Simple Teaching?

Far be it from me to do a post two days in a row (has it been two days? I really don't remember). But today during 4th period I was hit with a sudden realization, which is the purpose of this inspired blog post (as I was typing this, I had a sudden loss of sanity due to a request from a student, so if this seems disjointed and funnily worded, that's why...I'm just finding many things funny at the moment).

Here at Xavier, it becomes very easy to ponder if one is "living simply" as a JV. We get our $60 a month, but we also have our laundry done for us by a worker and all of our meals are prepared for us every day. We have internet access and a number of movies and other things at our disposal to spend time with each other as a faculty and unwind from our 12-14 hour a day schedule of work.

However, today I think I got a glimpse of what "simple living" really means, particularly from a teaching perspective. You see, currently our generator only covers half of the school due to the engine getting weaker, and we chose that half to be the main building where the administrators work and we teachers do our lesson planning and printing. Unfortunately, it does not include 7 of our 8 classrooms, nor does it include our computer lab. So for four hours of the school day as well as past 8 pm, only part of our campus has power. As I was teaching fourth period in a classroom dimly lit and incredibly warm due to lack of lights and ceiling fans, I was realizing that at Xavier we are somewhat forced to live and teach simply. Not only that, but I realized today that I never teach in the same classroom twice in one day, meaning that I must always be re-writing my notes...unfortunately no overhead projector and even if we did it wouldn't work without power, and where exactly would I get the transparency sheets? I *could* do some powerpoint with a laptop, but having 17+ students trying to look at a 17" monitor is not always easy (difficult to actually see the notes).

Today, I had a paper due for the Juniors. To say the least, it was a comical and frustrating experience as they had very little class time to actually type their final drafts due to 1) the power and 2) the lab being already in use by other teachers who signed up before me. I blame the power for most of this frustration but at the same time can't help but laugh at this whole situation and think to myself: I wonder what teachers back home would do in these situations? Would they not know what to do? Would they be just as crazy as me right now? Or would they be calm and composed and able to easily handle these situations? I don't know (if any teachers want to answer in the comment box, that would be dandy). Perhaps this is cultural, but I'm amazed that students share their USBs so much. This causes issues throughout a paper writing process of needing to find the person with the USB that has a paper or research on it as well as a plethora of other complications. I can't help but laugh at it all right now.

If that sounds like a rant, very sorry...just trying to explain what simple living may mean up here at Xavier.

One last thing: I am realizing how much something which has become so obvious and simple to me must have been taught to me at some point in time...Apparently I completely forgot to tell the Juniors that a Works Cited page should be done alphabetically. Good to know that i still have things to teach them for this next paper! I understand that first year teaching is a time of learning what to do; but there is a type of desolation that comes with knowing that the mistakes come at the expense of those I am teaching right now!

Ok, another thing: this Thursday afternoon and Friday is Track and Field Day. Looking forward to seeing how our students do and how the other high schools do. Rather than have track and field meets against one school, we have them all at once!
Next week I'm going to be on the Junior's Emmaus Retreat. Stoked! It's basically like a Kairos retreat. Please pray for our students especially next Thursday through Sunday.

Ok, I think that's all.