How Things AreI have posted nothing since the first day of school, due in large part to the fact that I am busier now that I have probably ever been in my entire life. Earlier this summer, the principal asked me, in addition to the three honors pre-algebra and two pre-algebra classes that I am teaching, if I would be willing to teach a period of life science, since I taught the class for the second part of last year. When she informed me that doing so would add an extra ten thousand dollars to my salary this year, I agreed without hesitation.
Now, after a month has passed, and I am faced with sheer exhaustion and feeling completely overwhelmed on an almost daily basis, I often ask myself if it was worth it. I have three different classes that I have to prepare for, over 200 students between all of these classes, and it seems that there are always piles and piles of papers spread around my apartment that need to be graded.
That's pretty much how I spent this past weekend- trying to get caught up on all the work that had not yet been graded. I honestly did not want to spend my weekend that way, but I had little choice, as I had to have progress reports ready for this week.
When I was in middle school, back in the late 1980s, I used to love parent conference week. We got out of school at 12:30 each day for an entire week. For us, it was like heaven.
Being on this side of it, however, is not as fun. Yes, school ends at 12:30. But, for us teachers, that is only the beginning. For nearly two and a half hours each day this week, I have to sit in the library waiting for parents to come to talk to me. Since nearly all kids struggle with math, nearly all parents want to talk to their kid's math teacher. Add the one period of science to the mix, and you will discover that there is almost always a line of at least five people standing in front of my table waiting to speak with me.
For the most part, it is pretty painless. It's really just a matter of explaining the exact same thing over and over again...going over the homework and grading policy so that they can understand why their child has the grade that they do.
Working at a high-performing middle school in an upscale neighborhood has both benefits and drawbacks. The benefits are that the parents are really involved (which can also be a drawback, at times) and we can almost always get things that we want or need for our classroom. (This, of course, raises questions of equity and social justice, but I'm not going to delve into that matter here...) I am, however, occasionally bothered by the pressure that parents put on kids. I was surprised to see how many parents were upset over the fact that their child had a B in my class. In fact, I had one student who was sitting there with her mother on the verge of tears because her mother was getting after her for missing ONE assignment in my science class. ONE ASSIGNMENT! She had an A-, for crying out loud, and her mother was making her feel as if she wasn't doing well enough.
In addition to all of the stress of being a first year teacher, I also have to attend something called BTSA Induction, which is a two year training course required for new teachers by state law. Basically, there are meetings to go to, classes to attend and assignments to complete on an almost weekly basis. As if we didn't have enough things to worry about. Normally these meetings take place after school on Mondays but, occasionally, they are all day events for which I have to get a substitute and all that kind of garbage. Any of you who have worked in the teaching profession probably know that making sub plans is often more trouble than it is worth. I'd rather come to work sick and just press through the day than have to bother coming up with 100 minutes of busywork for the kids to do because the sub, more than likely, hasn't the slightest idea how to teach Pre-Algebra.
I attend these meetings along with the new 6th grade Social Studies teacher. Normally, we just sit in the back of the room making sarcastic comments to each other and grading papers. (I know...that's just the type of thing that I would make a student stay after school for...)
Well, aside from having survived my first month of teaching, there are other things going on in my life. The most important of these is the fact that I am now in a committed relationship with the lovely Kelsey Kuehn. In the wake of Katrina, we decided to go ahead and get things rolling, in spite of the distance and in spite of having not spent much time together in person. I'll admit, things have moved pretty quickly for us...even though we have only known each other for a little over two months, this is already what could be called a Very Serious Relationship.
I mentioned before that, in a long-distance relationship, you have to pretty much be in or out. There is not really room for all the games that people play when they first begin dating. Prior to the hurricane, I was in a somewhat non-commital state of mind...not certain that I really wanted to be involved in a long-distance thing.
Thinking that somebody is dead for two and a half days, however, can quickly change one's perspective. After we had restored communication, I knew that, if I persisted in my state of wishi-washiness, she'd probably just tell me, "Look, you're a nice guy...I like you...but I don't have time for this. Have a nice life." I knew then that I had to lock this thing down.
So, I went all in. Things have not been easy over the past month or so...our biggest problem has been the inability to get in touch with each other due to all the communication problems in the storm's wake. Yet, both of us are committed to making this work, in spite of those difficulties.
She's coming out to California for a visit next week, and will be coming again for Thanksgiving. And, if all continues to go as well as it has been, California just might have a new resident around the beginning of the year...and Matt will be a very happy boy.
