I picked up a half-day assignment today in a third grade classroom. They were really very good. They got a little loud early on and I promised them a game if they listened the rest of the morning. The kids wanted to play that game so badly that they were extremely good all morning!
When walking them to the lunchroom, though, they completely lost their line. They were all over the place and cutting across the basketball court. (This was my fault, because they were following me that way. I didn't know they had to walk all the way around.) Another teacher was behind us and yelled at them to stay in line. Once I got them through the lunch line and left them, that same teacher asked me if they'd been like that all day. I assured her that no, they had been very good in class, but I let them play a game right before lunch and they may have still been giddy from that.
So, I went back to the classroom to leave my note and collect my things. When I checked out at the office, their regular teacher was there. She told me she heard they'd been terrible! What!? Sheesh! How information travels!!! I assured her that no, they'd been very good in class, but they just had some trouble staying in line on the way to lunch. She said she'd been working on that with them and they just couldn't seem to manage to stay in line.
Other than that strange conversation, it was a pretty nice morning.
Thanks for your comment. Looks like you have quite a blog here too that I will be frequenting.
ReplyDeleteI wish I more substitutes like you. Next time I am sick, I will request you! Hope you don't mind flying to Utah for a job.
Why is it that lines are the hardest? I try to stand behind them because it all falls apart. But they can't go too far ahead or the lines disconnects, and some kids run too fast in the front. To prevent that, I give them certain places to stop, so we're all together.
ReplyDeleteI hate when it sounds like I didn't do a good job because of one small thing. It's good that you got to explain.
I know, Theresa. Especially when it's just gossip!
ReplyDeleteSometimes I think it would be beneficial to take the kids out to just practice walking in line, and do it several times a week for a month or so so it gets drilled into them.