So... if you have been following this blog for any length of time you will by now have realized that I rarely comment about my job. As a substitute teacher, I have an enormous pool of experiences to share -- both good and bad. Up until this point in time I have often written about my day, saved it as a draft and then walked away from it. I am a totally paranoid being and every time I come back I think... oh... is it ethical and/or correct to be discussing this? Well -- I have decided to let loose and to try and be more open about my job (though I will in all likelihood censor what I write.) Afterall, part of why I enjoy blogging is because I find it therapeutic to get things off my chest.
I enjoy teaching intermediate grades (4-8). As a sub, however, you take any work you can get -- but if I had my way (job security/ stability) I would never take a Kindergarten assignment. Primary teachers will tell you that the reason they love this age group is that they find it more rewarding; the students at this age group genuinely show affection for their teachers.
****And to those naysayers, that say teaching Kindergarten is an easy job -- clearly you are insane. Imagine trying to "teach" the basic tenaments of the three r's AND manners to 20 some kids who are more interested in playing, running around, picking their noses, crying constantly for not getting their way, pulling hair, pushing and fighting with their buddies, trying to escape from the room, etc etc etc... all while keeping a smile on your face and your temper in check. It is no easy task and to those that do it and love it, I salute you!
Personally, I would rather work with older students who may like to lip off and try to get the best of me -- call me crazy but I truly thrive in these classrooms. I love middle years -- I love having discussions where the students might just surprise you with their insight. I enjoy trying to make the curriculum interesting and fun --- it is very hard to make "Calender" interesting day in, day out. Primary classrooms usually encompass a lot of routine and I find this really monotonous and boring. All teachers will have a preference -- this is just mine.
Today was a horrific day in Kindergarten. It was one of those mornings that seemed in slow motion. As I think back it's hard to explain but it was like I was watching these kids misbehave and having a delayed reaction to it -- then when I snapped out of my trance I'd be barely finished resolving an issue before another incident broke out -- I was not on top of things -- kind of like being on tape delay. I have never been so happy when a morning ended.
Hopefully tomorrow is better --- 2 more days to go.