Right before I decided to write this blog post, I was
sitting on my computer looking at facebook. Even with this crappy internet, I
am finding a way to procrastinate. But then I realized I am procrastinating
grading. This is the first time that has happened, and I guess I’m not in
college anymore? Old habits die hard I guess. But being about a week and a half
into real lessons with my students, I’m starting to realize how much goes on
behind the scenes of a classroom. Even more than that, I’m realizing how much
it would take to have everything perfectly organized and to remember
everything. I always thought my teachers were so put together in high school
and remembered everything about me, but I have been gradually realizing that
there is just absolutely no way that was the case. How am I supposed to keep
track of 150 students every day. It’s hard enough to just plan something to
teach every day, make a handout or worksheet of some sort, and make enough
copies in time for class. Keep in mind that at Kosrae High School, our students
often share backpacks, don’t really have folders or binders to keep things
organized, and don’t really know how to take notes besides copy down exactly
what is on the board. I have had a lot more success with them understanding and
remembering material when I have guided notes for them to fill in as I go
along. Oh and nobody is allowed to use the new expensive copy machine besides a
couple people because the principal is afraid the teachers would break it, so
you have to write how many copies you need and turn them in and hope they get
done in time. So I’m expected to keep track of 150 new people, learn all their
names, plan two different lessons (one for Chemistry and one for Physics), have
copies and a handout for all of them, make sure they show up on time to class
(5 minutes after the bell rings; there is only a bell to let out class), keep
them in class for the full time (which varies depending on when the bells ring,
since they are manual), have make-up work for the students who are absent, make
sure they turn in their homework, and grade all of it? That’s just insane. Not
to mention that in Kosrae, a lot of students like to cut class or show up late,
so it’s always a battle. I can’t even remember everyone’s names yet, let alone
remember who was absent and make sure they get their work. I’ve created a lot
of systems and organization (which shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me) to
make things easier on myself, which have helped a ton, but I still can’t keep
track of that many people or what I’ve told to whom. I am constantly forgetting
who is who and what I said to which class. I forget to make announcements to
certain classes, and then I have to try to make sure kids turn in their
homework on different days depending on which classes finished it in class and
which didn’t. Even when I write down notes to myself! This life is just crazy!
I have made all these realizations this week about how ridiculous it is to keep
track of 150 kids and their grades. I’m definitely learning a lot every day and
constantly trying to figure out ways to make it easier on myself, but the moral
of the story is that I want to go back and give major props to all my teachers
over the years. I knew teaching was going to be a challenge like I had never
faced before, but even so, there are so many things I didn’t think about. I
worried about learning 150 names, not keeping track of 150 grades. And that’s
just their overall grade, you could have tons indidvidual assignment grades for
each person by the end of the year. So I guess this overall post is a quick
glimpse into the life of a teacher and a thank you note to all the teachers
I’ve had over the years for managing to keep track of me back when I thought it
was so simple and expected so much.
In other news, I ran a 5.7 mile race yesterday morning
before school. I’m really hoping my teammates are proud of this feat (Send me
some juv over here, I miss you guys!) I have never liked running. I started
going on river runs in Cambridge after my senior season ended, but until that
point, I can’t remember a single time that I enjoyed running. I have grown to
like it in the past few months since I became an ex-athlete, but I was 100% not
prepared for this race. I have gone on 3 runs total since I have been in
Kosrae. None of them lasted longer than 30 minutes, and I have no idea how far
they were because I can’t use my fancy iPhone running app here to track it,
though I’m guessing they hovered around 3 miles each. So let’s summarize that:
I ran 3 times over a period of 6 weeks, and I got up one day and ran 5.7 miles
on a school day and then taught all day. I’m pretty sure something is wrong
with me, but I’m feeling awesome that I actually completed it. I finished in
just under an hour, which was very impressive for my long distance running
ability, or lack thereof. Anyway, I don’t want this to be a braggy post (okay,
I sorta do… but can you blame me?) but I want everyone to fully understand how
difficult this was for me. My quads feel like the first squat day of summer
lifts after a season of no lifting. My HSBers can commiserate on how miserable
that is. Yesterday I just felt like jello, and at one point my leg actually
started cramping as I was standing writing on the board. I finished writing
really fast and sat down. In case anyone was wondering, it’s pretty awkward to
get a leg cramp when 25 people are staring at you trying to learn. After the
race, I only had a few minutes to hang out and refuel before I had to hop on my
bike and go shower and get to school. Even once I got to school and had
showered, I was profusely sweating for my entire first class. I have never
wanted air conditioning so bad in my life. My cheeks also get really red when I’m
hot and tired, so I think it was pretty clear that I was overheated for the
first half of the day. It’s not exactly what you want to look like in front of a
classroom of kids, but I ran a race before school and still made it to class
all day and stood up and taught, so I’ll just go ahead and consider this whole
week a win.
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