A Week in the Life of a Teacher
Day 3 or Much Better, Thank You
6:45 - 8:30 Before School
This morning is much more relaxed than yesterday morning. I don’t have to plan any lessons or make any copies. I do have 4 make up essays to give, and I have to update the portfolio I found in the trunk of my car. I work on that while my students write their essays, and everything is quiet and relaxed.
8:30 - 8:58 1st Period Essentials of English
It’s an early release day, so my classes are only 28 minutes long. There’s not much that I can accomplish in this time considering it routinely takes 10-15 minutes for my 1st block classes to settle down. Once they come in, get settled, write their journals, and then share their journal assignments, we only have 13 minutes left in class. I don’t want to start a new story in that 13 minutes, so I tell them to work on their independent reading packets that are due next week.
Believe it or not, they aren’t super interested in this. But they’re being basically quiet, and they’re in good moods. The student who I had to speak with in the hall yesterday because of her poor attitude asks if she can braid my hair, and two other girls ask if they can provide “that party atmosphere.” I ask what that means, and they start playing Bruno Mars from their phones and dancing. It’s pretty entertaining, so I tell them I don’t care, but their packets are still due next week. After Bruno Mars, I’m treated to performances of old Whitney Houston, SWV, and Keith Sweat. Also, my hair has a pretty sweet waterfall braid in it now.
9:03 - 9:31 2nd Period Essentials of English
This class goes much like the one before it, minus the hair braiding and R&B hits. It takes the students about 10-15 minutes to get through their regular morning work. Also, there are 4 students absent today. I’m trying to get their attention, so I can tell them to work on their packets that are due next week, when one of them loudly yells out, “Ms. B, have you ever done drugs?” This is a common question. Students constantly ask me if I drink, do drugs, vape (again. What is the deal with vaping?), or if I “partied in college.”
I don’t really understand why they ask these questions, but almost always another student will say “She can’t answer that question.” Today, when someone says “she can’t answer that question,” the asker looks at me and says “Is that true? You can’t answer me?” I just say “No” and move on.
9:38 - 10:06 3rd period English 2 Honors
During this class, we finish reading the short story that we started yesterday. The class starts off pretty benignly. No one says anything ridiculous. I don’t have to yell at anyone for being on their phone. We’re moving along pretty smoothly, when we read that one of the characters in the story has “red, bloodshot” eyes.
At this point, a student yells out “HE’S ON DRUGS!!!! People with bloodshot eyes are on drugs!” I say “hmmmm is there any other reason someone might have bloodshot eyes?” and several other students chime in with reasonable answers based on the text: “He’s tired!” “He’s been crying!” “He’s stressed!” And one kid, rather comically says “He has itchy, watery eyes caused by allergies!” The Drugs Kid says “OK, OK he’s not on drugs,” and sits down as if he’s disappointed. We finish the story with no more drug references, and have a nice discussion.
10:11 - 10:39 4th period English 2 Honors
Bracket Boy comes into class and says, “Ms. B, you have to join our bracket challenge. Mr. T Joined,” to which I say “Oh well if Mr. T joined, I guess I do have to. If Mr. T is doing something, then we all should do it.” Bracket Boy says, “Yeah, exactly.”
I get everyone settled for class, and another student comes in and announces “The A-Hall bathroom smells like marijuana.” Cool. Why are they so obsessed with drugs today? I just shrug, and we start reading the story.
At the end of class, Bracket Boy has me download the ESPN Bracket Challenge App and join their class bracket. I do it because it would be funny if I beat Mr. T.
10:46 - 11:17 5th period English 2 Honors
This class goes really well. The kids are much more energetic and participatory than yesterday, and we make it through the story with good discussion and no references to drugs or drug paraphernalia.
11:17 - 11:50 LUNCH
I get to eat my lunch in relative silence. It’s amazing.
11:50 - 12:21 6th Period English 2 HN
This class goes by really quickly. The kids also seem more energetic than normal, and everyone seems into the story. We have good discussion, and more students participate than normal. Just when I think everything is safe, at the end of class a student starts to talk about how their sub for next block was arrested for “possession of less than 1 gram of meth...and he’s still a substitute teacher! It’s crazy!”
Sure enough. I Google this substitute, and I very easily find his mugshot with the charge of possession of less than 1 gram of meth. Then the bell rings for the end of class.
12:29 - 1:30 PLANNING
I sit down for what I think is going to be a quiet and relaxed planning period, when the administrator from the impromptu conference I had yesterday comes in and tells me that the issue isn’t over. The parent is no longer happy with the resolution and went to our head principal. The head principal backed me and the other admin, but the parent is still not happy. She plans on filing an official complaint with the district. Go ahead, gurl. You do you.
Other teachers have curriculum and department chair meetings until 3:45, but I have a doctor’s appointment, so I get to leave early today.
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