Me? A Teacher?

I'm one of the room parents at daughter S's class in the Chinese school, which she attends every Sunday. Yesterday on the school newsletter it said that the 5th grade teacher would be moving out of the area and it was her last day yesterday.

"I wonder who's going to take over the class for her," I said to myself.

Two hours passed. During the second recess, S's teacher asked the parents in the classroom if any of us was interested in teaching the 5th grade. Apparently the school hadn't been able to find any replacement yet and was very likely to face the prospect of not having anyone to teach the class next week.

"But what are you supposed to teach in a 5th grade class?" I wondered aloud.

"Oh, it's easy!" The teacher answered eagerly, "You just follow the textbook they give you. Anyone can do it." She looked straight at me, "Are you interested? It's actually perfect for you. (Other parents nodded and murmured in agreement.) I'll let the school know right away."

So I, uh, *gulp*, kind of got roped into the job and supposedly will start this coming Sunday.

On her way to school this morning, S told me that I should take the position so I could make some money for the family.

"But do you think we need more money?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah!" She didn't even hesitate.

So I wrote the school an e-mail asking them what I was supposed to do, now that S's teacher has told them I'd teach the 5th grade class.

The lady in charge of HR wrote back and said she'd found a replacement for the 5th graders, but would I be interested in becoming a substitute for the time being? Because they'll need more teachers next year and this would be a good way for me to get my feet wet.

I was actually relieved to hear that they've got someone for the 5th grade class. And honestly, I was having a hard time believing that they'd just let anybody hop in and teach for the first time in her life. Starting as a sub is good, I told her.

So I filled out the application form for them. One of the questions they have was, "I choose to teach at the Chinese School because..." To which I answered, "...the school seems to have a serious shortage of staff and I think I might as well help with what I can while my daughter is here in school."

Yep. I remember a long time ago, when I was choosing a major for college, my dad wanted very much for me to become a teacher. Of course I was dead set against it, because I knew I had not the patience for it. One of the reasons I sent S to the Chinese School was because I didn't have the patience to teach her myself. It was very frustrating and tiring to have her test the waters all the time with me. And here I am, filling out a job application to teach in the Chinese School after all.

But then again, teaching somebody else's kids is quite different from teaching my own. Eventually they go home to their own parents and cease to become my responsibility.