A Return Visit

I got a call for a grade 1 class, morning only, at a school I visited early on. The kids had been a whole range of styles by junior/intermediate levels, but I figured grade 1s, while a range of abilities, don't usually come with attitudes so that makes dealing with behaviour and academic needs easier.

I got there and the plans were fairly detailed. Good. However, there was so much stuff on the white board already I couldn't put my name on it and also the work for later. Go with the flow.

I was a little skeptical of the plan. The kids were allowed FIVE minutes from when the bell rang, to come inside, get off their gear, change shoes, hang it all up, line up neatly, come in, put their stuff in their cubby, get their reading book and agenda, go to their seats, and read while I check agendas and take attendance. Seriously. How?! It can take five minutes just to get them lined up outside and let them in!

So that started us off a little behind. No problem. Teachers have to expect this sort of thing--a supply teacher usually needs more time than they would for the same task.

The plan gave a bit of info on a couple kids. Mainly, one is needy and two are always off task. That was an understatement. She forgot to mention how everyone needs to report on the off task students. Because Olivia not doing her work means you can't get your work done? It got to be crazy. I couldn't help students that really needed it because I had to keep answering 911 calls about two students who clearly had no intentions of doing the work.

So we got behind a bit more. Then it was art time. The art activity seemed cool and fun and we had 20 minutes to do it and we'd be caught up in the day plan.

Most were done in 5-10 minutes. Then what?! Some wanted to keep doing "art". Fine.

We had indoor recess and some kept doing art. However, the period after recess was supposed to be "finish the art from before recess". How did she think the kids could do all the opening activities in five minutes, but take an hour to do this art? Maybe she knew her timing was crazy and realized art wouldn't get started until after recess?

I enjoyed reading a book with them, though in looking back now and seeing other teachers read, I wish I had spent more time with that--asking connecting questions, critical thinking questions, etc. I always hesitate reading my own books because I worry they'd be seen as unrelated to the current topics.

I tried something new with this class. I have this cute green sparkly (hard to see in the picture) stuffed toy with a face and a tuft of hair. When you tap it hard, it giggles the cutest giggles. I called him Mr Giggles. I thought I could use him instead of clapping to get attention. Well, he seemed loud enough at home, but definitely not in a class of 17 grade 1s. I was able to use him to show how quiet they needed to be. I said if it got too loud, he hides in my bag. LOL. I haven't used him since though. Just once to try to cheer up a kid.

I had no prep, and had indoor recess duty. So by the time lunch started, I needed the bathroom so bad! Teacher issues!

I haven't been back to the school since. It seems like a "good" school but it was a little far and being early in the year, every call was pretty much a new school and it was interesting to explore each school. I wouldn't refuse a call there but there are other ones I'd rather go to.