Mean Teacher II

So, it turns out that spending $X in three days for the SIFE center is nothing. This time ' round I was given less than two days, and $X+106,093 to spend. In other words -- slightly less coy and algebraic ones -- I had to figure out how to spend over $111,000.

So, I went to the SIFE center with a few catalogues and said to the teacher, "Okay, you and me gotta figure out how to spend this money."

Then I spent the next hour and a half trying to convince this lady that really, when piles of money are on the table and we've got less than a day to spend it, it is NOT the time to be frugal. I am BEGGING her for ideas for spending the money and she is repeatedly saying, "Oh, I'm sure we can do just fine without this..." or "Well, I'll just get one of those, that won't cost too much..." I pleaded and cajoled and suggested and bullied and came away with a list.

So me and my peptic ulcer went home, took a few cleansing breaths, and spent the REMAINING $110,000 all by ourselves.* And do you know what happens when I do this? I know! 'Cause it's happened before. When the big truckload of goodies I would've DIED to have in my classroom they are all so SHINY and FUN is dumped on her doorstep, do you KNOW what she's going to say?

"I don't have room for all of this."

Don't get me wrong. I'm thrilled and delighted the sweet lil' refugee chilluns are getting such fantabulous goodies. If I didn't have 50 other classrooms to worry about, I'd spend all of next fall just playing with all the goodies myself (in fact, if the shipment drops before summer school starts, I very well may spend June doing just that, the stuff I ordered is that nifty). But the past two days of tooth-pulling has just further cemented my belief that MONEY IS NOT THE ANSWER, PEOPLE.

Money's nice. Having books and manipulatives and supplies and computers and whatnot is nice, and not having books and pencils and chairs and windows, as is known to happen in some districts, is unconscionable (so had to go look that word up). But the success of the class rests in something else entirely.

Two other things, in fact: the effort of the students and the quality of the teacher (effort of the teacher is important, but I've got a tale or two about teachers who kill themselves with work and stay up 'til all hours -- and tell me all about it -- who still suck total ass. But that's another post.) Fortunately, I think the SIFE center has an excellent teacher and that the kids could not be in better hands.

If she'd had a lick of sense, she would've said, "Shit, just give all the money to me."


*Actually, other people helped me spend the money on some computers and some large, expensive reading series, and all I was personally responsible for making specific selections with was about $15,000. But still, $15,000 is an assload of money. Besides, my Mom always says, "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story."

posted by Holley Wilson Mayville @ 9:49 PM