Are your students back too? Or do you have a week of prep first?

I almost wish the kids WERE back today, then I wouldn't have to listen to so many administrators lead tedious meetings and pointless committees.  It's just the most painful part of being a teacher.  (Ted P. -- if you're reading this, know that every teacher likes their job, but hates this part of it.)  Yeah... a week of "prep" time, almost none of it spent physically in my classroom preparing it for the year.

Welcome home Tom, you hot muscle man you!

Right now, Moyer, I'm feeling the effects of jet-lag and culture abuse (all we ate and drank).  I think I got to workout three times while in the UK.  I got some clean up work to do before I'm willing to parade shirtless in public!  Give me a couple weeks.

Worse, the way Eric and I tag-teamed over the weekend.  I got home Friday night and he split Saturday afternoon for a four-day real-estate convention in Austin, TX. 

Bye, babe!  See you Tuesday night.  Meanwhile, the dogs have no idea what's going on...

A friend of mine just took a position as a high school art teacher, after working at the college level for a couple of years...he was pretty dismayed during his orientation last week to find out that he has to report kids he thinks may be in class "under the influence"...that wasn't an issue for him before.  But, as one of the other teachers told him, the kids who are in art classes at this point want to be there...they don't want to get tossed out, so they don't have the behavior issues that other classes have.

You should never fear that you are talking to much...It is your friendly nature that is a part of the reason this thread continues to breath and grow...Plus I love your stories

Great post Don, I agree completely.

I'll miss your Superman avatar!

Don't worry -- it's not gone forever.  I'm just giving this shot of me in an actual PIT some play.  Have faith -- I'll be Superman again soon enough.

...they don't want to get tossed out, so they don't have the behavior issues that other classes have.

Largely true.  But there are also the kids who take music/art electives because they want an "easy A" or a blow-off period or they have a requirement they must meet, etc etc.  There are always behavioral issues -- they're teenagers, for heaven's sake.  Part of the fun is "testing" authority.

...you only make about a third of what you should be paid.

On the other hand, we only work ten months out of the year, right?  I used to make that joke a lot when I was working at my other job -- for me, bar manager. 

I fought Authority and Authority always... fought back.

Can't say they won, can't say I won, but I can say we both ended up badly bruised.

For me it wasn't about testing the boundaries, I just assumed and still assume that the only one who has any authority over me or my actions (outside of the law) is me. Nothing personal against any of the teachers who had me in their class.

That said the only ones who got bruised were the teachers who lived to exercise their authority and were really petty and vindictive. They would pick on me as I was the smallest (big for my age, small for my grade) and quietest and that would lead those teachers to assume I was someone to exercise their authority on.

Tom, you seem like the kind of teacher that I wouldn't have... deliberately tortured, though I have to say I would not wish teenage me on any of my teacher friends.