The much-anticipated first day of school found me shedding a few tears and dropping many F-bombs, all before 9 am. I’d accepted a new teaching position as an English Language Learner science teacher, which means that I had to hustle during the sweet week of school without students and prep for 5 different science classes. A nearly impossible feat, but I was ready for a complete change of teaching venue and had even figured out how to make juggling that many preps possible.
The woman (I hesitate to call someone so unprofessional a “teacher”) who had accepted my former position, broke contract in less than 24 hours and sent my new ambition of teaching in a different capacity at my school down the toilet. With tears in my eyes, I explained to the teacher who I’d briefly replaced, what I’d planned for the 5 different ELL science classes. For her part, she was just as upset having to be absent from her new district job to cover her former position until another ELL science teacher was hired.
The original plan was that we’d teach in our former classrooms until my replacement was hired, then we could return to our new positions. I put my foot down after greeting my first class of the school year. Since that woman had broken contract with the swiftness of a double-crossing pirate, there was no name listed on students’ schedules for the Physics classes that were taking place in room 216. As students who had me two years ago for Biology approached the room and saw me outside the door on hall duty, they excitedly asked me, “Ms. Roberson, are you teaching this class?” I tucked away my frustration and smiled at them, stating that I was their Physics teacher. Their enthusiasm about having me as their science teacher again was my silver lining.
So, even though my classroom walls were bare (one student even asked where was Bob Marley), I enjoyed seeing my former freshmen Biology students as mature juniors. By day two, I had stapled up one of my Bob Marley wall hangings although the rest of my classroom remained sterile. At least my favorite eclectic internet radio station helped set the atmosphere as the students worked on their beginning tasks.
Two years ago, many teachers lost their jobs and classroom sizes swelled. The swelling continued this year and at one count, I had 205 students among 6 classes. So, this first week saw me making more copies of handouts and in a continual state of collecting, marking, passing back work. Yet, just in time for Labor Day weekend, I’d marked and entered the last grades. Not only that, I’d set a good tone in each class.
I figured I’d have a good weekend since there are so many happening things to do around Austin. Looking at the big picture, I knew that I’d have a good weekend just because, once I hit rock bottom, there’s nowhere to go but up.
After school on Friday, I went to bikram yoga, which is my new drug, followed by watching a good movie while eating dinner and sipping wine at home. I attended my usual 10 am capoeira class on Saturday. Later, I met some folks for lunch and conversation, then attended an art opening where I shamelessly plugged the Austin Writers Roulette. Lastly, I closed the night by going out to dance cumbia.
And I have two more glorious days! True to my Virgo nature, I’ve planned out my social calendar, the roulette line up, some character details for my WIP and cooking. As much as I enjoy eating, cooking for the week is a time-consuming task that’s best accomplished when I block out at least three hours to accomplish. The pay off is that I have a delicious lunch during the week.
As hard as I hit in the last two weeks, I hope I can enjoy a much slower upward trajectory of success.