Which is by far the most insecure, awkward, queasy night of my year. By a long shot. You got anything fun or worth copying? You got any insights on this one? What do these people want from me? I’m pretty sure that once I have a kid of my own and participate a bit from the other side of the lectern, I’ll be a lot better from the teacher’s end of things.

What I did, approximately:

1. had a student take digital photos of students learning, looking delighted in their teacher, etc.
2. cut a slideshow together in iPhoto (set it to the opening of “Pitter Patter Goes My Heart” by Broken Social Scene – great track) and
3. played it during the passing period while I
4. greeted parents at the door. I didn’t see a lot of that from other classes around the courtyard.I don’t see a lot of that during the students’ regular passing period, for that matter, which I think is an opportunity missed. 90% of my classroom management takes place outside my classroom, seven minutes before class starts.
5. tossed up an autobiographical slide.
   
6. admitted they’d done more of these than I have. I told them that I had to be perfectly honest, that all of today I’d been trying to figure out what they’re after, what their game is here, so I could play to that.
   • “Do you want to know if I like your kids? I do.”I wouldn’t have even brought it up if it weren’t true. I’ve rarely disliked a kid. My students don’t control me that much. I’m often neutral and task-oriented with some kids. This year, though, I dig all my kids. Almost all of them are funny, which is also great.
   • “Do you want to know if I like my job? I do.”
   • “Do you want to know if I work hard for your kids? I do.”The line between hobby and job has become very gray, I told them.
   • “Do you want to know how this class is any different from other math classes your student has taken?” I told them about the visual math class, about very little homework, about the testing strategy, all while trying not to indict my departmental colleagues.ie. “How other math classes screw this up … ” is an uncharitable way to introduce your assessment strategies, strategies which other math classes totally screw up.

What they did, approximately:

1. told me they had kids older than me.
2. reacted to my attempts at humor with the same nervousness you do your kid at a piano recital, so excited he’s up there, doin’ great, but really nervous he’s gonna blow it, totally choke, burp loudly, drop his pants, or say something inappropriate.
3. reacted all over the place to my homework policies. In one class, a coupla parents expressed what could charitably be described as suspicion and what could accurately be described as hostility. This one deserves some reflection.
4. left. After ten minutes, ten awkward minutes leavened only a little bit by my self-deprecation, they left.

What’s your show look like?