Lost in a Strange Classroom

A couple hours into my assignment, I realized I was a victim of mistaken identity. Of course, the "victim" aspect of the incident was questionable, since I was being paid to sit in a classroom and read. The "mistaken" part was up for grabs as well, since no one was fooled in the least by my assumption of someone else's identity.

Just the same, after staking out real estate in two different "resource rooms," it became pretty clear to me that I wasn't teaching Challenge English II.

The sub call came late, leaving me with about five minutes to get dressed, eat, and show up in the classroom 15 miles away. I called the high school to inform them I was defying the system and arriving late, and they told me to come in anyway. Upon arrival, I was shunted to my first assignment where I say in the back of the room and read Providence & Prayer while the real teacher kept an eye of the four kids in the room - two of which were sleeping. I bummed a cup of coffee off the teacher to save myself from a similar fate. About halfway through the period, she rudely interrupted my reading to give me a couple papers to grade. This took all of five minutes, and then I was able to finish my chapter.

In my current location, I've been encouraged to "hang out, read, use the computer, whatever," and I am trying to comply. Earlier I listened to another real teacher counseling a couple girls to "take care of yourself first" in order to gain personal stability. My suspicions are growing that this is not Challenge English.

I'm not actually sure what class I'm in or who I'm subbing for - although I've finally noticed that the name on the sub folder I was handed isn't the one I heard on the phone. Strange, very strange. But I'm not sure I can really consider myself a victim of the mix-up.

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