Multitasking or "making a hole in the water"?

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I have neglected this blog and this post is by way of apologising to my readers but here was my day – the list below repeats itself day in day out with some changes, but that’s a standard day…Here is the story today:

1. Ran input sessions in the morning from 9-1
2. Observed teaching practices after lunch
3. Discussed lessons and gave feedback

That, in fact, was the very best part of my day as I was focussed on one thing at a time.
Then the multi-tasking began involving 3-4 of the items on my list at any given moment:

1. Writing Teaching Practice reports for my CELTA trainees
2. Marking assignments for same
3. Organising tomorrow’s visit by the DELTA external assessor
4. Making last minute flight changes for the CELTA assessor who is coming next week – who also wants a vegetarian meal…
5. Organising two alternative online class spaces for  a group of online trainees tomorrow
6. Answering  trainee  email about references, assignments, lesson plans
7. Giving information about courses over the phone – making arrangements for tests, interviews, payments
8. Chatting to tutors who pop into my office – how can I say ‘go away’….
9. Writing (or trying to) finish an article which somehow does not seem to be able to get past the first few paragraphs…
10. Trying to track down than certificate which I paid registered post rates to send and which my student has not received yet; calling the post office; getting some nothing information; being told I have to appear personally and fill in an application by hand; can’t do that via email, no, they have to see my face…
11. Sneaking guilty looks on twitter; opening 25 windows to look at all the links and not having time to really check even half of them properly
12. Finding a most excellent link or resource; rushing to de.licious it or quick to rush to our wiki to share with trainees; occasional quick shares on facebook…
13. Reading a most excellent blog post and not having time to respond properly….OK, I’ll stay up late and do it

Then a dear friend calls and says, shall we have lunch together sometime, meet for a drink, or have you disappeared inside that screen. I say, I can’t possibly, can’t you hear the background noise, it’s the pixels….
Multitasking or “making a hole in the water” (Greek saying)?
N.B. The image in this post is royalty-free from http://www.clipartof.com/details/clipart/52660.html]]>