haven't written in awhile

I have had many interesting teaching experiences, and have many a story to tell (beginning year 3 as a sub in the tough schools of Richmond, CA) but I'm not sure how to go about it. I see a lot of "Action" in these schools but I want to do them justice, and don't want to give the wrong impression. Right now I'm at a point where I don't know what to think about some of the stuff I'm seeing, but I don't want to think out loud about it here. Since the media coverage of the RHS rape case I have been especially concerned, as many of the people I've talked to who live in safer areas seem to think that all RHS students are inhuman as a result. I just think of them as nice kids.

Philip K. Dick quote from Vulcan's Hammer

…it was the task of the schools, and especially the grammar schools, to infuse the youth of the world with the proper attitudes. What else were schools for?

crimes witnessed

two of the worst things I saw last semester:
1. A student punched out a glass display case.
2. A student smoked illicit herbs in class.
(in the latter instance all the kids got searched.
nothing was found. tricky little devil, whoever)

memoirs of last semester not yet written

apologies to this nice blog for failing to
fill its pages with all the cool stories.

I had a couple nice longish term jobs in my
last months as 07-08 high school sub.
The longest was for a French/English class.
Got quite attached, still lack objectivity.
Did a number of 3-day to one week jobs
which afforded nice teaching opportunities
and chances to get to know students better.
Started getting to know students better
as I saw them in different subjects.
Rare is the day I don't hear several
"hey mr Hand"calls as I walk across campus.

There have been several great opportunities
to check out real student work, and some of
them even asked for my advice about it! Lots
of interesting chess matches. I had fun trying
to explain the lessons to them and while my
enthusiasm was too often dulled by student-
under-sub apathy, always at least a few of
them appreciated and enjoyed whatever
efforts I put out. I'm glad to have done it.

Today I had a doggy visitor

While working my excellent summer position doing English at Richmond High, I had a pleasant diversion from the usual 8am teaching experience. A wayward dog burst into the room: a non-threatening, timid little terrier-type creature, probably with some chihuaha. Poor little thing was spooked by me and ran from my efforts to make friends, but eventually bonded with a couple of the girls who talk about makeup and boys. The teacher who followed the dog into my room asked me to watch it for awhile, which I was fine with, eventually they called animal control when they couldn't determine who belonged to our little visitor. The teacher on the case gave me a sweatshirt for the dog to lie on. She (as we soon noticed) at first was playing with it and chewing on it, then fell asleep on it. I had given her some food I found in the desk (the teacher who uses the room had a little dog with her when she came by last week) and poured her some water--lucky thing the prior teacher had left her doggy dish! Animal Cops Contra Costa County showed up during the lunch break; she tried to bite him a few times and didn't like the leash, poor thing. I told the officer what I knew and he told me "if anybody looks for her she's in Pinole."

The writing is on the desk

Last week I taught the same Chemistry classes for a week. The kids seemed to like me pretty well, as I let them have relative freedom--I overheard one kid tell another that I'm the "only sub this class doesn't get out of control for." Certain of the kids showed their appreciation by writing down some funny things that I said, which I have taken as a compliment of the highest order. Unfortunately it's not my wisest or wittiest stuff, but until somebody takes an eraser to it, "let this be a lesson to you not to stay up late watching the CSI Miami Marathon" will be inspiring and instructing students for posterity. (They also signed it "Mr. Hand" but with a little drawing of a hand instead of my last name... I was touched)

I didn't know dream interpretation was part of the job description

The other day a high school girl told me: "I had a dream that I died and came back as a white girl. Can that happen?"