So, this was our tiny predicament: Colin and I would be in La Ronge for less than two months, but still wanted to work and put away more money for the mission field. And we also needed something to fill up our time with- being unproductive has never suited me and I knew that I wouldn't survive off of just reading books on the Jackson's window bench, or forming some sort of routine where I watch certain tv programs at certain times, go take a walk, and then come home and make dinner, and then watch some more tv. That just would not happen. We would both need something to put our hands to.
I should mention though, that preparing for our wedding, along with preparing for Mozambique was a lot of work. And preparing for Mozambique is still a lot of work- but God is making everything fall into place and providing the finances for us to go.
But still, Colin and I could not sit still. And who would ever want to live at their parent's house and sit around all day like free-loaders. Not you and not us, either. So, we got the only job that didn't require a commitment from us, and it did not even require certification. . .we are substitute teachers!
When the morning bell rings at Churchill Community Highschool, we become Mr. Jackson and Mrs. Jackson. To every young person between the grades of 7 to 12, we represent a sort of vacation-time. Their eyes light up when they walk into their classroom and see our unfamiliar selves sitting at their teacher's desk.
From this point on, they love to pretend that they are a different person as we call out the attendance, they love to turn up their i-pods during silent reading,have more social time than they would ever normally get away with, and to call us "Michael Jackson" or inform us that there is a song about "Ms. Jackson".
But I really don't mind these things at all. All last week, I substituted for an English teacher who teaches grade 11's and 12's. The first day, they tested me to see what they could get away with. But by Wednesday things were running very smoothly. Their teacher is a very organized, helpful sort of person, and she left a complete layout of work for them to complete. Unfortunately, this left very little room for my own creativity or imaginiation. But I took every opportunity I could to share things about myself and to go over different literacy terms with them that related to their assignments. Other than that, all I could really do was read my novel "The Secret Life of Bees" by Sue Monk Kidd, which I was deeply involved in and even found myself in it, as the protagonist is a young, quirky girl without a mother.
That week, I also enjoyed attending assemblies, signing permission forms, writing my new married name and notes for the students on the blackboard, and letting them get away with little things like wearing their hats, eating during class (because I did, too), and leaving a few minutes early for lunch. The only things that I didn't enjoy were speaking firmly to a few students, assigning them work to do that I knew was boring and painfully uninteractive, and moving uncooperative students to seats away from their friends. But My ears would perk up a little bit when I would hear a student refer to me as a "cool substitute" or just simply say "have a nice day, Mrs. Jackson", "have a good lunch, Mrs. Jackson"- but I would never admit that to them. I was a good, balanced mixture of firmness and leniency.
And as I continue to substitute teach, I even pretend that I could have been someone who went to teacher's college. Before my next class, I spend my time pouring over their assignments and textbooks, highlighting definitions to possibly go over with them, and basically try to get a jist of what they are learning. This way, I can discuss literacy terms, the right cerebrum and left cerebrum of the brain-anything. It's refreshing to relearn the things that I've forgotten since highschool. I only hope that the information doesn't slip out as I spend my spares flipping through Calvin and Hobbes books in the school library.
As Colin and I walk to school hand in hand, and then skip home at 3:15 pm after the final bell- we would both have to agree that it's the perfect job for us right now. Though, it does put a sort of hunger inside of me to continue my schooling. (I refrained from telling the students that I'm actually a university drop-out.) And then I think, I'm glad that Colin and are still only 21 years old and that it's not too late to further our studies by getting a degree in Business or Theology to compliment our gospel work.
So, that it was the Jacksons are up to these days. We are dressing up like teachers and secretly trying to be the "cool substitues" that students hope for. But our near trip to Mozambique is always playing out in the backs of our minds. We are very eager to leave the luxuries of North America for awhile and learn how to reach a different culture with the gospel. This excitement would account for our daydreaming and fidgety behaviour as we watch the students sit and complete their work, waiting for the bell to ring.
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