The Road to Harvard

I knew I would have some free time during spring semester, because job search activity would wind down and, especially, because I would not have to spend a lot of time preparing to teach my university classes. I am teaching two sections of world history at Washburn this semester, and I am making only minor changes to the syllabus and lesson plans I used for the fall semester.

So, I contacted several private high schools in the Kansas City area to offer my availability as a substitute teacher for English or social science classes. To my surprise, The Barstow School has recruited me as a long-term substitute for three Chinese language classes. The regular teacher is very sick and probably will not return this semester. He also teaches world history, and the initial plan was for me to cover for those classes, too. However, since I can only substitute three days a week, the high school persuaded a retired history teacher to cover the history classes. (They had fewer options when it came to short-notice Chinese substitutes.) I have two classes of second-year students and one class of fourth-year students. They are generally motivated, lively, and fun to teach.

-- Norty