The school year ended with the long check out line for teachers. I had almost forgotten that I would get my teaching assignment for next year at the end of the line. Last stop - Brown. Our principal, Mr. Brown, paused from talking to another teacher when he saw me, wrote my assignment on the yellow sheet, slipped it to me, and continued his conversation.
As I walked off into summer bliss, I glanced at the sheet. I did a double take. Never assume. I thought I would read physics and physical science. Instead physical science and science olympiad. Surely this must be a mistake.
It wasn't.
Immediately my thoughts kicked into gear. I could rally the troops of dedicated former students. I could put together my best litigation for teaching physics - many student award winners, several Phd's, national board certification, finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching, etc. Surely, I could do something, anything, to get physics on my schedule.
Can you believe someone once said I sometimes engaged in hysterical thinking?
After considering all of these vitriolic options, I was reminded by my buddy that maybe Madison Central is where I am supposed to be and physical science is what I am supposed to be teaching. Umm. Consider that.
In the past year I had applied unsuccessfully to four other schools and I had lobbied unsuccessfully to teach physics and AP Physics. Maybe I should hear my friend's provocative insight.
So it is with a new sense of calling and purpose that I am dialing students in the summer to recruit them for my Science Olympiad class. Mr. Brown did give me that class that I had requested. I see it as physics replacement therapy. The class will be done as a lab based class with a focus on twenty four categories of competition. We will be getting ready to dethrone MSMS in the State Science Olympiad competition in the spring 2015.
Also I will be the only teacher who teaches physical science. I can redesign the curriculum as I see fit in accordance with state and common core objectives. Also one semester will be physics. I am beginning to embrace this supposed to be here status.
When the craving for physics flares up from time to time, I will remind myself that I have a ten minute drive to work, that I have essentially one preparation for the first time in my career. I never want for supplies or equipment at Madison Central, and for some crazy reason, my students love me. What else does anyone want or need anyway?
Besides, I just ate the first ripe tomato from my garden. It has been months and months since I had that pleasure the last time. However, with the first savory bite all time and indignity were suspended and the sweet red nectar restored my soul.
