“I’m as confused as a cow on astro turf.”     –former student

Maybe 14 years ago I started teaching in a private school. ( or maybe 12. I ran out of fingers)  One of my former high school teachers told me that at 7 years of teaching, your comfort level in the classroom kicks in.

“That’s great. I’ve been teaching for five years now.”

“Private school doesn’t count.”

“What do you  mean it doesn’t count?”

“Doesn’t count.”

“To whom?”

“You’ll see.”

I was recruited from a private  high school. A local public high school called my principal and asked for me. Standing in his office, the competition, so to speak, offered me a job.   I have never really been interviewed for a job teaching Latin, and I’ve taught at six schools. I was the only person who ever applied for the position at any of them. One superintendent reportedly said,

“If she’s breathing, hire her.”

Actually, I was offered a job at a high school not even in my state. I asked the principal,

“Don’t you want to know anything about me?”

He said, “Why, is there something you want to tell me?”

“Well, don’t you want to know if, umm,  I’m qualified?”

I could be in there teaching anything at all. Who would know otherwise? Occasionally I tell the kids that.

“You know, I could just be making this all up as I go along. There isn’t anyone around who knows or remembers enough Latin to know the difference.”

They sort of laugh nervously.  Is she kidding?