Adventures in Babysitting

This isn't my usual Sabbath post. I'm here at TJ, subbing. Some highlights or interesting bits of my day so far:

• They have a computer in the classroom. Which means that I can check email and surf the web. It's good but it makes me think that the real teacher here probably wastes a lot of time.
• 1st period:

Student 1: What's that book for? Student 2: It's to read. What do you think a book is for?

• I have to begin each quiz with a spiel on cheating. They still tried to cheat even when I told them I could see them cheating. I had to step in and ask them to put away their crib sheets.
• 4th period:

Student 1: Why don't you want to play basketball or baseball? Student 2: I play tuba. See how strong my shoulders are?

• During roll call:

  Me: Miguel? Student: Call me Michaelangelo.

  Are you for real?
• 5th period:

Student: Can I go to the bathroom? Me: No. You're an adult. You can hold it for 30 minutes. If you can't hold it for 30 minutes, I hope you're wearing a diaper.

• Here's a picture of what some of the students drew of me. I thought it was hilarious! For whatever reason, they're really into drugs. They thought it would be awesome to draw SpongeBob smoking crack.

I really like TJ. I'd definitely teach here if I could. The students here are receptive to authority and I think they would be receptive to good teaching. There's definitely a difference in culture here between my regular teaching gig in Ennis. I feel that the students here are more interested in participating as a group, rather than just individual performance. I also feel that there is a higher level of respect here. But that might just come from being a mean, old sub.