WHAT? I DON’T HAVE THAT SCHOOL ON MY SCHEDULE. I’VE ALREADY GOT ANOTHER SCHOOL TO DO IN THE AFTERNOON. THREE IN ONE DAY? YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING. TOO LATE TO CALL THE SCHOOLS. TOO LATE TO CALL MY ADVISOR. RESTLESS NIGHT’S SLEEP WONDERING WHAT I SHOULD DO.
MORNING. BACK AND FORTH CALLS BETWEEN MYSELF, MY ADVISOR, AND VARIOUS BOARDS OF EDUCATION. EVERYONE IS CONFUSED AND STRESSED.
ONE HOUR LATER. TURNS OUT THE TEACHER WAS LOOKING AT THE FEBRUARY PAGE OF THE CALENDAR, NOT JANUARY. OOPS.
CLASS TIME. I SHOW THIS TEACHER SOME SMALL AMERICAN CANDIES I BROUGHT AS PRIZES FOR STUDENTS WHO SUCCESSFULLY PARTICIPATE IN MY CAREFULLY PLANNED VIDEO PRESENTATION. HER EYES LIGHT UP. I’M TOLD IT’S A GREAT IDEA, AND THE CHILDREN WILL BE EXCITED. SHE'S RIGHT. ALL GOES WELL.
CLASS ENDS. THIS TEACHER FROWNS AND INFORMS ME THAT I SHOULDN’T GIVE CANDY TO STUDENTS. IT’S AGAINST SOME KIND OF RULE. A RULE THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO OTHER SCHOOLS, HAS NOT APPLIED ON OTHER DAYS, AND DID NOT APPLY ONE HOUR EARLIER. NEW RULE, I GUESS. NOW I’M LEFT WITHOUT THE CRUCIAL BRIBERY TO MOVE MY LESSON PLAN ALONG PROPERLY. NOW ALL THE OTHER CLASSES KNOW I GAVE TREATS TO ONE CLASS AND NOT ANYONE ELSE. THEY WANT TO KNOW WHY.
LUNCHTIME. AS I OFTEN USE VIDEO IN CLASS, I JOKE WITH THE TEACHER THAT “SOMEDAY” I WILL PREPARE SOMETHING DOESN’T REQUIRE SETTING UP THE PROJECTOR. JUST A JOKE, BUT SHE EMPHATICALLY INFORMS ME THAT TO SEE SUCH THINGS IS REALLY RARE FOR THE STUDENTS ON THE ISLAND, AND THAT THE VIDEOS AND PHOTOS I SHOW ON MY MONTHLY VISIT ARE ALWAYS GREATLY ANTICIPATED.
11PM. I’M IN BED. CHECK MY EMAIL AND FIND A MAIL FROM TODAY’S TEACHER. I’M ASKED TO NOT USE VIDEO THE NEXT TIME I VISIT.
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