Epiphany in Baltimore

Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2005

Epiphany in Baltimore has moved to epiphanyinbaltimore.blogspot.com

The fog never lifted today in Baltimore, as far as I know. When I scampered outside at 7:35 to move my car, it was foggy. When I left, for real, at 7:50 it was foggy. When I left school at 5:55, it was really foggy. When I left the play at 10:30, fog still hung in the air.

It was a long day, and, unfortunately, another gym-free day. I'm not sure how I'm able to convince myself at 4:45 am that I can sleep in, that I will go to the gym after school, even though I have to meet friends at 6pm for dinner and I've been leaving school at around 6pm lately. Ugh.

I liked the play, a lot. I still have probably only seen a dozen or so plays (if that) in my life, so I must still have the thrill of live theater because that review was mediocre and I was just blown away. The acting was incredible and the end... wow.

***

My attitude at school has made the turnaround from Monday. The certification concerns are gone now, and I'm getting a bit caught up on work. Plus, I'm drinking coffee, which helps a lot. My emergency happy hour, which is Thursday night, is now less of an emergency and more of just something to do.

I've kept a parental e-mail list all year. Every two weeks, I send out an e-mail to parents, telling them about what we're doing in the class and such. It's usually really geeky, since that's what I am. For example, this is the first paragraph of this bi-week's entry: "Thanks for your support of your students' hard work this semester. We have read the entirety of "The Odyssey," a challenging task that your students should be proud of accomplishing. I try my best to impress upon them that what they have achieved in reading a text that has been a prominent part of world culture for nearly 3,000 years, read by millions of people, is something that makes us human, connecting us with both the ancient past and the rest of the world. I hope they get a sense of the magnitude of what they've done."

What a dork, eh? I do really mean it, but still...

Anyhow, I've proferred a bunch of parental good will from the list, which I'm spending by giving the students a buttload of work. Another interesting development is that partly since I'm teaching some Honors classes now, more of my parents are movers and shakers in the city. They have money or power, or both. I've got two sets of parents who have sent their kid to Jerusalem for summer camp, I kid you not. So I've begun to skirt this line in the e-mails where I want them to know how unhappy I am with current going-on's in the office, without being unprofessional. I feel like they could do something about it, more than what I can do. I've already written a letter to the superintendent and signed a petition; but there's not much more I can do, I don't think. (Except whine about it, which, don't worry, I'm doing a lot of, as you well know.) So I'm trying to be subtle in my small criticisms without coming right out and saying that I'm worried that our school is falling apart, please do something before it's too late.

So I get an e-mail back from a parent today saying, "Hi Mr. (Epiph),

Thank you for your email. Is there a school calendar for the second semester? Also, a group of freshmen parents are thinking of organizing a teacher appreciation event. Is there a date or time that would work for most teachers? a lunch event? or an after school event? Thanks in advance for your guidance. We really appreciate the emails, given the lack of information from the administration.

I think she's getting it, a bit.

This is the other reply I got. These parents bought me a $25 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble for Christmas. It really made my day.

I am horrified that you have never received a gift from a parent - Ed is a teacher and he comes home with a box full of gifts, I had no idea that was just a private school thing. Incidentally, did you see the article in the recent New Yorker about gifts to teachers in NY and California? It is very funny.

I have to tell you how much (our son) is enjoying "All Quiet on the Western Front". He doesn't read much for pleasure (unless it is PC Gamer magazine) but he talks about this book a lot. It is a great choice, especially at this moment in US history.

Monica

Here's my original. By the way, she is getting me confused with her son's History teacher here. We are both dumpy white guys in their late twenties. The kids call us each other's names all the time on accident.
-------------- Original message --------------

Mr. and Mrs. (X):

I was very touched by your holiday gift this year. In my four years of teaching, I have never received a Christmas gift from a parent, and I appreciate it very much. I apologize I did not thank you sooner. I haven't used the gift card yet, but I think I plan on getting "The Kite Runner" and "The Curious Incident of the Dog at Night Time" with it.

Thanks again, and I look forward to seeing you at Parent Teacher conferences next month.

Sincerely,

(Epiph)

No real insight here, I guess. It's just nice. Things are going well, now.

Meanwhile, a colleague was accosted by a parent today and had to have the meeting in my room because she doesn't have a classroom. I overheard bits and pieces before the teacher had to go and get an administrator because the parent was irate. I heard her say, "I refuse to be railroaded into giving your daughter a certain grade when she didn't take responsibility for her work." Thankfully, I have never had that sort of confrontation. With as many kids as are going to fail my class this semester, though, it very well might happen.