Day Thirty-Eight
I think I’ve said (probably repeatedly) that I wish I had more time with my APUSGOV class because we’d chat about politics all day if we were given the opportunity. Today students gave presentations on interest groups, and that took up the entire block, so I didn’t really have time to close class with more than a “Well done!” I sent an email to the whole class with more detailed comments, reminders, and information about next class.
I’ll spend the first part of next class summing up some key points about interest groups and their place in politics, and making sure it’s all understood. I don’t really mind that I didn’t get to that today because I built my lessons to be flexible. I might have impeccable timing when I teach World, but this is the first year I’ve taught APUSGOV, so I expect to screw it up.
Speaking of World, though, I got to teach the lesson I missed for jury duty yesterday, and that went well. I got a lot more questions in my Block 4 class, so we went on a few tangents, but they were good ones (about the war in Colombia, the current situation in Venezuela, US gang activity, and local drug issues). Obviously, I never mind good tangents in class discussions.
I spent my prep time grading and making photocopies of the stuff I’ll need for the rest of the week. Then I spent an hour after school in a meeting about a professional development course about twenty of us will be taking in the spring. It’s a course on CBE, which I figure will be useful since our school is headed in that direction and I want to understand as much as possible.
The Vice Principal says this is me showing signs of ambition and leadership ability. I say:
After the meeting, The Principal stopped me to tell me that another local politician wants to observe my class because of the Very Cool Thing happening on Friday. So I guess I’ll spill the beans on what it is:
A congresswoman is coming to chat with APUSGOV.
Seriously.
It took several emails, slight acrobatics with the schedule (basically, I swapped my class with AP German, since that’s where nearly all my students are on the days we don’t meet), and coordination with my Civics-teaching colleagues (because I want their students to experience this, too, not just my APs), and now it’s totally going to happen. And it’s a big friggin’ deal.Â
So I get why The Principal told this guy he could come. I just... find him quite intimidating. So it puts a bit more pressure on me, and this is already a lot of pressure.Â
The Principal assured me that I’ll be fine, and deep down I know I will, but whew! It’s a lot.Â
So wish me luck!
