Classroom stowaway

I had some fun yesterday, and I learned some stuff. One of the "stuffs" I learned is that I need to do a geography refresher course.

Both the fun and the learning occurred at my alma mater (different building-same school) and my place of work for 33 years (one of the two buildings).

I'm in the midst of gathering nformation for a story about the National High School Model United Nations http://www.newton.k12.ks.us/sch/nhs/MUNquestJune02/index.html.

Nearly 30 students from Sandpoint High School will be attending the NHSMUN conference in New York City next March. So, I've been learning about their fundraising, their preparation and about the two countries they'll represent as participants in the national conference.

I decided a trip to the classroom and sitting through a typical class session would be helpful to my story, especially since this is the first time our local school has participated in the program.

So, I checked in at the office, visited with a few friends and headed toward Debbie Smith's classroom. Students were still passing from one class to the next; the hall was dark and packed tight with slow-moving humanity. I had to pass my sister's classroom to get to Debbie's.

My chronic imp of the perverse struck. I'll go drop in on Barbara and see how long it takes for her to notice me, I thought. As I opened the door, a perfect situation for my invasion presented itself. It was yearbook hour, and kids were in various clusters around the classroom.

"Miss Tibbs" was talking to a student with her back to me. Katy Chambers, whom I've known since birth, spotted me at the door, opened her mouth to say "Hi." I shhshhed her and took a seat near the door at the end of a classroom table. Three girls sat along each side.

"I'm her sister," I told them. "Don't say a word. I want to see how long it takes . . . ."

Of course, the girls loved it and happily cooperated. Long story short, Miss Tibbs walked past me twice. I maintained the pose of a student intent on reading the paper on the table with a short note scrawled across it announcing that someone hated someone else. My partners in crime loved it every time Miss Tibbs didn't notice the intruder with highlighted hair and green vest.

Barbara went to her desk and answered a few more questions from students. Finally, I decided it was time to end the fun and get to Debbie's class. It took about a 20-second stare down before she focused on her big sister's ugly face and smiled, assuring me she would have noticed within the next five minutes.

I went on my way to Debbie's class where she was going down the list of items to be accomplished for the class hour. She introduced me to the class. I gave one student who owed me some responses to an email interview a rough time and sat down in the only empty desk.

The magic of a high school classroom instantly came back. I do miss this, I thought to myself. I miss the excitement of taking a rough product and developing it into something more mature and more knowledgeable through both teaching, guidance and friendship. Maybe I'd better throw in a little cajolery and unadulterated threats too! Cuz both definitely fit into the mix of teaching from time to time.

Anyway, Debbie went down the list, including the African map quiz, the newspaper reading assignment, the magazine article on the Congo, the research assignment on the two African countries the class has been assigned to represent at the March NHSMUN conference. The day's discussion also included "housekeeping," as Debbie put it.

The students, the community, the parents, and Panhandle Alliance for Education (which has given $16,000 for this year's efforts as part of a "Big Idea" grant) are coordinating the fundraising effort, and that's pretty much been the focus of the past two months. I met some of the students at a weekend bake sale a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday, they talked about attending a Chamber of Commerce evening activity and tickets sold for a Kiwanis spaghetti dinner. The main focus is an upcoming International "eclectically elegant appetizer extravaganza" at the Talus Retreat Center on Dec. 8.

Dalton Hawkins and Matt Charbonneau prepared the tickets, and Matt distributed them to the class, announcing that everyone must sell two tickets and DON'T LOSE YOUR TICKETS!

Only 130 tickets at $30 apiece or $50 per couple will be sold. Students will dress in costume representing world countries. Parents are spearheading the food and beverage for the evening which calls for cocktail attire with an International flair. The students are also gathering items and preparing them in a "presentable" display for a silent auction as part of the evening's fundraising efforts.

During the hour, the students and I took a map test. I'll just say I flunked, and I need to spend a little more time looking at my African map to memorize the location of Sao Tome & Principe, Cote D'Ivoire, Sahel, et. al. Now, I do believe I properly identified South Africa, and Debbie acknowledged that I had the correct location of Morocco. I chose not to turn in my test, but vowed to myself that I'll spend some time reacquainting myself with "the continent" of Africa.

It would be an understatement to announce that Debbie has basically given up 95 percent of her personal life to guide her students through this project. True, she's getting a lot of help from the community and she has a classroom full of bright, engaged students, but the ultimate responsibility always falls on the teacher who sits at the center of the swirl of activity.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time spent back in an SHS classroom, especially because there was no pressure. I could soak it all in, enjoy observing the dynamics among the students, get to know a few, take some notes and go on my way with a newspaper assignment to be completed at a later date.

Now, I just wonder if I sneaked in to my sister Laurie's classroom if I could remain unnoticed for as long as yesterday's experience in Barbara's. Of course, the fact that Laurie teaches fifth graders might make a little difference.