"And now for something COMPLETELY DIFFERENT"
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
I gotta spread the word that I’m moving to a new position within my job!
For the past 1.25 years, I’ve been working as a trainer. I teach doctors and nurses how to do their jobs and actually do the billing right so they can get paid. Being a trainer, sometimes it feels very different from being a teacher. Teaching someone how to use a computer with a user-unfriendly application is not always the bed of roses that it may seem to be! Sometimes being a trainer means:
1. Training Pavlov’s Dog--It seems sometimes that my only job is to put the electric shocks in the right place so people do the correct action - not because it makes sense but because they’ll get shocked if they do otherwise. And sometimes, there’s a reward at the end...but most times not.
2. Training Lions--I would put “taming lions” but really if you have to make them do tricks, it’s more than just taming! Sometimes I feel like I’m in a ring of angry and scared captive creatures who would just as soon have me for lunch than learn anything from me.
3. Training Wheels--Ah, this is a nice image instead of the 2 scary ones above. I get to be the support (or in teacher speak, the Scaffolding) that people need to be able to learn the system. I support their learning up until the point that they can do it on their own.
So that’s what it’s been, and after over a year, you can stick a fork in me! I’m done! So now I’m moving on to the position of Instructional Designer. W00t! Something that *actually* relates to my degree! It’s not quite the focus I was hoping for, but they promised that things were eventually moving to e-learning and simulations to make training more accessible to all hospital staff. So, starting October 18, I’m working at the regional center and starting a brand new adventure.
HI-HO! I’m ready to go! Wish me luck and away we go!
That’s awesome, Kat! I hope there’s a nice fat raise with your new title!
Posted by laura on 10/10 at 03:45 AMGood for you!!! I’m so excited for you (though not as excited as I would be if it included, say, a move to NYC).=)
Posted by on 10/10 at 09:19 AMUnfortunately, there is NO raise. T___T Booo! I’m in a 2 year contract with no hope of raises. In fact, if I am to interview somewhere else within or outside of my job, I will be fired immediately with no hope of ever working for my company again. Booo #2!
So that’s my lot for now. I’m just happy to work in a position that will help my *actual* career path as an instructional designer instead of just training.
Posted by kat on 10/10 at 10:35 AMYay, Kathy! Insert clandestine pictures of Toby where you can.
Posted by on 10/10 at 05:47 PMcongratulations kat new beginnings are always great, always look for the positives in the new position, for sure nothings perfect but as long as the journey heads in the right direction that’s a plus and another line on your resume or C.V.
kat give me a call when you get a chance, wondering if i could set up a photo shoot for my God-daughter, she’s turning 18. thanks love ya, gary
Posted by on 10/10 at 07:38 PMTalking about Pavlov’s training, wouldn’t that be cool if you could do a type of e-learning that would “shock” the person at their computer when they don’t do the simulations correctly? That kind of reminds me of the beginning of Ghostbusters where Bill Murray is electrocuting the student during the psychic test! Hmm. . . it’s a good thing I didn’t follow the rest of our family into teaching, huh? Instead I get to DRILL on people! HAR HAR HAR!! I love the internet for my brain droppings! ;)
Posted by on 10/10 at 09:53 PMYay, Kat!!! I know what you mean! Sometimes I want to devour a trainer myself (hee hee hee) for this awful EMR system but I know it gets better! Glad you survived and now you’re moving up. Will you be in Pasadena then? Also-what SLR do you recommend me buying to capture the essence of my next child? I bought a canon s1 4 years ago but it’s broken...will cost more to fix. Thanks for blogging again. I was beginning to wonder what you’ve been up to. Glad to see you are doing well.
Posted by on 10/12 at 10:25 PM