I guess I actually do look like at least one of the kids...

Today was my first day of really being in the classroom for most of the day. I co-taught three classes (an hour and a half each). We have four periods each day, but we get one period as time for planning. It was an interesting day of being in the classroom. Although I got some practice during institute (TFA training in which we teach summer school), I had not actually taught high school students before. Still, we mostly did diagnostic testing type stuff, so I mostly just gave directions and walked around and watched students do work during the first period. During the third period (second period was my planning period), I actually did some instruction as I went over the answers with the students. I also went over some work one-on-one with a student. Working with that student one-on-one felt like some of the work that I did during institute when we got to work with the kids in smaller groups during a one hour morning block called “math/literacy hour.”

After I worked with the student, I watched my co-teacher explain the answers and check for understanding for the first 10 problems. Then it was my turn.

Let me step back for a second: so, they have these things in some of the classrooms called “promethean boards.” They’re actually really cool. Basically, you can hook up the board to your computer, and then you can use this thing that looks like a marker to actually write on the board. You can change colors, put stuff in the “trash”, maximize and minimize parts, and many other cool things. My co-teacher was using it, and so I watched and figured that I’d learn pretty easily on the spot. Well, anybody who knows me knows how I fumble with technology sometimes…

So, let’s resume the story. It was my turn to go explain the problems. My co-teacher told me what to do in terms of the board. Everything was working well at first until I kept forgetting that it wasn’t a dry-erase board. I kept trying to “wipe” things away as if it were a dry-erase marker. This, of course, led the students to laugh, but that wasn’t a big deal—especially since I was kind of laughing at myself (inside). The problem came when my handwriting kept getting worse and worse since I wasn’t lifting the “marker” up properly. Needless to say, I’m already handwriting-challenged, so I definitely didn’t need to add to their burden of attempting to read my handwriting. All in all, it went well, and I got some helpful advice about my presentation in general from my co-teacher. Again, I have to say that I’m really happy with how supportive and helpful other teachers are at my school.

Something else crazy happened in the last period of the day. But to understand this, we must rewind a little.

So, yesterday, this girl asked me, “You know somebody named Marcus [fake name for the purpose of the blog]?” She said it in a casual way that suggested she didn’t know I was a teacher. “No,” I answered. She then looked down and saw my employee badge, and then said “well, you could be his brother.” As she walked away, I thought nothing of it.

Fast forward to today. There happened to be a lot of people making noise in the hallway outside of my classroom. Furthermore, since the classrooms don’t actually have doors in that part of the building, it’s even more disruptive. So, at one point, I had to kind of poke my head outside and ask the people to quiet down. One boy looked at me and yelled, “Look, it’s Marcus’ Uncle!” and ran away before I could do anything.

Besides being a little annoyed that the boy got away and at the fact that I’m still new and don’t know a lot of the students, I did think it was a little funny that something is going around the school that I look like somebody who I haven’t even met. I guess I’ll have to meet this “Marcus” and see how much we actually look alike…I wonder if he has a birthmark on his forehead?

Anyway, everything is still going well, and I’m looking forward to another day tomorrow!