Things they do in NYC schools: conduct "hall sweeps." Yesterday I was starting class and a dean came in, pointed at one of my students, and started screaming at him that he'd been right outside the classroom and had chosen to walk in late. He demanded to see the student's ID card, then hauled his ass downstairs. There was a phone call a few minutes later, and my cooperating teacher answered. Yes, he had been in the room when the sweep started. Yes, he had been prepared to work. I had to sign a pass for him a few minutes later, and then he came back upstairs to take his exam. Blech.

Other things they do: lock the bathroom doors. I have to bother another teacher's key every time I have to use the toilet. There is often a security guard in there chatting on her cell phone.

One thing I do like is that there's a more relaxed attitude toward the little indignities of high school: the teachers I work with are pretty mellow about bathroom passes and allowing food/drink in the room. At the Bad School I'd been student teaching in before fleeing, the Bad Teacher's default response was "No" when she was asked for a pass; she told me that she would say yes when she could tell the kid really needed to go, or if a girl whispered she had her period. I hate the assumption that the little bastards are trying to get you every time.

I'm sure an experienced teacher would think I'm being naive and idealistic, which pisses me off, though it's possible I'll be as cynical in a year or two. I don't think so, though. I'm also pissed off that I'm referred to as a novice teacher because I only taught college for six years. Always with the bullshit pecking order: one thing about the academics I knew: they didn't think of high school teachers as not being "real" teachers (OTOH, I did think most high school teachers don't seem to know shit about teaching writing, and I still think that. I'm appalled by what I see high school English teachers telling their students about what essays shouldn't have. But I digress).