Hints for what you like about your Director in CC??

[SonshineLearner]

Hey Y'all!!

 

I was reading another "resurrected" thread about Classical Conversations (CC) and some of the threads were talking about groups that were "organized" versus "unorganized" and I was wondering if you could share with me what types of "organized" things you are thankful for....

 

Also, go ahead and make me cringe :) What things do you just think, "NO!" when it happens in your group?? What makes you think "How could she let THAT happen??"

 

I'm trying to take notes, as we have one more Open House this year. I don't have to have a large group, but I would like to be more organized. I'm kinda laid back, which in some ways is wonderful, but it would help to have a more "polished" look, if possible....

[Hedgehogs4]

I've been involved with (and tutored for) two CC groups and both directors were wonderful.

 

Reading your question, the first thing that came to mind was that both directors were strong. They knew the purpose of the group and didn't allow themselves to be sucked into drama or opinion-searching, and they immediately put a halt to any behaviors or assumptions that were contrary to the purpose of the group. I suppose that makes them sound mean in a way, but I think it's a necessary posture when you have 10, 20, 30 other (sometimes strong) moms with (possibly) other agendas.

 

They often repeated the rules, so that no one was surprised when they were called on it (this goes for kids and parents). No running in the halls means no running in the halls, regardless of whose child you are. You must be with your child means you must be with your child, regardless of your "need for me time."

 

I guess consistency is the key. It eliminates the chaos that so easily engulfs a large gathering of people.

 

It also helped that they were both very clear with their tutors in terms of expectations for the class. I knew where I had latitude to do things a bit differently, and I also knew they had my back if necessary.

 

Just a few thoughts for now.

 

:iagree: The director can be very friendly, helpful and supportive without being everyone's best bud. The rules are there for a reason.

 

Avoid lunchtime chaos. Somehow our lunchtimes at first were miserable, with older kids wolfing down their food then running all over the place while moms sat trying to feed toddlers and have some semblance of conversation. Finally she set the rule that families had to sit together at mealtime and kids could run socialize on the playground. We have two playground monitors assigned each week who get busy eating then shuffling the kids out so other moms can have time to chat and finish up their lunch and clean-up. It ended a lot of the lunchtime chaos, which i found to be the most exhausting part of the whole day.

[Sahamamama]

:bigear:

[loudjoy]

Thanks for this thread! I am going to be a director next year and this was pretty helpful.

[mymonkeybug]

I am a first time Director this current school year with a very small Foundations group. My only issue really is that, for me personally, any Director needs to make sure she/he has plenty of seriously committed tutors. I am not only the Director but the ONLY tutor as well so what this means is that if/when I am ill or one of my kids is ill, I have to make phone calls the night before or morning of and cancel CC for the day. It would work much better if I had had at least one mom commit to being a sub-tutor at the minimum.

 

I wish I could say more on the topic of your questions but simply can't yet. Let's touch on it again this time next year :tongue_smilie:

[SonshineLearner]

I'm not Directing a CC program anymore :) I'm directing another program :) Good Luck!