Thursday, March 25, 2010

Blowing the Whistle



Who dares to teach must never cease to learn.
John Cotton Dana

Yesterday, I had a half day afternoon job, teaching Latin. I'm not a morning person, so not having to show up until noon works for me. I spent my morning puttering around the house--reading a little, writing a little, checking my email, and planting a few columbines out in the garden. I emptied the dishwasher and brought up the garbage cans. Took something out to defrost for dinner, then washed my face, put on my teacher clothes, and headed off to the high school, and Latin.

Yeah, Latin. Like I know how to teach that. But in this stint of substitute teaching, I've become quite adept at learning a new subject in only a matter of moments. Often subbing is only babysitting as teachers leave boring worksheets or study time. But I find refereeing a room full of middle or high school students, with basically nothing to do for an hour and a half, offers more strain on my temperament than discovering a new subject and seeking a route to enhance both their learning and mine.

In the past few months, I've taught World History, Geography, French, English, Band, Theatre Arts, Algebra 2, Earth Science and Biology. I've learned, and hopefully passed on, some valuable material. But where have I spent most of my time? P.E. Physical Education. Picture a 53 year old women in the middle of a gym with 35 kids playing combat Dodge Ball. Not a problem, though. As the mother of three boys, I'm comfortable walking into a room with flying balls.

I'm requested often for PE. My friend at the YMCA gave me a whistle which I keep in my teacher bag. Comes in handy when the mom voice doesn't quite rise above the din in the gym.

If students become unruly in PE? I merely blow that whistle and say in a calm voice. "You guys aren't listening to me. Time to run."

As the kids run/walk/jog around me, tongues hanging to the floor, they ask how long they have to run. I look at my watch, then answer. "Until I get tired."

Works every time.

So, Latin. I go to school. Turns out I have my days wrong. My Latin assignment is on Friday. I blame menopause for the brain fade rather than stupidity. Like, didn't I look at the date of the job when I signed up? So thankful the women who work that front office are my age. They laughed with me, rather than at me.

Showing up for work, and then not having to? Almost like a Snow Day.

Until Friday then. Magister dixit. Carpe noctem.

34 comments:

  1. I love in your header that part that says: "...who hasn't had a steady paycheck in 21 years..." Some people might gasp at that in horror, but I find that so refreshing. I'm an entrepreneur and am in the same boat...I love it...great blog!

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  2. A clean, fresh and bright story...no decorative, precious words. Loved it!

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  3. Happy Snow Day....hey I think I would enjoy teaching in the gym...but Latin not so much unless the words come from the Mass.
    ........:-) Hugs

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  4. I see how you stay on top of things, and learning two new phrases! Carpe Diem! Salve!

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  5. I hope you found a place to celebrate your day off. LOL!

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  6. I had 2 years of Latin, got A's, but don't remember much, except Te Amo...I love you!

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  7. Brought back memories of the four years of Latin I took in high school. Oh, my.
    You are brave.

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  8. Julie, you might enjoy this.
    http://moptop-moptopspitstop.blogspot.com/2010/03/ecce-romani.html
    A good teacher can teach anything - and that clearly applies to you. And any teacher who is prepared to sub deserves a medal. I'd love to be a fly on the wall of your classroom.

    By the way it was reassuring to know of your mental-pause issues. Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind altogether.

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  9. Anyone who can substitute-teach all those subjects has to be very talented. Seriously. Managing one's own classroom is one thing, but other people's classes, in new subjects... clearly you are strong as well as versatile. My word verification is "milista"... maybe you are stronger than I thought!

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  10. Ha.. I trust you enjoyed your "snow" day. :)

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  11. I did some substitute teaching about 20 years. It is undoubtedly an exhausting job. Hope you enjoyed your Snow Day! LOL!

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  12. I think you're a very smart person, having to learn a language and then teaching it sounds hard, you really should be proud of yourself... I came to this blog by following a comment you made and I'm so glad I did, now I'm proudly bookmarking you so I can add you on my links page... What a good read

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  13. "As the mother of three boys, I'm comfortable walking into a room with flying balls"...that is funny on so many levels!

    I went thru menopause in my 30s when I had my hysterectomy, and the mental deficit remains intact today at age 61. Hopefully yours is temporary!

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  14. What'd you do, go back in a time machine to take that job? Do they still have schools where they have Latin classes? I think it's a wonderful idea to at least get enough Latin to help students learn some of the roots of the words we use.
    Lee

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  15. This was so much fun to read. Wouldn't it be nice if running to exhaustion could be the solution for more problems? I love that you got the wrong day and that it was funny, not horrible. I didn't know Latin was still taught - I have great memories of two years with Mrs. Ruyle feeling so cool to learn a dead language and all about the Romans.

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  16. "Until I get tired." Love it!!But I think I'd prefer Latin to gym...even though I know nothing of it. Figured out your final phrase, though: Carpe noctem. Oh, yes!

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  17. Scary! Very scary. I can't imagine :). LATIN!!?? YIKES.

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  18. Thanks for coming over to visit this morning.

    I know exactly what you mean about getting your date wrong for subbing . . . I taught jr. high and subbed for 10 years before that . . . and I certainly did learn a lot. Odd how I could look forward to snow days as much as I did, when they also meant "no income." Hope your snow day paid out in other ways. ;)

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  19. Oh gosh, the last time I sub-taught at a high school, it was more baby-sitting. The full-time teacher didn't have no stinkin lesson plans, as the students told me, so I was left out to dry.
    I much prefer teaching at either the university or kindergarten levels.
    Great blog entry!

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  20. I love your reframe of menopausal memory loss as a good thing! I'm going to work on that.

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  21. A day off ... lovely way to spend some quiet moments to yourself.

    Saw that you came over for a visit. Join me anytime.

    Cheers! Carpe diem ...

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  22. You are so brave, to be teaching Latin! Hope you enjoyed your snow day! Merci beaucoup for stopping by and for your nice comments!

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  23. I just realized the ways a person can NOT be a morning person. For you, it seems you don't hit your game 'til later in the day. For me, it means I could still be asleep at noon and would have to set an alarm for 11 a.m. just to be there on time.

    Anyhow, I rather like thinking of you as a PE teacher--shows that all your years of stay-at-home momming resulted in some very practical skills, indeed...should any interviewer ever want to question that fact.

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  24. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  25. "Until I get tired." That's a crack-up.

    You can teach anything you want to, because you're THAT talented and awesome.

    Yes, you are.

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  26. You've learned well. The time goes much faster if you are engaged in teaching by learning something new yourself. Kids hate busywork anyhow and that makes you start with one strike against you. It is fun to see where striking out in a whole different direction leads you. This is about 30 some years of sub-teaching speaking. Harummph.

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  27. Okay, I've taught whole courses on an amalgam of subjects, often with less than a week of prep time before the first meeting, but I've never walked in and taught a class a subject I had zero experience with!

    I'm glad you showed up early for the class, and not late.

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  28. You are a brave, brave woman. Not only to teach Latin, of all things, but to be a supply teacher to HIGH SCHOOL kids. I bow to you.

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  29. Turning up before you were due to work is better than forgetting to turn up when you were due to be there.

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  30. I've thought about substitute teaching but I'm afraid my mom voice would get me fired. :-)

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  31. :...they ask how long they have to run. I look at my watch, then answer. "Until I get tired.""

    Girl after my own heart ;)

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  32. I wonder if I can handle the substitute gig? :)
    When you talk about it now and then, you always have something new and crazy to add. :)

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  33. I love it when the plan goes out the window, and I have time for me!! What a gift! Happy "un-snow day!" And best of luck with Latin on Friday! You are very brave! ~Janine XO

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  34. I am SO going to utilise that line, 'You kids aren't listening to me. Time to run.' How this is going to work in a small English classroom, I don't know, but it sounds like such a good idea.

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