wow, talk about different...

Today was different...very different...for me as an educator.  After so long in public school, and a protestant upbringing in the life (meaning my father was a minister...but you already know that), I was a bit unprepared for what I experienced.

• 8 AM mass--never go to mass on an empty stomach.  EVERYONE will know it, especially your students.  However, using "the look" to get them to stop fidgeting and giggle will only help you find favor with the parish priest.
• Kids eat lunch in their homeroom, with their teacher.  This is fine until the waste basket overflows and the kids don't want to take it out...until we go over the rules of "if your parents wouldn't approve, if your principal wouldn't approve, etc." 
• Kids pray before and after school and are encouraged to say grace.
• All students stand when an adult walks into the room. 
• All students wear uniforms...the same type they wore when we were kids.
• If the protestant boy (me) is blessed by the parish priest as he's leaving the 8 AM mass, he's apparently found favor (until I slip and tell kids contraception is okay).

So, all in all, it's far less stress, much more supportive and very, very interesting.  I think it'll be good fodder for stories here.  Now, if only the Red Sox would win tonight...beat up on Roger!