Lessons

Every subbing day is an adventure. This week alone, I get to be the "heavy" in our In-School-Support (read Detention Hall) room, work with our Integrated Learning students, hang out in AP English, corral Foods 30 students and play games with my former French kids. These are some of the lessons I've been taught:

1. If you want people to do something for you, write it down. Assumed expectations get you nowhere.

2. If you are "bad" and get sent to isolation, you lose privileges. People just aren't as nice to you when you're being punished.

3. Singing the Hokey Poky with some special needs kids brightens everyone's mood.

4. You really shouldn't cross contaminate your raw pork spoon with your cooked veggies dish. Also, Frank's Hot Sauce is not the best condiment to add to Sweet and Sour Pork.

5. Every class has at least one annoying soul. My job is to hope that he or she is ill the day I'm in. Sigh...

6. You can't smoke in class. (I know this is pretty obvious to everyone except one young man who just didn't get it today.)

7. Bring a book everywhere you go; you never know when you'll get a little gift of time to read.

8. It's pretty hard not to stare outside the window all the time when people are painting the school or, if it's sunny out and the work's boring.

9. Taco salad is cheap and good.

10. You can't just make up the answer to grade 9 Math questions about polynomials... I just couldn't guess any of them right.