On Friday, a teacher was absent...and there was no substitute available to replace him. When the secretary sent out the email asking us to cover the class during our consultation period, I willingly offered to help because my students had been testing all week and I didn't desperately need the prep time. The teacher's name was Rick Simpson, which I didn't recognize, explaining why it was a shock when I found out that I would be covering a ... "fitness for life" class. Thankfully I wore pants that day and had my gym bag in my car, which I sent the TA to grab. After I donned my running shoes (I decided NOT to change into my full workout gear because that involved a tank top and no student wants to see his teacher in a tank top), we stretched while I explained the purposes of the stretches and correct form, amidst all their groaning.
Then, we had to run for 8 minutes, but because of my new workout program with Kellie, I've realized that "high intensity interval training" is best for your body. That means that I had the students jogging for a minute and sprinting for 30 seconds. As we were running, all the encouraging words from gym class teachers came to my mind and I would shout them to get the students motivated. I wasn't just shouting though, I was running with them and trying to pass them. Afterward, the schedule said they had 'free play' time, which allowed me to try to wipe the sweat off my face and be presentable for my next English class. While I was working on that, one male student came up and explained his scoliosis situation that had caused him to quit halfway through the run, then he said, "I just wanted to tell you that you are a fucking phenomenal teacher." When I laughed and said that I wished all my students felt that way, he replied, "Well they should because you are a .." (and the explicative followed again). Not only was it enjoyable to work out, but it was nice to feel like the students appreciated it. I think I chose the wrong subject to teach.
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