Spanish on the Fly

The call came early this morning, the middle school needed a Spanish teacher.  I was right on time, 7:30 a.m., only to be told that the first Spanish class didn't start until 10:15 a.m.  Would I please take the walkie-talkie and be a "walker" for the day (or as my son-in-law calls it, be a "narc.")  My job was to walk the four flights of stairs and walk the hallways, checking hall passes and opening bathroom doors.  Just like a Thomas' English Muffin, I was into every nook and cranny! I was all sweated up 30 minutes into the day - I might as well have been teaching gym class.
    After having been in the middle school earlier last week, I was sorry to be in this new role without my plastic gloves!  I wish I had worn them, as I was coming in contact with every doorknob, every student, checking bathrooms and handling phones and paperwork from staff and students who have all been sick recently or who will be out sick very soon.  I know it's only a matter of days before I, too, am calling in sick.  There's only so much you can do to protect yourself from a sickness that is spreading like the wildfires in The Great Plains of South America (see note below!). 
     When it finally came to Spanish Class, I found a note and a DVD, the class was to watch "The Great Plains of South America" and answer some questions about predators and grazers and natural occurrences.  While watching the movie, I could really identify with the little mice who were getting eaten by the predatory wolves - I felt a little like a mouse myself today, the kids were all hopped up on sugar and were jumping out of their seats and talking and yelling.  The 7th graders were a little bit better behaved than the 6th graders, but none of them really wanted to watch the wolves and the capyberas, and the termites and the caimen.  Unfortunately for me, the DVD player went on the fritz during the second showing.  On the plus side however, I did have the walkie--talkie handy and could call in the reserves for assistance in getting it back up and running.  An additional remote was needed to get us back on track.  We now had 20 minutes to watch a 50 minute movie...
     After Spanish I went back to walking the halls.  "Are you the new vice principal?" they ask me.  I guess a constant stroll and a walkie-talkie in hand makes you an administrator.  I was thinking that perhaps if I WAS the vice principal I'd have an office nearby and might even have a chair I could sit in!  I like to walk and I like my exercise, but by the end of the day I was pretty exhausted! 
  I was asked to cover Dance (Enrichment Class) for the last period, but instead I was called to Chorus as the director missed her bus from New York City and she would be late.  Last period of the day, on Valentine's Day, after the students have been eating chocolate and sugar and candy, and there is no plan, no equipment, no notes, and no music.  The kids tell me they've been recording and I ask to hear their song - well, they've only been recording noises, not music!  Once again, I am thankful for a white board and erasable markers, as we play HangMan using names of songs and names of musical groups.  The REAL chorus director, however, never shows up.  It makes for a long class period.
     I showed up looking all sharp for Valentine's Day in my nice pink sweater, but by the end of the day, I looked as if I was the sole survivor of the St. Valentine's Day massacre with Al Capone.  I wonder what will happen on St. Patrick's Day?  Hope I don't get bit by any snakes.