Much, much better...

[blakemp]

Day Two of Substitute Blake was much better than Day One -- I'm talking light-years better. I went to a different school and immediately ran into two old friends of mine (one from college, one from elsewhere) who are teachers there now. A lot of the other staff members also knew me, either through the newspaper or otherwise, and were really friendly. This school worked a little differently than the day before. Although I'd put in to fill in for a language arts teacher, I wound up getting shuffled around three other classes -- I spent the morning filling in for a history teacher (hardest part of the day, where the most disruptive students were), then I was moved to a math class where the students (lo and behold) actually did their assignments. I finished the day at a writing lab where the kids were working on a mystery story. My friends, if I ever were to teach full time it would have to be classes like this one. It was all I could do to stop myself from lecturing about how mysteries are structured to the class.

They've actually asked me to come back Friday at the same school already, and I accepted. I don't have anything for tomorrow, at least not yet, but I've picked up a high school language arts class for Thursday. Wish me luck.

In the meantime, read this week's DC Comics advance reviews:

Batman and the Monster Men #6 -- Very Good
Batman: Secrets #2 -- Very Good
Ex Machina #19 -- Very Good
The Exterminators #4 -- Very Good
Jonah Hex #6 -- Good
Justice League Unlimited #20 -- Very Good
Swamp Thing #26 -- Average
Team Zero #5 -- Fair
Thunderbolt Jaxon #3 -- Good