4 posts tagged “humphreys county”

In the spirit of Ms.Mayo's mid-9 weeks reflection, I think I'll just offer a fraction of her insight into my own first month and some change in one of the toughest professions known to humankind.

First, the good. I love my students. For real, for real. I do. Even the ones that threaten to "thump" me (meaning beat me up) and roll their eyes every time I open my mouth as if my class is akin to Middle Ages-era physical torture. I feel a personal identification with them that I can't begin to fully describe. It's based on more overt similarities between myself and my students along the lines of race, age, and geographic location though it's also based on less well-known attributes my students and I share(d) at one point or another along the lines of class, musical interests, and political leanings. Another good thing: I love the Delta. I love my small town that's less populous than my high school in Jersey.

I love the fact that I'm know by my first name or last name by people like the owner of my favorite clothing store in town, the superintendent of my district, the cab driver/tour guide in town, and others. I love the pace of things out here and the friendly folk I meet every day. I love the bountiful catfish that the Delta offers at myriad restaurants that dot highways and byways across this region. It's a beautiful thing. A final good thing: I'm getting better at what I do. I'm constantly getting papers back to students quicker. I'm constantly thinking up new ways to address what could have once been considered trite curriculum. I'm constantly working my students' IEPs into my lesson plans more and more and addressing the various intelligences of my students better and better. That's really wassup.

Secondly, the not so good. The feelings that I'm becoming more of an autocrat than I'd like to be. On some level, I definitely know that my students realize that Mr. Amutah's discipline policy is not nearly as strict as Ms.So-and-so or Mr.What's his name. I don't want to be a teacher that my students cower in fear from. Fear is stronger than love, or so it's been said, but I definitely find myself going for love despite my advice to others. I have to figure out how make the switch to no being so much of a pushover in certain situations but still maintaining the respect/cooperation of my students without constantly sending them out of my classroom or paddling them (I haven't done the latter...yet).

Also not so good: my ability to "leave school work at school." I don't. I work. A lot. I'm a first person in, last person out type of teacher right now. I usually get to my school around 7 a.m. and stay until 5:30/6 p.m. when our custodians are surprised to see me coming down the long, dark hallway from my class and say, "Oh, I didn't even know you were still here." After I get home I usually have an hour of downtime (meaning eat, change clothes, fix up my house or something) and then I work for numerous more hours at home lesson planning, grading papers, etc. On many nights I've done a little work after getting home then eaten a big dinner--usually my only real meal of the day--and go to bed around 8/9/10 p.m. after setting my alarm for 3/4/5 a.m. so I can get up and work some more. Not cool. My communication with loved ones back in the northeast from D.C. (big sis) to Philly (lil sis) to Jersey (mom, brothers) to Boston (wifey) has suffered in light of this grind.

Still, I'm here...

Eighth grade girl I've never seen before walks into my classroom between third and fourth period...
Girl: "Hey, what's yo name?"
Me: "Mr. Amutah."
Girl: "You that teacher that everybody like yo class?"
Me: "I don't know. Is that so?"
Girl: "Everybody like yo class. I heard yo class fun. You be making yo kids t-shirts?" (referring to one of my possible prizes for 25 tickets...a custom made t-shirt)
Me: "It's one of my prizes, yes."
Girl: "You got 8-2?" (her homeroom class)
Me: "No, sorry. Maybe another year."
Girl: "Man...everybody like yo class."

I couldn't help but gush...and make a face like the one below:

Mr. Amutah Gushing

It's 3:22 p.m....

Just finished my first day of teaching at Humphreys County Jr. High and Humphreys County High School....

Still standing....

Actually smiling....

Today was a good day....

These kids are hilarious....

I can't wait to ACTUALLY start teaching (as oppose to just going over rules/procedures/etc.)...

Still don't have a permanent living arrangement....

Still don't have a driver's license....

Still not even on Humphreys County School District's payroll....

But I HAVE demonstrated that I can do this.