“I do not have the button that you have to add another page!”
Panic is settling in as I look at the Adobe reader pdf document before me. It is the PSOW (What does that even stand for?---OK, I just googled it: Practical Scheme of Work) form. I am required to record every lab I have done in the two-year IB Biology course including the date conducted, the hours required, the topic associated, and the criteria assessed. An old PSOW form has been diligently attended to over the years, labs being recorded as we completed them. However, there is a new form and I can’t just simply cut and paste. Oh no. I have to download the form from the IB site, using Safari (I’m a Chrome user), open it with Adobe Reader and then cut and paste each cell (date, titled of lab, topic, hours, etc.) separately – no, it’s not possible to cut and paste the entire line. Cell by cell I must work. Now I’m trying to figure out how to add an additional page to record all the labs we’ve done. An all-nighter is surely before me.
Lilting laughter soothes me, “Everything will be fine”. My colleague patiently describes where the magic "add-a-page" box is and waits for me to attempt locating it. I position my mobile phone between my shoulder and ear and with tilted head, scroll down to the location she is referring to in the document. Sure enough, there it is, plain as day. How did I miss that? My heart rate slows again. Maybe I won’t need all night after all. My colleague assures me it’ll be OK and shares a couple more pointers that she struggled with but figured out, hoping to save me some time.
I end up calling her two more times. Each time she alleviates my frustration and aids me in quickly interpreting the form.
Right now I’m genuinely grateful for my valuable comrade who is actually an ideal individual with which to work. Then, in my imagination, I walk down the hallway at the school (my room is at the end) and I realize that exceptional colleagues surround me. I am considering what identifies someone as a superb co-worker.
Here is my list of 10 Great Qualities in a Colleague:
1) Collaborative in getting things done and sharing ideas
2) Hard-working, carries own weight
3) Trustworthy
4) Intelligent
5) Helpful
6) Embracing of differences
7) Open to new ideas
8) Caring
9) Enjoyable to have a chat with
Will you help me complete the list? What should be #10? Please share in the comment box below!