Another Teacher Institute

A couple of years ago I posted about being in the dreaded October teacher institute where we were asked by the presenter to find another person and stare silently into their eyes for 30 seconds for the purpose of getting to “know your Opra.”  I have no idea what that phrase means, but I just refused to stare at another person for 30 seconds.

Well, just a few minutes ago, at this year’s dreaded annual teacher institute, a different presenter asked us to do the same.  I immediately turned off to this idea and just sat, but about half of the roughly 1000 other teachers in the gymnasium did stand up and engage in the act—so absolutely silently that you could hear a pin drop.  And then the presenter played Barry White!

Groan!

Eric

I feel that is a known exercise as my sister was in a modeling class many years ago where that was one of the exercises.

It is called Eye Gazing.

https://www.healthline.com/health/eye-gazing

Eric Hanson wrote:find another person and stare silently into their eyes for 30 seconds

omg i remember as a 7th grader in a drama camp having to do this, and at age 51 i can still distinctly remember the amazing amount of awkward it was (if it dissolves into giggles and then guffaws, fine, that's allowed, but otherwise, eeeeew)

Maybe you can go to ARRL teachers institute next year, I doubt they will have any eye gazing.

https://www.arrl.org/teachers-institute-on-wireless-technology

I think I’ rather watch Mozart vids on youtube to learn more about opra but you have fun with that.

It’s done!  Great!  

Hopefully next year’s speaker won’t have us do this again.

Eric, I have nothing to offer you except, all the sympathy I can send long distance.  As someone has written, EEEEEEEUW!

Try to laugh about this, it can't hurt and may just help a little!

Peace

What tha... I'm sorry, Eric. ~smh~

Thanks guys.

This was just another of those weird, bizarre moments in yet another teacher institute day, with this day being essentially a repeat of the same activity that we had about two years ago.  I didn't participate in either.  It was just too weird.

Eric

Forced ocular intimacy isn’t good. But I love all sorts of bizarre psychological self-experimentation. I notice that if you look at and focus on the spot directly between the other’s eyes, you can disconnect emotionally. Which is not only awkward but uncanny. And sometimes useful (though better not make a habit of it…)