Hi Friends!
Seriously, I have to tell you all about my day because what. a. doozy!
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| Oh, Ryan! Thanks, running around my classroom and your mind can be quite exhausting. |
I started my day running late because I wanted to make sure that I packed myself a lunch and a snack AND I wanted to make sure that I had breakfast. So, I was running a little bit late but that's okay, I'll still be there on time, just not as early as I wanted to. Then I got in my car. No gas. Great. Now I'm 15 minutes later than I want to be. I text my co-teacher to make sure that my classroom door was unlocked because I told my student teacher that I would be at school by 7:45 everyday and that was not happening today! The door was unlocked and she got in fine. In fact, she even took my chairs down and fixed up the carpets for me. So nice. The day begins with
7 8 adults in my classroom. Me, my co-teacher, 2 paraprofessionals, 1 new paraprofessional observing before she starts, a field work student, my student teacher and a parent volunteer. That's a LOT of people. That's a LOT of tall people. lol. So that was a disaster for one of my students. Let's call him D. D had 1 person working with him, 3 people watching them. He was not having it! D was putting on a show for everyone watching, it was called "The Watch Me Get Out of Working Show." So that was that. Today was a short day so our schedule was funky and the D wasn't having that either. We went on... Finished centers, did our SuperKids lesson, discussed C, O and G, O being a vowel... then we went to the library... fine... then I found out that there was an assembly after lunch. Crap! I haven't even taught my math lesson yet. UGH! Lunch goes as fast as it comes and then it's time for the assembly. An assembly about a fundraiser. UGH! Assemblies with kindergarteners are never fun AND it was a packed house. So packed that 2 of my students were scared because of the noise and chaos around. Then we head back to class, 30 minutes wasted... I praise the kids for sitting so nicely and now we have 20 minutes to start and finish our math lesson, pack up our things and count up our marbles and head home. So I start the math lesson. Remember D? Well he didn't want to do this math lesson so he decided that he wouldn't and he began to tantrum. D is a bright student who is more than capable of completing all tasks despite his disability. Remember "The Watch Me Get Out of Working Show"? well, it was back on. This time with screaming. I am teaching my math lesson, trying to at least, and the rest of my students are just a little distracted. We have been working through these type of distractions so they are practically un-phased by the screaming. We continue with the math lesson...
Me: "Around the tree, around the tree, that's the way to make a three. You try it."
Class: (quietly to themselves) "around the tree, around the tree..."
We continue through the number 5. Then it begins.
D is screaming and my replacement para (oh yeah, my afternoon para called out today, double ugh!) is trying her best to get him to come back to join the class. Then E hears his screaming and begins to scream. The rest of the class is trying their very best to continue with me. D really wants to sit in a bean bag but he has to complete a number first. He doesn't like that idea so he screams. E screams too. The rest of the class carries on. D is still upset so he takes off his shoes and socks (which often happens). The rest of the class carries on. My para decides that the bean bags are too much of a distraction so she takes them next door to be out of sight. The class carries on. As she does this D takes off ALL OF HIS CLOTHES!! All of them! This NEVER happens! D begins to run around the classroom. I catch him. Pick him up and take him to the para professional, demand that he put his clothes on and walk back to teach the rest of the lesson. The rest of the class is TOTALLY DISTRACTED!!! Oh my goodness. D had all of his clothes off, E was screaming each time D screamed, kids were trying to pack up their stuff and I'm trying to keep the class's attention! Can I remind you that this was within a 20 minute time block? OH MY!!!!! The rest of the class did a great job of keeping their attention on me. They were really respectful of the frustration that D was going through. I could see them glancing through the corners of their eyes but I couldn't blame them. This afternoon was a hot mess. I have to laugh about it now. I wonder what my students are going to say about their day today...
lol... I need a foot rub, a drink and a hug.
Good news though... my rock star student teacher from last year just got offered a long term sub position at my school!!! (Congrats Sandra! Start looking up those 3rd grade standards!) We talked about having her guest blog here to talk about her Adventures of a Substitute Teacher! I'm excited about that.
Ok friends, I hope that reading about my day made you feel a little better about yours. Oh! No! Wait one more thing! During all of this craziness, my sandal broke!
Do you see that it is ripped there where the toe is? So, while D was screaming and disrobing and E was screaming and my students were losing their homework from the classroom to their backpacks, I was limping trying to make sure my foot didn't fall out of my sandals!! I was so sad. These were my favorite!!
Fingers crossing for a better day tomorrow, with everyone's clothes on. lol.
