Well, the man on TV is flying a ‘skybike’ or a’gyro plane, it’s small enough he scoots along country roads like a motorcycle and now they are talking about jellyfish, I’m not sure I get the connection.
It’s raining, I can hear the splash on the metal window sill. It was sunny in the morning, and it was a typical Friday, my days are so routine. I was going to walk to my first class, along the river, it’s a pleasant, contemplative walk, I’ve actually written a few poems that way, but I left it too late and compromised and only took a tram for a part of the way.
The usual classroom was closed. Czech elections begin tonight, so it looks like some of the classrooms have been temporarily converted into polling places. Nobody ever tells me shit. So, I went up to the office to ask where my 5th graders were and the secretary was just chatting away with another good old girl about their nails. When she eventually decided to acknowledge my presence, she just said ‘ they’re out today.’ I said “Are you sure?,” trying to feign surprise and disappointment. That was enough to get her to check, though, and they were just one floor up.
Probably the polling place situation explains why I had 6 or 7 kids in my class who I usually don’t. They were the same mix as the rest, though. One very bright girl, a couple of boys who thought they were funny using words I’d never teach them, and the majority trying to avoid eye contact and learn as little English as possible.
I guess my frustration shows. One of the boys in the class came up to me and asked if I was all right.
Then I had the classes out in Vinoř. It was still sunny. Actually, it was a little bit sauna-like on that bus. The best moment in those classes came right at the beginning. The first little girly who came in, the door to the classroom wasn’t even open yet, I have to wait for the designated mother-with-the-key, and started pointing to things on the wall, little, wooden, cutout figures and saying “Blue fish, red bicycle, pink monkey. She’s got it. I really think she’s got it.
Anyway, that class was 3 wild kids, I opened the windows because it was hot and they all spread out and sat on the windowsills. I suppose I should relax and go with the flow. They are 4 and 5. I’m sure if I just played the English speaking teacher as babysitter for an hour, the kids would be happy, their parents would be happy and I would, for sure, be happier, except I wouldn’t, and I’m not going to do that.
Then, I had the slightly older class and they were not any more co-operative.
When I finished, I noticed a total change in the weather outside. The sky was various shades of gray, and there wasn’t a drop of blue in sight. Rain was imminent. It waited until I got on the bus and then Thor swung his hammer and all the clouds pissed themselves in sudden terror.
I love the rain. It clears the air.
www.gurukalehuru.com 