Planning, planning, planning. School is almost here, and I spent several hours this week just mapping out the first semester for my classes. Even though I teach six classes, I virtually have only 2 preps, which is really nice! I do have to come up with what outside reading and projects I want my honors students to do, but I have the day-by-day lessons penciled in for everyday. While I know this will change as I go along, it is nice to just have something on paper.
Next week, I start my new teacher orientation. Thursday morning I am getting computer trained, and Thursday afternoon I am going to decorate my room. I don't have too much stuff, and I also don't want to go buy more stuff until I see what the school is providing me with. So far, I have a poster on the writing process and a poster on poetry types. I am also hanging up a picture of Barack Obama with Langston Hughes' poem "I Too, Sing America."
I'm getting nervous that things are coming up so soon but also excited. I can't wait to meet my students. I also can't wait to see what I can all do with these students and how far I can push them. I think it will be a completely different experience than I had at Guilford.
In my own personal life, I am reading Robinson Crusoe. I really need someone to explain to me why this book is a classic. I am not enjoying the book, and from a teacher-mindset, I can't even imagine what I would choose to teach. It is just wordy and boring. I have also been reading the book Sellout: The Politics of Racial Betrayal. That has been extremely interesting. I find race relations to be so complex! I also think if I were to go on and get my Masters in English, I would like to explore this concept further and apply it to the works of Ralph Ellison. The book mentions Ellison's character Mr. Bledsoe and how he is considered a "sellout," but I would like to make the argument that the protagonist himself can and would be considered a sellout by the black community. Also, Ellison's second, and much less acclaimed, novel Juneteenth has a "sellout" as one of its main characters: the Senator.
Thinking about those things makes me want to go back to school. But, I realize that by marrying Alex, I need to put those dreams on hold at least until we get his school debt under control. It's just depressing when you realize that everything in a capitalist society really does come down to money. And it is even more depressing when you realize that you are so much better off than others. How does the cycle break? How do poor students get to go on to college? Maybe they don't try not only because their parents don't value education but also because they don't see it getting them anywhere. We all say education is the key, but really without a college degree at this point, a HS diploma isn't doing much. Poor kids can't afford to go to college. Since when is it okay to oppress people because of the amount of money someone is willing to give them? How many smart kids just aren't given a chance?
This type of thinking is what makes me believe I would like to go back and teach in a school like Guilford after I get a few years of teaching under my belt. Those kids are not dealt a great hand in life, and they need good teachers as much as anyone else. I think I could be that teacher...but I need to grow and develop into that good teacher first.
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