Yesterday was my first day of student teaching.  Sort of.

Because of administrative changes at the high school I’ve been placed at, it took a little longer than usual for me to get assigned to a teacher.  As of last Friday, I was told by my student teaching director to just be ready Monday morning.  So I was, if ready means sleeping in (uneasily) with the phone by my side.  Midway through the day I received an email from my director, stating that he was still waiting to hear back from his contact in the administration of the high school.

I went on about my day, which consisted of borrowing no less than two vehicles and twice that in friends and relatives for purposes of lifting and transporting a slab of countertop for a home my wife and I are buying.  It turns out that recycled paper is incredibly heavy.

Finally, at six-thirty, while returning the minivan that had earlier proved too small for the slab, I received a call from my student teaching director.   “I just talked to Mr. X,” he explained, “and he’d like you to call him.”

As I was driving, I asked if he could send me the info in an email, which he did:

I hope that this will work out.
Please, call Mr. X at 612 xxx-xxxx.  Mr. X is old school.
He likes to talk and students to listen.  He appreciates innovation as
long as students can still make the grade(s).  He can be your best
mentor or your worst administrator.  He relates his thinking through
stories and tells a lot of them.  He wants to support
young/new/pre-service teachers but will always back his full time/fully
licensed staff.  All in all, I think he’s a good guy.  Funny.
Responsive.  Quick to act.  Don’t waste sarcasm on him until you get to
know him.
You will interview with him first.  He’s athletic
director.  You got to come with a game plan…. 12 weeks, full time,
Start this week, end on Wednesday, November 21.  3-5 weeks at least of
full time teaching in the classroom.  Your university supervisor will
visit at least 5 times.  It will be Ms. X…ELA coordinator
for the district or Dr. X, Communication Arts and Lit professor.
Suchandsuch is your Student teaching director and will meet with you at
least 3 times during the semester.  That sort of information will be
useful for him and the cooperating teacher if they ask.
Let me know what you think after talking with and meeting with him.

So I called Mr. X, who definitely seemed like a no-nonsense type of guy.  “You’ll have to come in for an interview first, of course, because you understand we don’t just let anyone student teach in our building without first being approved by the administration, just as we’d expect a teacher candidate to interview.”  I actually happen to think that’s a brilliant strategy, but his delivery is more than a tad abrupt.

Even so, I was told by my student teaching director (Suchandsuch) that when he talked to Mr. X yesterday evening, Mr. X was on his way to go buy some whiskey.  I was advised not to mention that, but all the same, I find the knowledge a little heartening.

The interview  is today at three, which means I need to go buy a belt that doesn’t say Led Zeppelin on  the  giant buckle.  Updates to follow.