I'm starting my new job this afternoon at Lincoln Park Community School, teaching in an after-school program in Somerville. I'll be going to three different schools. I'm teaching a history and craft class, making dolls and learning about the history of immigration in Somerville.
I went to the orientation meeting last week and met a lot of the other teachers. A couple people from Groundworks Somerville will be planting student gardens. Young people have been trained to teach the Machine Science course. Open Air Circus will be doing a circus class. People from Lexia will be teaching an intriguing course called Brain Respiration.
One of the guys doing competetive improv suggested that we should all look into learning the Life Space Interview.
I had one kid in my class, Georges, who was absolutely obnoxious. He was so bad that even his pal, the other boy in the class (they obviously joined together), told him to "stop acting like an idiot." But of course by that time Georges had gone too far to turn back.
It was terrible. I ran out of material ten minutes before I could end the class and the kids were GLAD. These 10-year-olds have no pity. I can't really blame them. I was awful.
Then I missed my bus and there was a drug bust katty-corner from my bus stop, where I had to wait for 20 minutes.
I lost sleep thinking of ways to avoid a repetition of Tuesday's disaster.
This morning I rewrote, in great detail, my first class, and revamped the entire course. I taught this afternoon at a school within walking distance of my home.
It went really well. The kids were great. They had a good time. No one was bored. I had a good time. They of course have no idea the debt they owe to the poor souls at East Somerville Community School.