A Different Kind of Day

High school students are fascinating! I spend most of my time with young children, but today I was a substitute teacher at a local high school. It started out great- the light bulb blew out immediately on the overhead projector, which caused some students to think that we were not going to have class. No such luck, dear teenagers- just work on your projects. I was in art class; I don't really know anything about art- my main concern was to make sure that no one left the room with an exacto knife- mission accomplished!

After I announced the assignments for the day I heard-

"I'm bored."

Ah, the back corner of the room- the boy slouching in his chair with his arms crossed. He was the one who had said "Who's that?" when I walked into the room, as if I couldn't hear him. I calmly told him to work on his shading or his sketchbook- of course, he had neither one with him....right. Well.....

"Find something to do."

"O.k. I'll read," and he picked up his Aquafina bottle and proceeded to "read".

I moved to a small math class for 4th hour, where I was promptly named "Miss G." because my name sounded too complicated to pronounce.

After lunch it was back to art class- more shading figures and another back row boy with nothing to do. He was enjoying his Ipod. At my prompting he retrieved his project. He then came and asked me if I knew how to draw- I laughed. I was not very helpful. Then he informed me that I smelled good. "You really do".......and he returned to his seat.

Well, I guess it's always nice to know whether you smell good or not.

Oh, here's a fashion tip from an observer of high school students:

Anything goes. If you want to wear shorts in November, go ahead. If you want to wear a black and white striped shirt with brown plaid pants, be my guest. Maybe a pair of furry pink boots- with a very miny denim skirt, of course. And you can do or not do your hair- it really doesn't matter.

I guess I must have just appeared to be an older person. There is obviously no such thing as "normal".