March 8, 2021

Monday

I got to school early with the 7:20 bus and was feeling really hopeful. I had a meeting set up at 8am with the vice principal to find a solution for the naughty class on Tuesday. When the time came, I met her in her little office. We spoke in French and I described the class’ behavior and their antics. I told Mme Kiel that I did not think I could continue with the class because their behavior was so bad. I made sure to mention that I talked with the teacher each week about the problems that I was having and nothing changed. She told me that it was unacceptable for the children to treat me like that and that she would have me removed from the class by tomorrow. Mme Kiel also promised that she would be the one to talk to Viri so I didn’t need to worry about her reaction. I was so grateful. I felt like there was finally a chance for change.

My first two classes of the day worked on St. Patrick’s day. They actually don’t celebrate it in France. I thought it was really funny because they were very concerned that this is not a “jour ferié” or “paid holiday” in the United States. I showed them pictures of the green river in Chicago and they asked if they could swim in it. Gross!

When it came time for lunch, I realized that I forgot my lunch card. I couldn’t eat at the cantine and was really hungry, so I walked the 20 minutes into town so I could get lunch at my favorite bakery. I got a heated up sandwich, a caramel éclair, and a Coke. I ate beside the river for a while until a bunch of teens came by and started smoking pot nearby. I decided to make my way back so I could chill out in my classroom and watch Youtube.

I presented national parks to my 4ème and my 6ème groups. They both loved the pictures and were shocked to find out how big bison are. I’m getting a bit concerned for their level of education in science. They keep asking me how volcanos work and how earthquakes happen. These kids are late in their middle school career and I remember doing work on these subjects in 6th grade.

At the break, I did my best to avoid the staffroom. Things have been uncomfortable for me in there because the other English teachers are unhappy with me for sticking up for myself. Instead, I wandered the halls and looked at posters on the evolution of women’s rights in the western world. The English teacher has clearly gone through and marked up all the mistakes. I don’t know about you, but I would be super embarrassed to have my marked up poster up in the hall for everyone to see the mistakes that I made. Sometimes the French are brutal.

By the end of the day, I still hadn’t heard anything from Viri about switching the classes. Christel hadn’t heard anything either. I decided to email Mme Kiel when I got home to see what was happening. My last class of the day was quick. I presented on Detroit. The kids were in too much of a flutter about their posters in the hall to really care, but that’s okay.

When it was time to leave, I followed one of my neighbors to the bus. He suddenly disappeared, so I assumed he was on it. I got on the bus and found a seat. I looked up and realized that the bus was making an abnormal turn. Thinking at first there was just construction, I didn’t get off. After a few minutes, I realized I had gotten on the wrong bus! Thankfully, Mme Bodet (my neighbor across the street) was willing to come get me. I waited for her outside the library in Villette d’Anthon.

That night I ate dinner with the Bodet family. We had some leftover dishes from the previous week and some wine. It was a tense dinner because it seems like Janja is continuing to do poorly on tests. I did my best to get out of there as soon as possible so they could have their private family time.

When I got home I saw that Mme Kiel responded to my email asking for an update about Tuesday courses. She told me that she spoke with Viri (the Tuesday teacher) and decided that I would stay with the class permanently and that it was too much of a struggle to change. She promised that she would speak with them and see about changing my room so it was closer to Viri’s. I felt absolutely hopeless.