Welcome to the land of "This isn't my class."

After a decade or so of teaching adventures in a variety of classroom types, after school programs, camps, et al, I moved to New York City with the dream of doing something big, profound, and meaningful. In the mean time, I'm substitute teaching. By which I mean to say, as a stepping stone to something that feels like the right fit for me on a more permanent basis. That said, I'm learning that the substitute teacher, despite his/her brief presence in the life of a school, can be a poem if not a novel, a firework if not a fireplace, a vacation spot if not a comfortable home for the mind of a student. And if not, at least the teacher - let's go with "Sub" - can learn a few things along the way. Like how a class that isn't yours operates on pretty much completely different rules.