Diary of a High School Teacher
2 min readSep 2, 2021
An intermittent reflection on another 182-day adventure, part one
First official day of class, September 2, 2021
Things my students said today:
- I want to be part of the newspaper club. But I don’t want to write. I want to join for the conversation.
- Miss? Miss? Miss? Miss? Uh. I forgot what I wanted to say.
- I never expected my English teacher to be blonde and short. You’re really small.
- Student keeping her paper hidden from view as she worked on a memoir assignment: Um. Are these going to be tacked to the board? You know, like for Open House?
- I love this class! I know we haven’t started yet. But I love it!
- Can I borrow your mask?
- I need to borrow a mask so that I can walk through the halls to the nurse’s office to get a mask.
- Senior: I’m glad it’s my senior year. I’m ready to leave. Junior: Don’t go.
- Is this a brandy new book? Never touched? Sweet.
- Freshman: I went to the boys’ room. I mean, men’s room. There was a teacher in there washing his hands. He told me to go downstairs to the boy’s room. Actually, that lav has a plaque that says “Men’s Room” too. They both say “Men’s Room.” Did I do something wrong?