Epiphany in Baltimore

2002-02-28

Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com

So today's the big day.

My pre-observation meeting went well. I looked so organized. My dept. head comented on how far I've gotten. She explained to me why the observation had to be done in such a hurry - that the state requires that all non-tenured teachers must get done by March 1. Then she mentioned that the state does this in case a teacher is going to be fired, then he or she can make other plans. I tried to be poker-faced, but my eyes must have shown some sort of fear, because she quelled my anxiety by saying, "Oh, this is the state law. The only way you're not coming back next year is if you tell me that you don't want to."

Anyhow, the lesson is all planned, my objectives are written on the board, and hopefully things will go well.

I didn't think I was worried about it, but apparently my sub-conscious is. Last night, I had a dream that for some reason there were forty kids in the class that's being observed (I saw the faces of problems students from last semester and last year), and then they all started chanted, and they walked out. I chased after some of them, and when I returned, there were about ten students there. I was on my knees, sobbing, and my supervisor was also there, and there was some woman there from the state, and they were talking about having to replace me, and I was saying that they never act like this, and it was just a very bad nightmare.

Hopefully that doesn't happen.

Okay, after the meeting, I ran into Nick in the hallway. What a cool guy he is. This weekend, we're purchasing a season ticket package for Orioles games together. Anyhow, I had this lesson plan book that I had pulled together last night. He said, "Dude, you're organized - have you done that all year?" I laughed and said, "Nope! Did it all last night!" We both were laughing, walking down the hall, and we couldn't see that my supervisor whom I had just had the meeting with was around the corner. I wonder if she heard. I'm not really nervous about it, though; after all, I'd be pretty flattered if someone got something ready for a meeting with me.

The first baseball practice is tomorrow after school. Nick and I are the assistant coaches and possibly the JV coaches (we haven't heard if there's a team yet), and the head coach is a guy who has done it over twenty years. Anyhow, he's really sick. Apparently, it's a really bad flu. Nick and I may have to run the first practice.

That's all for now. Wish me luck between 10 and 11:30 today. If kids start chanting, I'll probably just run to the parking lot and drive home.