Oh, man. Let me first say that our teachers are WAY underpaid. Here we are currently trying to raise the minimum wage to $15 on jobs that a monkey can do, meanwhile, our teachers are the real rockstars and should be getting paid more than an athlete! The second thing that I want to mention is as much fun as I had today, there is absolutely no way I could be a full-time teacher doing 5 days a week and 8-hours a day.
I got the email this morning and was super excited and nervous about the fact that I would be teaching a class all on my own! When I got to school, I confirmed that I was in fact teaching a class. It was a first-grade class that I have already been to last week when I was jumping from class to class when I was subbing for an assistant.
I sat in the teacher's chair and took a deep breath, realizing that I am going to have a classroom full of little people that I was going to be responsible for. Oh, dear! I then read the class schedule for the day and made sure I had all the supplies I needed. The teacher across the hall gave me the book that I needed to read and a handful of journal pages because I couldn't find them anywhere at the desk or the Tuesday drawer. After I was ready, I headed downstairs clocked in, and went back upstairs to wait for my class. A few minutes later they started to trickle in.
First was breakfast and lunch orders. Then we did the Pledge of Allegiance and the school creed. Sadly I couldn't get the smart TV to work for me so we weren't able to have announcements. The class was great at helping when I faltered and when they didn't know, there was a handful of other teachers and staff who were able to help me figure it out. We did a morning worksheet, one boy cut it up. I had NO idea that is what he cut up when I took his scissors from him until later that day. We then had reading and tablet time with reading games. BUT the tablets weren't charged so they spent extra time reading. Then before I knew it, it was lunch. A teacher came and got them since I can't go down stairs yet. After they left I ate my lunch and checked in with Ryan. Due to weather, the children came back into the classroom for recess, which is when I found out that the student had cut up his paper. So I had to give him an extra one for the teacher covering recess.
I can't remember everything we did. I know we had issues with the tablets again, we were supposed to do stuff with the calendar but the smart TV did not want to work for me. I read them a book about Polar Bears. They had a journal page about their favorite food and had to pick between a burger, pizza, hotdog, and soup. Most picked either pizza or burger. A few picked hot dogs and only one picked soup. The music teacher came in and sang songs and played games with them. I chose to stay in the class and give him an extra set of eyes, while I crocheted. We did a snack and talked about Martin Luther King. Before I knew it, it was time to get their stuff, line up, and head to the bus or get picked up. Again, thanks to the wonderful teachers, who took my class downstairs to where pick up and the bus was.
After they were gone, I sat back in the teacher's chair and took a few breaths. I had survived not only first grade but my first day as a teacher. I made tons of notes for the teacher and only 3 of the kids went home early. I must have said, "Sit in the" and the class said "Chair!" and then I said, "and feet on the" and again the kids said "Floor" a million times today. I must have corrected 4 different kids' behaviors, woken a kid up 4 times, and handed out a few Bass bucks to them today. Then, of course, I had a few kept raising their hand to ask me if they can do this or that. It was to help me, but a few things were not necessary to help with but it didn't stop them from asking. Oh! At some point today a handful of them needed a pencil sharpened and I ended up getting a bad headache in the back of my head. A teacher thankfully had some aspirin and after the 4th kid, I started to do the sharpening of the pencils.
After I made it home, I started to get super tired. I am surprised I am still awake. But I can't seem to take a nap. Sadly, I won't be teaching a class tomorrow since I will be having a late start and there is an early release as well. But it will be a thankful opportunity to take a much-needed break. I had an amazing time and I survived, but as I said in the beginning, I don't think teaching is something I can do full time.
Time to relax. I am going to read some more of my tarot book and crochet until bedtime.
Until Next Time,
Meg
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