Stuff

So a busy week as usual. This weekend is my last one home before I come home for good! As much as I love the school and the kids and teachers I am so looking forward to being home in my own bed every night. I know it's easy to get attached to the kids but I didn't think I would be dreading leaving them! They are so much fun! I have my favorites already, and some I am worried about long term. They are lucky they have such fabulous music teachers to support them. Hopefully that makes a difference to some of them.

This week my professor came in to observe my teaching. I didn't think I'd be as nervous as I was. The time I had was condensed from 70 minutes to 30 minutes so we could chat after. That did make it much more difficult, but I got through it. At one point she was there, the other student teacher, my Associate Teacher (who can if he wants to completely stop my career before it even starts), and the Principal.

I was able to get out a bit this week. My aunt and uncle took me out for dinner which was such a nice treat. I got to see Chewie's mom and brother too which is always fun - you get to see some of the similarities and the differences between the three of them. I spent time with Deanna which was great. I miss getting together with her like we did during undergrad! It's been nice to reconnect.

All the school shootings and violence (including recent problems in Toronto) have prompted the board and schools to implement lock down procedures in the schools, including full and partial lockdowns. This is new for many of the schools so we've been there during the educating of the teachers and students. You never really think it will happen....if you focus on it you live in fear and I can't imagine being a good teacher that way.

So one of the most interesting things that happened this week I think was yesterday during the Remembrance Day assembly. I'm standing close to the back of the auditorium and the assembly is moving along, and across the back there are these two kids that come walking towards the back door. No biggie, I figure they are going to the washroom. One of them is dressed in a long black trenchcoat and sort of "goth like" clothing. He had in his hand a large red tote bag. That caught my eye - very bright. I hadn't noticed a huge goth culture in the school so that surprised me a bit, but figured I had just missed it - I'm mostly in one area of the school.

I look back at the stage and then I hear these two boys. I am about to shoot them the "teacher look" I am trying to perfect (so not even close yet) just to get the to keep quiet while they leave the auditorium. It was then I actually saw the boys. One looked a bit stoned maybe and didn't really seem out of place. The other though, looked me right in the eyes. It scared me right to my core. I looked at Michelle (the other student teacher) and she had seen the same thing. We went to a teacher from the dept and just asked if we should do anything - they were wandering around the hall. He immediately got two more teachers to go check it out. Turns out the kid that creeped us right out did not belong to the school. The other one did.

He may have just been a friend of someone, a brother maybe, an ex-student. Why was he there? I never found out. It was a good reality check for me though. Reminded me that although we hope teaching is a reasonably safe profession it may not always be. I wonder how I will handle an emergency situation. One thing that bothered me is no matter how "teachery" I feel and how in control and professional I may seem at times, these two kids (like 98% of the kids in the school) were both much bigger than me. I would never need to use my physical self in my teaching - it's not like it was 100 years ago when kids still were disciplined using corporal punishment. I do wonder though if I could stop them from doing anything if necessary, to myself or students. Hopefully I will never have to find out.

One thing it did do is remind me not to ignore my instincts.

So the weekend is progressing and so far has been reasonably relaxing. Gary is down and I was able to get a teeny tiny bit of Christmas shopping done today. Now we are off to Carolynn and Marshall's for some euchre! Looking forward to that and being rushed out the door so ending my blog now.

One more week!