je ne comprends pas

Rarely does my age ever cause my any grief at my job, ha ha yes I know I look just like a student ha ha. Typically my ideas and work (or my student's work rather) say enough that I really don't think anyone really thinks about it. Today I was reminded just how annoying it can be to be "the young one."

Core French. Grrr. Anyway, my class has requested that we read a 'real book' instead of the junk they typically water down for non native French speakers. I really enjoy this play called "Zone," and have taught it before, albeit in an immersion setting. However, I really don't recall it being that difficult since it's something done in grade 9. As an added bonus it matches two (2!) of the three topics we will study and lends itself really well to class discussions on current issues, youth issues, and slang/language.

So I go to see the main immersion teacher about using "Zone." Mainly because I figured she would need to teach it at some point in the semester and book sharing would need to coordinated. She hmmm-ed and haww-ed and suggested a few other books I could do. I didn't really want to, but didn't want to be rude. One of the books she suggested was Les Mis. I guess there is a decent shortened version floating around and students have really liked it in the past. I suppose you could say she sold me on the idea, mainly cause I love Les Mis and it did open up the opportunity or watching the musical and doing stuff with some of the music.

Until of course I asked my class, to double check that they hadn't read it. They had. With her. In grade 10. Ugh. No harm done, I still have my original "Zone" plan. So I go back to talk to her about when I can use the books. Again with the suggesting of different books. Again with the explaining of why I want to do Zone. This is getting frustrating since I've already explained numerous times one of the main reasons (aside from the sound curricular ones stated earlier) I'm set on "Zone" is that I've already taught it. I have material, I have ideas, I might even have projects lying around somewhere. I even went so far to say that I could order the books from downtown if she was really that concerned that we'd need them at the same time.

To this she responded "How about "Les trois mousquetaires"?" She is normally such a lovely lady. I just don't understand what the big deal is. If there really is one, come on out and tell me about it. If you have a feeling it's going to go over terribly and I will deeply regret this decision at a later date: 1) I would not feel bad at all abandoning the play and admitting it was a rotten idea to my students if it really was that bad, and 2) please just let me fall on my face on my own. The weird part is, it's not like she's secretly wanting to do it herself with her students next year - these are grade 12s.

In a week I may just go upstairs and take the books without reconsulting her. If she wants them, she knows where my classroom is.