Friday, August 25, 2006

Friday Morning Boredom

I'm stuck in this class still.
Currently I am sitting in the back of the library of the school at which this class is being held.
I'm bored. Not a little "I have to cover my mouth when I yawn occasionally" bored, but full on, "I can feel my body begging me to beat the crap out of the girl who keeps stopping our class to ask stupid questions" bored.
There is absolutely nothing new being taught. I am the only teacher here who has a Master's Degree. That's odd, at least to me. The problem is that everything being taught, not unlike the class in June, is part of the beginning of the St. Thomas program.
How to take notes? Did it.
How do you get your kids to read in your content area? Um, I give them the book (this is why English teachers are not supposed to be here).
How do I get kids to ask questions? Siiiiiigggghhhh!
Look, I'm glad that I get credit for taking the class, it means that I will, if things keep going they way they are, have enough credits to renew my licensure almost two years before it's up (that means I can start working on getting credits to make more money).
Because the lecture is covering what I know, I've started people watching. Here's what I've noticed over the course of the morning:
1. We're missing six people. A few math teachers and two "coaches" who are there to help us (my coach didn't show up today, which means I will have nothing to do all afternoon).
Though we are missing people, everyone has signed in. You know what that means....
2. People and their cell phones. Almost everyone here has a cell phone. Now, the second I go into class, I turn my ringer to vibrate. Why? Because I don't want to interrupt the class. My hope is that we'll go faster...and get out faster. My colleagues here don't feel that way.
First, there was the woman with the ringer screaming, "The Bitch is Back." She looks at her phone and says, "Oh...it's my mom. Excuse me."
That, on the surface, tells you something about how she feels about her mom.
Next, we got to hear "Tricky" by Run DMC for a few seconds. The guy whose phone it was said, "Hi, Honey," before leaving the room. Is his significant other a "trick?"
Other songs?
"Hero" by Enrique Iglesias and "Country Boy" by John Denver.
Oh, and one guy has a Family Guy ringer (Stewie screaming, "Victory is mine," over and over again.)
I'm just shocked how many phones I'm hearing. If this were my class, I'd be collecting phones left and right.
3. The storm last night was fascinating. I'm starting to really believe in Karma again. The guy down the block from me bought a new BMW. He made sure to strut around the neighborhood telling all of us, "I've got a new BMW. You still drive that (fill-in-the-blank-supposedly-inferior-car)?
Well, he, like an idiot, parked his car next to the tree on his lot. The storm came through the neighborhood, and the wind had perfect aim. The tree was blown over...on top of his car. We could hear him last night screaming. He even cursed God. I went out for a walk with my son and passed by his house.
I admit, I fired the first salvo this time.
"Hey...how's that new car treating you...oh my...what happened?"
His face twisted, and a tear rolled down his face.
"Damn tree. Goddamn TREE!"
I proceeded to keep on walking.
The other odd side last night was watching a squirrel float. Never seen that before, but a squirrel got caught in a huge wave of water and floated past my house. I kept thinking about that water-skiing squirrel and wondering if it got started that way.
That's all I got right now. I have to go and do "homework."
What a horrible post....Sorry.

2 comments:

Arthur Willoughby said...

I really hate Blogger. I posted a lengthy comment earlier. GONE.

My Public Speaking instructor had a novel approach to cell phones in class: If your cell phone rang, you got to answer it in front of everyone. We got to enjoy several awkward moments throughout the semester.

Anonymous said...

People are just self-centered when they have their phone ring in a class. What is wrong with vibrate, you still know it is ringing, and can answer it, but you do not have to disturb everyone else! Arthur Willoughby's teacher had a good approach to a ringing cell...

As far as the guy with the BMW, Karma is a wonderful thing!