Yes, I survived my first ever semester in high school. Didn't suffer any of the usual hazing that the geeks get when they start out, no being stuffed into a locker, no wedgies, and for heavens' sake, no name-calling.
I think I was a little too large for all that. Thankfully.
Anyway, I think it went pretty well, for a first time, with no prep-work (no course syllabus, no lesson plans, no concept of what to give for homework) and no clue. I pretty much winged it every week. Admittedly, I was light on the homework, but I think part of that was that I was as loath to grade the homework as I'm certain students are to do it. Though the final paper seems to be working out well (just handed in final grades for 2 of my 3 students, still waiting on the third's paper... grrr...).
For all that Community High is a different and funky place to go to school, making it a different and funky place for me to try teaching, I had to keep reminding myself that yes, I was The Teacher, and that I should attempt to maintain some measure of distance. Nah. I wound up comparing tattoos with the Rebel, sharing geek chem-lab stories with the Nerd, and using the Jock for examples. In short, I had fun. Sometimes, I was nervous as all heck, but I'd like to think I did okay. Even asked the students to fill out an evaluation sheet that the program provides for first-timers like myself.
I think, next fall, I shall have done much more work into preparing for the class; I'll have a stronger concept about things like homework and in-class work; and I might have a better idea how to evoke more in-class participation. Yeah, I'm going back. I might even expand it, too, such that the second term, I teach a Modern Biology Lab class (if I can get my hands on the equipment...).
Heck, I even got told I was cool, a few times. How's that for a geek in his first term in high school?
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