Catching Up And the Consequences of Catching Up...

A week or so ago I met my old high school friend. It was first time in five years or so. We had SOME catching up to do.

It happened that he was a teacher in elementary schools fifth grade. I was so excited! I would have never guessed that the guy who used to do nothing but techno music in high school would end up to be a teacher! And in an elementary school!

It was so cool, I asked all kinds of question about his class and what kinds of teaching methods he liked to use and stuff. 'cause I've always been interested in teaching - especially kids. Suddenly he asked if I'd like to be his substitute sometimes.

I was awestruck, I froze there for a second. "That would be an honor." -or something like that I mumbled to him. Considering that he would trust his class in my hands even for a day was something I would have never even thought about...

Yesterday, 25th Oct. he sent me an SMS:

"Are you free on friday? I broke my foot, and need a subst."
- Whoa! Didn't expect so soon...
"My usual substitute can't make it on friday."
-Yep, nothing special on friday here...

"Sure, what time? What subjects?" I send him back.

"Just 1h maths, 2h art class from 9am-12pm."

"'k, no probl.!"

...

This morning, get up at seven, quick shower, down with the coffee, run to the bus, try to guess where get off, nervous as hell....

Got off on the right buss stop and walked few hundred meters to the school. It's a small school, 3 classes per grade up to the 6th. One class ca 28 students. Nice and cuddly atmosphere. Got to the teachers lounge - nobody seemed even notice I was a new face!

"G'morning!" "G'morning!"

"Hi I'm Mikael..."

"Oh, that's nice, morning!"

Well found my way to the principals office, same story...

"Morning."

"Um, good morning, I'm substituting for a day..."

"Oh yea, fill out this form leave it there. Your class is upstairs, have fun."

Have fun? Apparently my friend had let them know my exact features and told my whole life story, 'cause everyone was like I'd a regular face in the school... And it was only 8.45AM - I'd been there for only 5min....

...

Well, maths... I got to the class, and switched on the lights. Tried to figure out what they were studying at the moment, what they had had for homework... Nervous about what they might say when they see me...

The bell rings.

"Hey! Are you our new substitute teacher?!"

"Yea."

"Cool, OK."

And that's it... It's amazing how kids can adjust to new situtation in no time. I was someone they had never seen before, and come up to say to them, I'll be watching over you today. "Cool, OK." That kind of trust is something grown ups just can't do... Just a thought of it made me smile, but also got me a bit blue...

"Good morning!"

The class replies in well practised manner: "Good morning teacher!"

Normal introductions, "my name is Mikael Kawamura", spelling my last name made them whisper to eachother, "I'll be your subs for at least today."

"Ok! Who wants to come write the first homework assignment on the black board?"

I've never had a roomfull of kids silenced in a fraction of a second. Now I know how it feels like. I can tell you - it feels nice.

After the homeworks, I made them do rest of the exercises they had left. Piece of cake... I thought. They did their things and I just wondered around the class, asking if everything was alright.

But when the art class started... Oh my god. I realized that you can't just give them kids a topic like "My Dream Pet - free technique". You have to be more specific:

"My Dream Pet, In My Room, Lying On My Bed, It Has My Old Socks On, With It's Tongue Out of It's Mouth, Tickling My Feet With an Orange Feather, While I'm Vacuum Cleaning My Room. - Draw it first with an pencil, color with water colors or pastels, name it, and think of a story of how you got it. No we-went-to-the-pound-to-get-it kinda story - something unusual! Time exactly 35 minutes."

You can imagine what kind of circus my art class became, 'cause half of the class couldn't think of an animal they liked. It didn't help when I suggested: "Hey, why don't you just draw my an ant." -Even though one student came to me after class and showed her drawing "Giant Ants Take Over the World". Hilarious!

The art class became japanese class after they found out I was half japanese and half finnish... They should have a basic idea of katakanas and hiraganas by now.

The day ended with lunch. Te kids had their normal order by which thet got to go get their food. They formed a line so neat I would have been proud of even when I was in the army having the recruits stand in a line to the garrison.

After lunch I got to go home. It wasn't so easy as it could have been... But it'll get easier when I get another chance to be with them... Maybe next week even?

It's cool how you get to experince new things when you meet old friends. Right? ^^