Fooled Again

I had a class on Monday at West Point Junior High that was listed as Social Science.’ However when I got to school I learned it was French and Utah Studies. My French is just not rusty, it’s non-existent. I walked back to portable number 9 where the class was suppose to be held and found a sign stating that all of Mrs. Marshall’s French students were to meet in the reading lab.

Usually this would not be a big deal because I always allow myself extra time to go over the lesson plan before the students arrive. However it had snowed the night before, partially melted, then froze again sometime before school started. This coupled with a 20 mile-per-hour north wind caused the walkways to be rather slick. I knew it would be slippery so I wore my church shoes (black and ugly) that had a reasonable tread pattern on them for slick surfaces. I usually wear leather-soled penny loafers but they are really slick on the bottom. I found this out the hard way earlier in the year when I stepped out onto our front porch and immediately went down. Nothing broke, thank heaven, and I proceeded cautiously the rest of the day.

When I went back into the main school building I warned the outgoing students and teachers about the slickness of the walk ways. You never know whether or not the students listen, but I really expected the teachers to listen. So when a few of them went sliding out of control I could only wonder if they were as deaf as me or what.

The cool part of the French classes was that they all had project to work on in the reading lab and had assigned seats. Each of them was able to log onto a computer and work. Most did, but there’s always a few who want to visit with their friends. However I almost choked when the reading room supervisor made some sort of mistake and said to the student, “My Bad.” I might have expected this in the inner city, but not in a Utah public school. I guess I’m really behind the times to expect some semblance of proper English! At least it didn’t come out of the mouth of a teacher.

Back in portable number 9 the fourth period Utah Studies students showed up for their pre-lunch 30 minutes of silent reading. Now we are talking about 7th graders and as one might imagine, not everyone brought a book. Not to worry, Mrs. Marshall had given me a heads up on this and told me where to find short stories for them. So with all of them equipped with a book, they were expected to read. A few had to try out the sub and moved around to other seats. When I started marking them absent after calling their names they hastily moved back. I mean you got to try it right?

I envisioned Utah Studies to be somewhat like California history as was taught to us, even in the black & white days. I’m sure all of you remember studying the missions and trying to build one out of sugar cubes or cereal boxes. However, at least in this lesson, the students were, on paper, packing up for the Trek’ from the mid-west to the Salt Valley in 1847. To me it was like bringing religion into the schools, but here it’s a little different because 60 percent of the population is LDS and there is a seminary next to every junior and senior high school.

Anyway they had to fill in a packing form listing everything they would need for a 1,100 mile three-month trip with no stores along the way. In fact it was through a lot of Indian territory so they needed to pack a few trading items as well. They could not exceed 1,000 BWU’s (Bulk weight units) because that is all the wagon would hold. Without getting into a lengthy explanation, each item was assigned a BWU so the students had to figure it pretty close to make it to the Salt Valley without starving and having enough seed and tools to start farming as soon as they arrived.

However difficult it seemed, the students really got into it and asked some interesting questions. None of the knew, for example, what a butter mold was, nor what was a pair of chaps was used for. The day went by pretty quick and I enjoyed it as much as the kids.

This morning I have a science class at North Davis Junior High which is in nearby Clearfield. I rarely see any jobs at this school. I think this is because most of the teachers have been there awhile and have their favorite subs. When I am there I drop them a card with my name, favorite subjects, sub ID, and phone number so I can become their favorite sub. I pays to advertise I always say!

P.S. I got a call from Associated Foods Monday asking that I drive at least once a month if I want to stay on with them. I am sort of tired of driving trucks, but this summer a few extra bucks might come in handy when school is out. The last time I had a call was to ask me to go in for a random drug screen. On Wednesday I got another call for another random screening. The chances of having two that close together without even driving are astronomical. When I told the nurse at Work Med about it she suggested I go to Idaho and buy up some lottery tickets (there is no lottery in Utah).