Interviewing

So I had an interview today. Actually it was a second interview, where I had to teach a lesson to a group of eighth graders I had never met before. I will likely never see any of them again, even if I am offered the job, because they will be heading to high school in the fall. It's a weird thing, to teach a lesson as part of a job interview. It's not really a true look at someone's teaching style, but it is as close as you can get without going to a classroom that is actually theirs and watching them do what they do in their own space, with their kids.

Planning a lesson for kids I will only ever teach for the one class period is awkward. I don't know what skills they have or what kind of cross curricular connections or connections to their lives are possible. I am not afforded the opportunity to assign homework or let them think about an idea overnight and return to it the next day. Any course correction that I needed to make during the lesson still required all of the everything I was trying to accomplish to come to an end before the students were dismissed for lunch. 

I don't really know how it went. I had fun. I think some of the kids even got something out of the lesson that they can take with them to future writing assignments. But even during the lesson I was thinking about things I could have and should have done differently. There are at least five things I can think of without too much effort that I wish I had said that I didn't. I'm trying not to think about it too much.

I was able to identify the student who needed the most attention with writing. He had some fantastic ideas, but hesitated to put them into his brainstorm. He didn't start writing a paragraph at all. He was supposed to be elaborating on the sentence "I was angry." He preferred to engage in philosophical debate over getting angry vs. being inconvenienced. I really enjoyed this kid, and wished I had the privilege of spending more time working with him. When I lamented to the principal that I couldn't get this kid to write anything, he assured me, "No one can." But oh, the ideas locked in his brain. There has to be a way to unlock the potential inside this kid. But I digress...

On the way out, the principal asked to see the paragraphs the kids wrote and told me he was going to try to get back to me about a decision tomorrow or the next day. I'm trying not to read into the speed. I know the school year is coming to a close and he wants the whole thing wrapped up. Me too... I want to know what I'm doing next year.

Not My Circus?

I've been having a hard time finding time to write these past several weeks. Spring is a busy time of year for teachers. Arguably the busiest time of year. Besides all the usual report card time things to do, with the added detail that all units need to be wrapped up with a neat little bow - rather than just allowing some units to span two grading terms, we have end of the year student activities added to the mix. We've already had the eighth grade play, end of the year standardized testing, the fifth grade state presentations, and the annual school carnival. Still to come are the annual patrol field trip, the eighth grade dinner dance, eighth, grade graduation and baccalaureate mass, field day, and the variety show. There's the whole classroom cleanout thing too, but as a long-term sub, I have exactly five personal items in the classroom (and some cool pens that I brought in) that I will feel responsible for packing up and taking with me on the last day. 

One of the five personal items.

A surprise attack of compliments

from the extension kids one evening.

I love it, but it also makes me sad.

The whole part about being "just a sub" after spending half of the school year in the role is awkward, even more so as the school year closes out. The building is abuzz with plans for next year, conversations about new policies and grand expectations are everywhere.  I don't fit into all that, and it feels weird. My opinion, as a veteran teacher who used to work in the building, has been solicited many times, and I participate openly in all of these conversations... but somewhere in the back of my head I can't help but think to myself, "This is not my circus." I don't want to feel a vested interest in what comes next year for the school because I don't know that I'll be working there. If I start to care too much, It'll make it that much harder to leave at the end of the year.

I'm trying to keep the students engaged as we close out the school year. I am doing all of my regular end of the year reflective activities, which turns out to be a lot of letter writing. I'm taking advantage of the weather when I can, and holding lessons outside when possible. I'm planning collaborative activities, and thinking up ways to make lessons hands on.

Vocabulary Concentration

Reading outside

Collaboration

I also took an active roll in the carnival fun this year, volunteering for the "dunk tank." The school apparently had an actual dunk tank for a few years, but historically, and again this year, there is a person standing at the top of the outside stairs with a garbage can full of water and a bucket. When the target is hit, and often even when it's not, the bucket is dumped out, onto those below. 

The carnival is a lot of fun, and a great community building event for the school. For the next few weeks at least, I am a part of the community of this school.