for the principal of your school (as well as the superintendent of the district) that one of his or her teachers is nominated. So for their sake, you ought to grit your teeth and go through the process. (And if you win, it should mean a decent raise.)

7

Having visited it a few times, I’d agree that downtown LA is pretty boring. However, when you go out to dinner, you’re in walking distance of Olvera Street for some Mexican food, or Little Tokyo for some Japanese food, so it’s not all bad.

8

Congratulations! And think of it as 3 days away from the kids! Although if you’re teacher of the year that wouldn’t matter to you. Jump through the hoops; the experience may have enough rewarding moments to make it worthwhile.

9

Sounds like hell. I once went to a Qdoba in downtown LA at 630pm. Closed.

10

Downtown isn’t as bad as it once was. There has been a huge push in the last 5 years or so to make it a happening place, and for the last 8 years or so there has bee a thriving club/art/bar scene that takes place mostly in unmarked buildings (though that might have died out in the last couple of years, I stopped going out when I settled down and started a family.)

When it comes time for you to head out here start a thread on things to do in Downtown LA and we will get you set up with some good activities.

Don’t let being in LA stop you form being teacher of the year!

11

hahahahahahahahaha!

Mind you, the school considers this three days as my “reward”, and although they will spend oodles of money flying people from all over to gather there, and another bag of oodles to pay for the rooms and food, I can guarantee you that there will not be a penny left over for a raise, but thanks for the thought!

And thanks to other comments - and yes, I will go through the motions and fill out the paperwork, but I think I might have long lost relatives flying in from Europe to visit me on those exact dates (whenever they are) and sadly be unable to attend. I will make sure they have plenty of notice.

Should that trick not work, I will get back to the rest of you to find out if there is indeed anywhere to go in downtown LA at night that doesn’t involve gang colors and crack pipes. Geez - made it through 12 years in LA without once having to hit downtown LA at night, and now that I live in LV, this happens. What, all the rooms in Compton were booked?

12

Don’t forget the joys of professional jealousy.

13

I have driven cross-country, through the midwest, and haven’t seen a soul for a hundred miles.

And the only place I’ve ever seen a real tumbling tumbleweed was in downtown LA after dark.

14

I attended a computer conference and stayed at the Biltmore in LA. At one time the Biltmore was top of the line swanky. It was beginning to show it’s age when we stayed there. There were some street people/homeless hanging around outside. We were careful to only leave in groups and walked to dinner places.

I killed time walking around exploring the Biltmore. There were some very impressive ball rooms. But, the carpet showed some wear, a little dirt, cracks etc. The place was old. I heard it was remodeled after we were there in 94.

15

Had my senior prom in the Biltmore and it was very nice, but I was a kid so I might not have noticed. This was right at the start of the city trying to turn downtown into a livable place again…10 years ago now.:eek:

16

I think the Biltmore got a major remodel in the late 90’s. They renamed it the Millennium Biltmore. It is a good place for large conferences. They have some huge conference/banquet rooms. Would be a great place for a national teacher conference.

http://www.millenniumhotels.com/millenniumlosangeles/gallery/

17

OK, if a raise isn’t in the offing, how about a visit to the White House? I’m not sure how many groups recognize the “Teacher of the Year,” but based on a Google search, at least one of them gets the award from the President at the White House.

18

Teacher of the year for what level? School, district, state? Around here, the school level TOTY is “rewarded” with a parking spot sign and required to submit a portfolio and videotape demonstrating why he/she should be considered for county recognition. We used to vote for people we didn’t like very well because of all the extra work the “winner” had to do!

19

I started a thread on a similar topic a few days ago: Do you like workplace awards? would you want your name to go forward for one?