Mon Dieu!

Okay, the more evil parents among you, especially those beleaguered by teenaged females, will appreciate this one...

Got a call from the quasi-Catholic HS principal today, asking me to sub for the rest of the week. Given some prep time, I can teach just about anything not math or science involved (past, say, 4th grade). Apparently someone let fly that I had some game in French & Spanish. (NB: I volunteered ONLY for the liberal arts and religion). So I'm covering 5 periods of beginner through AP French and one beginner Spanish class. I do have a little bit of experience - I'm understandable in 4 languages, and was a TA in Writing and in French 101 back in the day at U of I.

Yeah. 20 years ago.

Other than a few trips to Europe and Canada over the years, I have not had occasion to speak much French. So after I hung up the phone, I had a moment of "HOLY CRAP! What did I just agree to do?" But then it dawned on me. My daughter will be in my first period class. And she doesn't know I'm the sub. She just knows her teacher's great-aunt passed away. BWAHHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! I can't wait to see the horror on her face when she walks in the door and sees chere Mamman at the desk.

But then there's the rest of the day to get through. So I've got to bone up and start praying for guidance....alors:

Saint John Baptist de La Salle, b. Apr. 30, 1651, d. Apr. 7, 1719, was a French educator and the founder of the Institute of the brothers of Christian Schools, popularly known as Christian Brothers. Ordained a priest in 1678, he was a canon of the cathedral at Reims until 1683, when he resigned to devote himself to organizing schools for poor children. In 1684 he founded a religious order devoted to teaching. Distinguished as a pioneer of training colleges for teachers and in the use of the vernacular in teaching, he ranks among the outstanding educators of modern times. Canonized in 1900, he is the patron saint of schoolteachers. Feast day: April 7.

Saint Jean-Baptiste de la Salle...

Priez pour moi!