"Mr. Caruthers on a scale from 1 to 10 How deep do you think your voice is?"

Fourth Day of Student Teaching? Awesome. I’m getting into the “groove”. I’m used to the morning commute and being in school from 8:00-3:30. This morning I got a test of my “authority”. During the morning assembly something scary happened. I was standing along the wall and saw that the Principal was down front trying to get the students to take their seats. On the other side of the gym there was one teacher telling the students to sit down so on the side of the gym I was standing on I looked to my right then looked “To the left, to the left” (Beyonce Voice) and saw no other “certified and paid” teacher(s). It just so happened that the current word of the week is “initiative”. So I walked over to a chattering group of about six 7^th grade girls and said: “Ladies go ahead and take your seats.” Before I could get the period at the end of my request the leader of the clique snapped with brute voice and sass: “Who are you!?”. There was about a two second pause before I responded. My hand got stiff as I began to grind my teeth. My eye narrowed my breathing changed. My chest poked out a bit more than usual. My now stiff hand left my side and gradually rose into the air before coming down hard on the face of the defiant brat. Today, I slapped my first student…I was immediately escorted from the campus and placed in a police car. NO WAY! HAHA. I was only joking. I wouldn’t touch those kids with a ten-foot pole! But my actual response was: “I’m Mr. Caruthers and I’m asking you to take your seats”. I then stared at the group of girls until they moved and took their seats. Victory.

After the morning assembly I returned to the classroom and the class sat down with excitement because we were going to finish the rest of National Treasure. The next hour I got a little embarrassed. There are three Asian students in this class and they all have the same last name. I didn’t know that until I was passing back papers. I read the first name, pronouncing it wrong of course then I looked expectantly at the Asian girl that was sitting next to where I was standing and she said, “That’s not me. You said the name wrong and the girl is sitting over there”. That was another hard earned lesson on stereotyping. A shame.

In that same class one of the boys asked me, “Mr. Caruthers on a scale from 1 to 10 how deep do you think you’re voice is?” I replied, “I think a 6” and the boy replied, “I was going to say an 8.” So I obviously got that BASS in my voice! The more I’m around the kids the more I realize how observant they are. They don’t miss a beat. It can be a good thing of course, today a student complimented me on my bracelets. When you get the good sooner or later you going to hear the bad. Today during the “Advisory” (A break from 1:45-2:10 where the whole school pauses to read) it was so nice out that my cooperating teacher asked me if I would walk the kids around the track. I of course being a strapping young lad said it would be fine. So when her advisory class came in she told them that I would be taking them outside. I got a standing ovation for some reason. It was pretty cool. So I’m walking with these kids and after we walk a 400 we come and take a seat at the picnic tables and I’m going around talking to the kids and asking them questions about the things they like. Well I’m sitting and talking with two girls when I hear one girl say, “Look at his panties!” I start looking for the kid these girls were teasing in order to shield him from embarrassment. I looked and saw that all eyes were on me. So I but my hand on my back and felt that my sweater obviously “fitted” had ridden up on my back leaving my boxers exposed to the “Bonnies”, I didn’t know how to respond so I just quickly pulled my sweater down and asked them to be quiet because that entire subject was inappropriate. See what I mean? They notice everything!!!!

So after I get over my embarrassment I quickly tried to get the focus off of me so I tell the kids, “Well looks like its time to go to your next class!” It works. Kids love to pack their things up early. So I was no longer the focus. Praise the Lord.

Today I also realized that when I start teaching next month it will be Black History Month! So I talked to my cooperating teacher and she said that I can do mini-lessons/ bell work on Black Icons! Can’t wait. I’m going to include my favorites, Malcolm X, Du Bois, Frederick Douglass and King of course but I have got to think of some others besides civil rights leaders! I’ll have to go with athletes and other entertainers. I have much to plan even without the Teacher Work Sample.

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.”-Frederick Douglass.

I also need to teach these kids that it is okay for them to be themselves. It is easy for these kids to become slaves to their “invisible audience”. I don’t want that for them so I’m making a note now to mention that to them. Keep me in prayer. Goodnight!