life is insane. not counting the last week of practicum i did at the beginning of september (which i'm starting to realize doesn't "count") i have been 'miss visser' for a week now. 225 minutes of that was me teaching - my own class. they ask me the questions - i assign the homework - i'm allowed to give the detentions for being late... not that i have yet - that's just another hurdle i have to get over in terms of the whole 'me being in charge thing'. it's insane how much planning goes into these things. for every one and a half hours i teach - i'm probably planning for three hours. they say that'll speed up as i have practice - i really hope so as this weekend i'm hoping to write out 2 weeks worth of lessons for grade nine. we'll be learning fables, the argumentative paragraph, and writing a test on the rhetorical modes... and i doubt i'll be able to fit that all in. it's so weird to move into this environment where it takes months to get through a novel when i've spent the last 4 years having a book read every week for every class. i'm slowing getting used to this timing thing - it's taking a bit tho. the school is really good - everyone is awesome about including me, and it seems that everyone wants to make sure this experience is the best you can have. the music teacher i work with (unofficially) ensures that i have the opportunity to teach in his class and offers suggestions and feedback even tho he gets nothing out of it (other then the chance to sit and practice the trombone in the band while i conduct). the english department ladies got me to teach them how to conduct today in their office - because they found agatha and were making fun of me for owning my own baton - but it's all in good fun. the tech guy came out and explained to Gordie and i all about the different technology things available at the school which was really great as we were taking up his lunch period asking him questions. other teachers just give me handouts of the stuff they're doing because they think it's cool and they want to pass it on.
we were talking in my grade 11 class today about how a road often symbolizes a journey. the fact that all of my favourite poetry and art has to do with roads - whether they be well travelled or winding through the bush - makes a lot of sense to me. i really like the journey. i like the road. i like being able to cut through the bush quickly to see what's on the other side, but i also enjoy sitting on the side of the road and checking out the flowers and the trees and the stars. i like teaching kids how to slow down and REALLY look at something - and they are doing the same to me. it's so easy to see something one way and decide that THAT is the only correct way to look at it - but often times they have these crazy ideas that are awesome.
i think i'm a rambling mess right now - i think that's what living at school all week and then coming home and planning for school does to you - but it's just a stop on the road - and that's pretty cool.
more will come this weekend i'm sure as i need breaks from the incessant lesson planning.