I used to teach high school, Art and English. I taught on a Native American reservation, in kind of a rough school, and I was not all that suited to teaching high school. I found that high schoolers, with a few notable exceptions, were just like five year olds, but it was harder to take from kids over four feet tall. This is a story from one of the days that pushed me to the younger ages. And yes, I was actually this sarcastic.

Scene: A high school art room, complete with drafting desks and clay table, as well as all of the requisite paint spattered counters.

The class, already in progress, are for the most part mixing clay that they dug up themselves during a previous class period or working on bowls made from said clay. With a notable exception.

Allison: Aye, Mizz Hintsala, what we spossed ta be doin’, eh?

Mizz Hintsala: Well, Allison, I’d say you need to finish that pot you were working on yesterday. Your CLAY Pot.

Allison: Oh, Mizz Hintsala, I broke dat.

Mizz Hintsala: Really? You broke the other one too. Huh. Well, I guess you get to start over.

Allison: Oh, but, I did it… 

Mizz Hintsala: No, you broke it. Start over.

Allison: (Walks over to clay table, stands there for about thirty seconds.) Where’s the clay then?

Mizz Hintsala: Where it was the last two times, I imagine.

Allison:  No! Mizz Hintsala, I mean deres no clay here. It’s all gone!

Mizz Hintsala: Ah, well then you need to mix up some more dry clay.

Allison: Oh. How you do dat, then?

Mizz Hintsala: Well, if you remember back to last week when you mixed the last batch, you’ll find that info.

Allison: Oh, Mizz Hintsala! Your real sickining! I didn’t do dat.

Mizz Hintsala: Actually you did, and no one was more surprised than I. Do you not remember how?

Allison: Uh…no, I don’t. Will you help me?

Mizz Hintsala: Certainly. Get the dry clay.

Allison: Where is it then?

Mizz Hintsala: On the table in front of you.

Allison: Where?

Mizz Hintsala: Right there. (points)

Allison: Oh. But, it’s all dry and clumpy.

Mizz Hintsala: (looks at her for a beat) Yes dear, that’s why they call it dry clay.

Allison: Oh, yeah! But…how do I get it wet?

Mizz Hintsala: (looks at her for a beat) If you were outside right now, how would you be getting wet?

Allison: (thinks for a beat) It’s raining? I need to take the clay into the rain?

Mizz Hintsala: Well, you could, but it’s easier to get water out of the facet.

Allison:(face brightens) Oh, yeah! Okay Mizz Hintsala. (pauses) What do I put the water in?

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Comments (26)
  • denus on Feb 16, 2009

    this gave me a laugh, good piece!

  • postpunkpixie on Feb 16, 2009

    Hysterical. My mum’s an English teacher in an inner city school so I sort of know how you feel. Kids are exasperating creatures.

  • Christine Ramsay on Feb 16, 2009

    As a teacher myself I totally sympathise with you. I also changed from secondary aged pupils as they seemed impossible to teach at times. I ended up with delightful primary aged children.
    This is a brilliant and funny article.

    Christine

  • Doogie on Feb 16, 2009

    Oh… oh… so- I could picture this all in technocolor- widescreen. I was a tad confused as I thought I had returned my copy of Rain Man last week. I see you taught a class of Raymonds. Oh dear. I’m so sorry for your experience at the ‘res’. I’ll laugh at those scenes in my head for quite a while.

  • Joni Keith on Feb 16, 2009

    It sounds to me like there isn’t enough patience in the world in a situation like this. Bless your heart that you came out of it with your sanity. Good story.

  • miss cornelia on Feb 16, 2009

    A good reason for me not to take up teaching, especially high school aged children. (Lot’s of people tell me I should be a teacher because I’m so good with teaching my daughters.)

  • Aldrin A Wilding West on Feb 16, 2009

    I wonderful example of why I admire teachers so, but would never, ever, not in a million years be one… :)

  • Lee Altman on Feb 16, 2009

    awesome made me smile and that’s not easy

  • Anne McNew on Feb 16, 2009

    I can relate to your experience being a teacher in college. students sometimes dictates faculty to have r not to have classes. huh

  • Lisa Mc on Feb 16, 2009

    Nice job…

  • Majic on Feb 16, 2009

    Gyahahahaha! When I was teaching art I had this one student who asks even the most stupid questions just so he can keep talking! Kids offer a lot of challenges!

  • rutherfranc on Feb 17, 2009

    poor table.. hope you did not put a bump on it when you banged your head..

  • Yovita Siswati on Feb 17, 2009

    It put smile in my face. I give my highest respect to all the teachers!! I can never imagine myself in the situation :-)

  • Daisy Peasblossom on Feb 17, 2009

    I think I had this conversation yesterday–only it was with first graders and we were drawing paper kites.

  • Tabitha Hergest on Feb 18, 2009

    Been there, done that, got the long-sleeved jacket. Only I don’t teach – I get this every day…

  • Morgana on Feb 18, 2009

    Great story…I don’t have your patience. lol

  • Paul Roberts on Feb 19, 2009

    You seem to have pulled all the teachers on triond out,I better check my spelling here. Like the story line,respect teachers.For knowledge is power/not only in the class room. Your fan,smile

  • Dee Gold on Feb 22, 2009

    I hope some of my co-teachers will read this one.

  • Likha on Feb 24, 2009

    That’s why I never dared teach high school. Preschool is wonderful but college is the best for me. I love the intellectual masturbation (oops, sorry).

  • F J McCarthy on Feb 25, 2009

    I think you were already teaching a five year old, maybe three years old , because my five year old has more sense than that poor girl. God bless the teachers for they see our future leaders and still go on teaching,lol.

  • Kate Smedley on Feb 25, 2009

    That made me smile, I don\’t know how you cope!

  • Anonymous on Mar 13, 2009

    Good gravy, you’ve got patience. If it were me, there would have been twin clay statues on either side of my desk by day’s end.
    Great story.

  • Kevin on Apr 10, 2009

    Just a thought, but maybe the kid isn’t the one who needs to learn about sarcasm

  • lol on Apr 10, 2009

    “Oh, Mizz Hintsala? Would dis work better in da rain?”

    hehe those adorable minorities…when will they learn…

  • Annie Hintsala on Apr 11, 2009

    Actually, I am part native american, and I lived on that same rez, so I think it was more of a generational thing than a minority thing.

  • Shari86 on May 5, 2009

    Wow, I’ve taught art to children as young as 3 and they had more cop on than that. Teaching is draining enough as it is without working with someone who is needlessly infuriating!

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