I took no medications yesterday and survived.  Today, I feel great.  Sure, I’m still sniffling on occasion, but this cold seems to be gone!

I couldn’t take a sub job today because I had way too much homework to do and because I had a meeting with my (hopefully) temporary employers at my wife’s middle school for my student teaching assignment.  The homework took longer than I had anticipated: I worked from when I woke up until it was time for the meeting at 2:15.  I then worked for another hour after I got back.  I did finish though.

The teacher meeting went well.  I had two willing master teachers, and the approval of the principal.  Things were looking good, but then I got to the university.  I told my counselor about all that had transpired and she was excited.  The principal had had some questions on a particular document, so the counselor said she would talk to her supervisor about the possibility of changing the document.  I guess it was good that the counselor did this because it turned out that the supervisor questioned almost everything we had done to this point.  No previous student has ever, apparently, done both student teaching assignments at the same district, let alone in the same school.  Also, the document cannot be changed without reapplying for CA credential certification (translated: the document WILL NOT be changed).  Finally, my district had recently told the school that it was not taking any more student teachers this year — at least not at the High School.  OK, so I had worked to get two master teachers lined-up, and now the supervisor was throwing a wrench in things.  Things were running a little too smoothly…

I asked the suddenly very apologetic counselor if she would find out if it’s “the law” that I can’t do all my student teaching at the same school/district, or if it’s merely a tradition.  I have no problem with breaking traditions.  We’ll also have to see if my district is still allowing student teachers at the middle school.  If I really can’t use one or both of my teachers, the university had better find me one or two replacement teachers in a hurry!  I was doing the university a huge favor by finding my own master teachers!  Hopefully, they’ll get back to me tomorrow with some good news.

If indeed I have to make some modifications to the current plan, I can’t imagine it would be good press for the university.  The principal at the middle school, who has already questioned the validity of this particular university’s program, has already made a point of telling me that their district has never hired anyone from this program, and that based on what they have seen so far, it’s unlikely that they ever will except for the odd special case (like one of the other subs, who is particularly excellent… if only he’d graduate!; I don’t get the feeling that I am a special case so far).  Hmmm, just what have I gotten myself into?