Wednesday, November 7, 2012, Post 2

I survived a classroom of 5th graders!  But just barely!!! Thank goodness I signed for up for 1/2 day only!!!

Everyone who knows me knows I have difficulty with stairs because of this crazy half amputated/rebuilt foot.  I was assigned to a school unfamiliar to me, so I called early in the day to learn where to park and where the office is located.  First of all, I had to park at the back of the building - not bad at all, except it took me a bit to find a gate to the school yard that was unlocked.  But no problem once I did.  Some students and teachers were out on the playground and a teacher very kindly pointed me to the direction of the office...up the playground steps, across the yard and into the building.  I made it, no problem.  Checked in with the secretary, got a blank time card.  I was kindly pointed to my classroom - up a flight of stairs, down the hallway, make a right, keep on going to such and such room.  Made it!  Checked in with the teacher, got my sub folder, went back to the teacher's lounge to go over it.  She did an excellent job of explaining time for things and instructions regarding what students were to do.

At the appointed time I entered the classroom, exchanged a bit of discussion with the teacher, and then I was left alone.  And as well behaved as they were when she was there, I thought this would be no problem.  MAN!  Was I ever wrong!  They became hellions!  They would not stay in their seats, would not listen, would not do their work, and found every excuse in the world not to do what was requested.  This classroom has restrooms in it, so no going down the hallway to the pot.  It also has a sink/water so no going down the hallway for water.  They continually wanted to be up to the bathroom, a drink, and to sharpen their dang pencils.  I quickly realized this was a game; a game to frustrate the substitute teacher.  Several students were totally disruptive.

My time began at 11:30; by 12:05 when we were supposed to go to recess, the class had fallen apart.  We went to the playground where they had to serve a 2 minute "loss of recess time" because their homeroom teacher had already taken away that privilege.  They had 18 minutes to play...ridiculous.  Then I held up my hand and they were all very good and came to me so they could go to the cafeteria.  But they would not get in line, would not stay in line, would not listen, and would not stay with me.  Thankfully I dropped them at the cafeteria and then went to the teacher's lounge so I could try to regain my composure.  I had to be back at the cafeteria to pick them up at 12:50.  Rather than route them through the school back to the classroom I inquired if I could take them out the back way, through the playground and up the back stairwell -- that would work out a little bit of their energy plus get them outdoors.  They COMPLAINED the entire way back to class because they had to go outside ("this is not the way we go; we could have gone the shorter way thru the school...")  By the time we got back to the school entrance I was pooped - had  done the walking, gone up two flights of outdoor stairs, and still had to transverse the hallway plus the stairs to the second floor.  I thought I would die by the time I got to my classroom!

And then it was time to change classes.  I thought surely the next class would be different.  Well it certainly was!  It was WORSE!!!  OMG, these kids were totally wild.  They were to write in their composition books, but once again we had the need to sharpen pencils, visit the bathroom, get a drink, etc., etc., and on and on and on.  We had approximately 20 minutes to work in their composition books before a counselor came to talk to the class - and they were all so prim and proper with Ms. Thomas!  Sat in their seats, mostly paid attention, and were little angels.  She left 30 minutes later and they turned into hellions.  Would not sit down, would not listen, would not do what I asked.  It was time for science - they had approximately 25 minutes to do science.  The instructions were to turn to a certain page and answer the questions -- didn't have to write the questions, only the answers.  It was over material they had studied previously.  They claimed they didn't know how, went thru the pencil sharpening excuses again, wasted time going to the shelves to get books, journals, etc.  I finally went thru the questions with them, receiving input from one rather smart boy who knew to read his book for the answers.  But even then they claimed not to know what was being asked of them to do.  It was a pure substitute teacher game.

After science they were to do a "social studies" exercise.  It had to do with the internet!  Not at all anything to do with social studies!  Anyway, thank God, by then it was time to get ready to go home.  Thankfully at 2:55 I could let the kids go who ride the bus.  I had to wait until 3 to take the two students who remained back down the stairs to the front of the school for pick up.  Before we made it to the door they were met by mothers.  So I sat down on a bench by the front door to recompose.  The principal walked by and said, "you're supposed to walk them outside."  I said, "I did.  I only had two who don't ride the bus."  "Oh."  I went out front anyway, with the other teachers, watched the kids to make sure no one was grabbing them, and then walked back thru the schools, down a set of stairs, to the back, down another flight of stairs, and to the parking lot to my car.

I vowed to never return to that classroom.

My dismay -- not a single time during my entire half day with them was there any real classroom time.  It is no wonder we are graduating students who cannot read, write, or think.  There's no way they can if this an example of a class day.

So let's see - how much exercise did I get today?  I climbed the first set of stairs from the parking lot to the office; climbed the stairs from the first to the second floor to the classroom; went down the back long stairwell to the lower floor at recess; down the steps to the outdoor patio; down the stairwell to the playground; delivered students to the cafeteria and then climbed the stairs back to the main floor; from there climbed the stairs to the second floor to the teacher's lounge; went back down those stairs at 12:45 and walked back to the cafeteria stairwell and walked down it; got the kids lined up and we went back outside and climbed back up the playground stairwell then up the steps to get inside the building; walked down the hallway and then climbed up the back long stairwell to the second floor to the classroom again.  When we left for the day, we walked back down the stairwell to the first floor where I delivered the two students outside and then waited and watched until all were picked up.

Then, I went back inside the building, went down the back stairs to the patio, walked across to the stairs leading down to the lower playground again, then down the sidewalk to the parking lot to get into my car.  I am about dead!!!  If I were to do that every day I would be in excellent shape!  But right now my legs and hips are screaming.