you can call me ms. g

Yesterday was my first day to observe at a local high school. I kind of had a picture of it in my head the way things would go.

I would come in and I would sit at some table at the back/side of the room and quietly take notes, observing the students' behavior, social patterns, etc.

I got to the high school and checked in with the front desk, got my little 'observer' badge, and made my way to the classroom. I got there and my teacher's door was shut and the light was off. This struck me as odd since it was about 10 minutes before class was supposed to start. I walked into the classroom next door where a teacher was making preparations for the day and asked about where Teacher Smith might be. She said he was probably at a meeting or something and would be right back. Okay. I kind of stood around and we made small talk and then a student walked in, and asked,

"Do you have Lisa Frank in your 1st period?"
"Yes, I do, can I help you?"
"Well, I'm not in your class, but my friend Adam Jones wants to ask her to homecoming and so I was going to see if you could give her a note?"
"Oh, Lisa already has a date to homecoming, Carter Creek already asked her and she said yes."
"Oh."

This felt a little leave it to beaver-esque and I wondered if the rest of my epxerience would be as innocent.

Teacher Smith showed up and we made introductions and then handed me a sheet of paper with the lesson plans on it and asked me if I would write some things on the board since he was running late. I got a little excited at this, chalk! I get to write on the board! I did that and then he asked if I would cut some poster sized pieces from the roll of brown butcher paper. Sure, anything you need. Teacher Smith was very enthusiastic and happy to have me there in the classroom, it was encouraging. When the students started filing in, I was on my hands and knees cutting butcher paper, in my cute wrap dress, trying to make sure I wasn't giving anyone a view of anything. Class started and Smith introduced me and then started talking about the new unit they were starting: Rights & Liberties! Specifically today they were studying the Bill of Rights. After a warm up assignment, and a few minutes of lecture, they were split into groups of 3 and had to come to a concensus about 10 rights/freedoms they wanted to have if they were starting their own country. Afterwards they got to walk around and see everyone else's and star one's that they disagreed with, and then we had discussion. I was on my feet the whole time passing out markers, looking at student's work, etc., by the second class Smith was having me answer questions, and at the end of the 3rd period Smith asked me if I wanted to lead the discussion!

"Umm...sure!"

I was supposed to lead an open discussion about what the students thought about their own rights, other groups, and one's they disagreed with. I panicked for about 2 seconds. How did he start the discussions before, what were the exact questions he asked?

The discussion went off without a hitch. Out of some deep place came teacher mode and the questions and prompting came out automatically. It was like I had been mediating opinionated high schoolers arguing about religion, marijuana, taxes, and gay marriage for years!

It was amazing hearing [some] of them actually think about what they were saying and thinking deeply about the ramifications of their decisions and completely heart-wrenching to hear of others complete intolerance and hatred. After class I was talking to Smith and he was highly impressed with the job I did and I told him about my desire for the students is that they would just learn to THINK. They would go beyond superficial, ad hominem arguments. I told him I wanted to change the world one high school student at a time. I momentarily wondered if there was a teacher worth his salt that didn't start out that way. Smith smiled at me knowingly and told me of his desires for teaching. We bonded.

I got to my car and sat for the first time in 3 hours, welcoming the tiredness, I left, changed out of my superhero teacher's clothes into a t-shirt and jeans to go to class. For the rest of the day it felt as if it was meaningful, that somehow my day meant something to me because I was doing something not for myself, like somehow I contributed a small bread crumb to society, to those high school seniors. I think because not once during my 3 hours in Smith's class was I ever motivated by how much I would gain, but only how much could I help these students. For once I had a break in my day from revolving around me.

It was good. I'm going back tomorrow.