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View Full Version : I get to be a trainer,



Zoe Girl
12-20-16, 11:34am
after 4 years of asking! I am really happy and I think my task right now is to let the past go.

We have a program that helps us evaluate program quality that is used in our department and with many of the after school organizations in Denver. I have been using it since it was first introduced. My first year I did this program with 4 schools and since then I have been at one school doing the program. It effectively makes me the person with the most hands on experience in our department. There are trainings that need to be given on a regular basis with this program. I have been asking to do more training for several years but people seem to forget or something has been going on. So this year I found more people to talk to about it, brought it up with my supervisor again, and we had a new person who runs a lot of this so I went directly to him and expressed my interest. That means in spring I have 6 weeks of online classes, 4 skype classes and 3 full days of training, but I am super excited about it.

I am really reflecting on how hard this has been, every time you put yourself out there you are a little bit vulnerable. As you all know I am super sensitive. So it took a lot to keep going. Some years I would get a chance to do some training here and there, I always join the committee, I get good feedback when I do training, but it didn't quite click. I have internalized a lot and lost some confidence over the years, questions like why are they continually choosing people who have less experience and less background in teaching than me who is asking to do this? I even knew some people who were chosen did not want to be trainers. As I write this I wonder if because of my higher education level they expected me to leave and didn't want to invest in the cost of it. I have one of the highest education levels in our department so what can you offer me realistically, it is very rewarding from a manager standpoint to offer professional development to those with lower experience and education. I have been asking for different professional development opportunities, and found a conference on my own that was wonderful to go to last month. I just think they really don;'t know what to do with me :) Yeah for INFJ-ness huh!

Kestra
12-20-16, 12:18pm
Good for you. I totally get the difficulty with putting yourself out there. I've been edging that way myself - it's scary but good.
When you go to enough things and get enough experience there becomes a point when you wonder, Why am I not teaching this? If they can do it, you can do it.

razz
12-20-16, 1:25pm
Good to hear that it is finally happening. It does take persistence to get where one wants to go. I suspect, and you can confirm if this is true, that in the earlier efforts, you were somewhat insecure in how you presented but over the past year, I have seen such an increase in confidence in your posts, is it now visible in your body language, etc., when mentioning your interest?

JaneV2.0
12-20-16, 2:33pm
"I am really reflecting on how hard this has been, every time you put yourself out there you are a little bit vulnerable. As you all know I am super sensitive. So it took a lot to keep going."

You might try reframing that in your mind to something more positive: "I'm super intuitive" or "I'm super aware." or attuned or anything but "sensitive" which carries a lot of the shrinking violet baggage (Remember that doll? One of my relatives had one. )

Tybee
12-20-16, 3:49pm
Congratulations, Zoe, that is great news!

Zoe Girl
12-20-16, 11:37pm
"I am really reflecting on how hard this has been, every time you put yourself out there you are a little bit vulnerable. As you all know I am super sensitive. So it took a lot to keep going."

You might try reframing that in your mind to something more positive: "I'm super intuitive" or "I'm super aware." or attuned or anything but "sensitive" which carries a lot of the shrinking violet baggage (Remember that doll? One of my relatives had one. )

I get it, however I don't say this to other people in real life. I am also aware and intuitive, but sensitive is the core of it. The tough part of me says 'it's not my problem if someone else has a problem with it'. It is just sad that sensitive has such a negative connotation,