School Policy

A Serious Talk!

Things are going well here at the college. This week, I am off at the high school, which is a huge relief. I am getting really tired of traveling there three times a week. On top of it all, I've been a little sick. There's something going around that I've got. It's like a cold, but it just hangs around and hangs around. I'm slowly getting better now with rest (and with the time off from the high school) but I'm not yet 100%.

Last week, and the week before, I continued coming to school because there was really nothing else to do. We have six weeks to shove a whole mess of information into these student's heads and missing one class is a huge percentage of time lost. I also got the test recently and I've been focussing on the pertinent parts of the chapters in my lectures.

So I got a call from Henri from the high school on Tuesday. He informed me that starting the 16th and going through the 23rd, I would have to do speaking tests. Each student gets 20 minutes and I have 75 students. So, do the math and you'll see that I'm going to have to work every day - all six days - full days. The problem is that I work two days a week at the college. The high school still doesn't know - and won't know if I have anything to do with it.

I realized that I would have to talk to Sally, my friend and supervisor here at the college. I just need to figure out how to manage doing the classes, or getting the information across to the students, and missing three days of school.

Then Sally says, "Let's talk on Thursday. We can have lunch." I was a little suspicious. I know that I haven't been an absolutely stellar teacher. I've missed class a few times because I was sick and last Monday I had a "very truncated" class. I sort of hit the high points and went home. My assumption was that she had received complaints from the students, although I can't imagine students being told that they don't have to attend class getting all pissy.

When I saw her on Tuesday, at choir, we didn't talk. We are usually as thick as thieves. We just stand and talk and ignore everyone. Tuesday, she was talking to a crazy alto. Fearful Philip decided that she was avoiding me. Rational Philip realized that she sits beside said alto and that they probably just got talking. Fearful Philip also decided that Sally had heard all these things, seen me being sick and realized that this was all a little too much for me. She would be informing me on Thursday at lunch that my services were no longer necessary. Rational Philip took a wait-and-see approach. (Love him.)

This morning I got in and Sally walked right by me. (More backing for Fearful Philip.) Then I heard that she was going home early and I said, "Do you want to have lunch another time?"

"No. I need to eat. I'll see you after class." She smiled weakly.

After class, she actually found me. I was walking the halls (led by Fearful Philip in some crazy avoidance thing.) "Ready?" she asked.

I kept it light and talked about this and that. Sally said that she has been sick with the same thing for some time and she is tired. So she seemed to "get" the sickness thing. On the way to the cafeteria, we saw Tammy, an English teacher. "Mind if I tag along?"

"No," Sally said. "Come along."

This put 90% of me fears to rest. There was very little likelihood that she was going to axe me with Tammy at the table.

Her big question was, "How are you doing here after four weeks? On a scale of one to ten?"

"I'm probably a high seven."

"Wow. That's much better than I thought it would be."

I talked about how I enjoy tough life lessons.

"'He'll fit in fine here," Sally said to Tammy.

We talked about the future quite a bit. "Next semester" and "next time."

So that was our big scary talk. I can't imagine Sally firing me. 'We're friends, we sing in choir together. I think the social aspect would dictate that she give me more chances, so I'm pretty confident. Plus, I would really like to be here, not full time, but more, next year.

My plan seems to be working. Aloha to the high school very soon. ( A few months.)

posted by Philip @ 2:09 PM