The first couple of weeks as a full time substitute for Comfort High School’s Biology Teacher have been both interesting and confusing. There’s been a lot to do to catch up to what my real job is, and very few available resources to help with that process. Still, I guess it’s better to have this to do (and the money I am earning) than not.
We have just begun the final “Six Weeks” – the last grading period of the year, and I at least know what the teacher’s syllabus calls for students to learn during that time. I’m not anywhere near being quick enough on my feet with this subject, so I’m having to do weekly, daily and even hourly plans for each of these six weeks to maintain any sense that I’m prepared. Fortunately, we are having school-wide testing this week, and I’m free most of every day to do those plans. The next five weeks will probably tell my tale as a teacher, because I don’t plan to do this again.
The dynamic here at Comfort High is pretty much what I remember about High School teaching. There is a WIDE variety among the students, and the traditional cliques are firmly in place. Around here, those include: The Jocks and The Nerds (of course), The Band-o’s are here, but not very visable – they are outnumbered by The Ropers (agricultural students) – and the biggest group of all are The Slackers.
The racial mix is about 50-50 Hispanic/White; if anything it leans toward Hispanic majority. There is a small number who are unfamiliar with English, but very few. There are no African-American students (though there is Anti-Black graffiti in the Boys’ Room) and no Asian population, either. Integration is pretty good, but self-segregation is evident at lunch and even in one of my classes, where the Anglo kids sit on one side and the Hispanic kids on the other (this seems to be more clique related than racial, however.)
Most of the kids are friendly enough, but very few actually desire any contact with a teacher, so I’m left alone most of the time. There is one student – a shy young man with average grades in my class – that I pass every morning on the way to my classroom. He’s always in the same spot, always alone (perhaps waiting for someone, I don’t know) and he ALWAYS sees me and drops his eyes as if to say “for goodness sake, don’t TALK to me!” I pushed through that for a few days – called out hello and got a weak wave – but I realized I was making him uncomfortable, so I now look straight ahead and pass him silently. It seems to be easier.
The staff has been welcoming, for the most part, but only in response to questions – nobody stops in to be sure I haven’t been tied to a chair or something. And no one has taken a direct interest in ensuring that Mr. Sprott’s biology kids finish the year well other than to make sure someone (like me) was in the room with them every day. It’s unfortunate, because several of his students are taking a test for Advanced Placement college credit in early May, and they have lost their most knowlegable resource.
My days consist of finding things to keep kids busy – hopefully with something related to Biology – and then finding a way to give them a grade, to which they are programmed to respond. I had forgotten how little true curiosity is involved in this process – even in the bright students. A true teacher needs to be able to keep the shovel moving even when the chute is closed, and I have a hard time with that.
I may or may not have further feelings about all of this. Stay tuned just in case.
