Anyone? Anyone?

For the last five weeks I've been subbing in a high school Spanish class.  It all came about very suddenly.  It's been exhausting, challenging, sleep-depriving and fun at times.  Did I mention exhausting?  It has consumed my life with newness: teaching high school kids for the first time, teaching Spanish 3 and IB Spanish, and finally being fully immersed in Southern (suburban) culture after having lived here for two years.

So, it's hard to get used to having students with facial hair who tower over me.  And, I can't get used to students saying things like, "Can I go get my book?  I left it in my car."  What?  You have a car?  Oh yeah, you people drive.  And that's why the parking lot is so much bigger than my middle school parking lots.  And that's why if I leave at 6:25 AM instead of 6:20 AM, it takes me 10 minutes to complete the last half mile of my 30-minute commute.

I'm teaching mostly sophomores and I've come to the conclusion that they're not much different than 8th graders.  Of course, they'd be insulted to hear me say that, but it's kind of true.  Most of the girls are delightful and quite mature, but a handful of mean girls can still ruin a day or at least a class period.  Some of the boys are more mature than 8th grade boys, but most are just taller.  I have to say, though, goofy boys make my day.  I'd much rather have to deal with channeling and focusing excessive energy than having to try to create it.

Teaching something other than Spanish I has been really great.  You can only teach "uno, dos, tres" so many times before your eyeballs start to roll around in your head.  Of course, I think I only taught "uno, dos, tres" for one year in Needham before I discovered the storytelling technique (TPRS) which made a huge difference for me and my students.

It's fun to feel like I've finally been immersed in Southern culture for the first time in two years.  It's been eye opening.  I'm not sure I like some of what I've experienced, and I'm not sure that what I've experienced can be attributed to the South or to difference in working with high school staff and students rather than middle school.  

For the most part, the students and the teachers are very friendly.  I've really enjoyed the quick acculturation that comes through getting to know the staff and students in a new area.  In the staff workroom/lunchroom I find myself mostly listening and trying to figure who and what they're talking about.

In the classroom I always have to get clarification on names and acronyms.  When I first started teaching in the Bay Area, I noticed all my students talked about Piece o' My Heart, which really turned out to be their favorite pizza place, Pizza My Heart.  Here, Zaxby's, a chicken place near the school, gets mentioned often - until someone brings up Chick-fil-A.  When I ask which one they like better, Chick-fil-A always wins.

So, that's what I've been up to for the last five weeks if you've been wondering where I ran off to.