The Great Equalizer

It feels incredibly strange that Practicum 2 is just around the corner.

In fact, orientation days were yesterday and today. Well, I guess I should say, orientation DAY was yesterday. Today was a PA day for schools in my board (which would normally mean that teachers would be attending workshops for professional development), and my practicum school told all of the teacher candidates to just stay home and have the day off.

I like this school already.

It's very different from the school where I did my first practicum, but in a good way. This school is located in a part of town that is known as having a high immigrant population. The street on which the school is located is referred to commonly as the "landing strip", because the affordable housing in the area provides easy lodging for those who have just arrived in the country.

The result of having such a high amount of diversity within the school is a magnificent sense of community unlike any other that I have seen.

During orientation day yesterday, I got to attend an assembly put on my one of the school's cultural associations. It was a celebration of a certain holiday that's coming up. The air in the auditorium during this "assembly" was absolutely electric. The event was organized almost entirely by students, and included videos, dancers, singers, and a fashion show. Each aspect of the show was accompanied by rousing cheers by the student body. The support demonstrated by the students for this cultural celebration was inspiring.

In fact, I would go so far as to say that the secret word of the day yesterday was "inspiring", because there were many moments during the day that left me in awe.

It's quite nice that I get to spend my dreaded French practicum in this amazing school environment.

It's funny, though. I dreaded this practicum so much, but when I found out what classes my AT teaches, and how she's teaching them...it was, well...inspiring.

Somewhere in the writer's condo, a bell rings and confetti falls to the floor.

So here's what I get to teach:

* Grade 10 Academic/Enriched Pre-IB French (Yes, that's a mouthful...I forgot to mention that this place is an IB World School)
* Grade 9 Applied French for Beginners (A class for English language learners to get their French credit)
* TBD

My AT only teaches two classes this semester (a semestered school, thank goodness), so we're going to work together to maybe find me a third class to teach with another teacher. Or something. I don't know. Frankly, I'd be content with just the two classes. They're going to be veeeeery interesting.

The grade 10 class is going to be an absolute joy, because I will be helping my AT with their first unit, which will be on la Francophonie d'ailleurs...which means that we're going to be actively studying different Francophone regions in the world outside of France and Canada. They're starting with the Acadian diaspora in Louisiana.

The writer flails joyfully in her computer chair.

Oh man, French for beginners. The textbook is just...wow. It's from the 80s, and it still thinks that France uses the Franc and that its denizens have terrible hair. It's going to be a mission of mine to do something about this awful textbook. I'm probably going to use it for things like...vocabulary. That might be the extent of it. I have a week to plan lessons, because I start teaching that class first when I officially start practicum.

Unfortunately, I have to snap back into reality, because typing out that last sentence reminds me that we do, in fact, have an extra week of school, and that this last week before practicum is full of due dates. Everyone I know at school has at least two assignments due next week, so...here's hoping we all survive the week and can begin Practicum 2 in one piece!

An Ode to Luck

In the past, I've tended to be that person that everyone thinks is "so lucky".

Of course, by past, I do mean from about grade nine forward, since I don't think anyone could possibly believe that I had any luck in my middle school years.

Anyway.

I've been lucky because...

...everything I ever auditioned for in Drama Club in high school, I would get.

...if there was a job I REALLY TRULY wanted, I would get it.

...I was able to get into my Master's program despite only finishing my undergrad with a 78% average.

...I was able to get into Teacher's College despite...only finishing my undergrad with a 78% average.

...I *could have had* the opportunity to study with a scholar I admire in Pennsylvania, should I have chosen not to DO Teacher's College.

...Since finding out where my second practicum will be, I have had the distinct pleasure of doing both of my practicums in schools in the area that are both influential in this school board.

There are other examples, but I'll leave off there.

What's unfortunate is that I think my luck might have finally run out. I still haven't gotten a phone call from the only board to which I bothered applying so far for an interview. I feel like I am at a stage where I need to begin contemplating a Plan B.

The mere idea that there MUST be a Plan B is in itself incredibly depressing. Everyone seemed oh so certain that I would get a teaching position.

"Oh, your teachables are French and History?! Of COURSE you'll get a job. Everyone wants French teachers!"

Of *course* I'll get a job. That's why I'm sitting in front of my computer, fevered, wrapped in two blankets, typing furiously and glancing at my phone every 30 seconds or so, attempting to will it to ring. Waiting to see if maybe my "luckiness" will actually do me good once again. Always waiting. Always questioning.

Maybe I should've gotten that PhD instead.