Silly, silly me. I wasn't thinking like a classroom teacher when I did this. I was still in "music teacher" mode when I signed up for my four shifts of supervision duty.
Every morning and after school, teachers sign up to walk around the school grounds and just generally keep the peace durning the 15 minutes of "in and out" time at the beginning and end of the day. For the last three years, I've just picked a month - the earlier in the year the better - and signed up for every day that month. I get it over with, and because it's every day, I don't forget.
What I wasn't counting on this September when I signed up, though, was that I make myself available from 8:15 onwards for kids to come on for extra help if they need it. I'm trying to teach them to take responsibility for their own learning and to get help before an assignment is due. Sometimes I feel like I'm beating them over the head with this message.
"StudentX, your spelling assignment is now four days late. How come?"
"I don't get it."
"Welllll... I didn't see you in here before school for help. Or after school. How come?"
" ... ... ..."
"Ah ha. If you need help, you HAVE to ask me before it's due. I'm here every morning... yadda yadda yadda..."
I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've had that conversation with kids. They're just now ALMOST starting to get it. Sometimes.
AND, now I've gone and signed up for stupid, stinkin' supervision ALL FREAKIN' NOVEMBER. In the morning. From 8:15 onwards.
Crappity crap CRAP.
On the plus side, on Wednesday, the day after my mini emotional breakdown, I was wandering around the school grounds and had no less than 6 kids come up to me and tell me they missed music / they missed me / they wished I was still their music teacher. Walking through the halls that day, four different kids - all the way from grade 1 to grade 7 - gave me hugs! AAWWWWW! It was awesome.
I really miss seeing (most of) the kids, and again, the timing couldn't have been better!
4 comments:
The supervision thing sounds like the best part of the day. You should sign up for the whole year.
umm..you could tell your own students that you will be available at 7am-815am and 5pm-6pm every evening to make up for the missing help time, ha,ha.
I don't know why teachers don't just live at the school. It would certainly make life easier..
Supervision in the morning, available for help immediately after school? Glad you're getting all those extra hugs, makes it almost worth it!
8:15? wow - I'm impressed! my brain doesn't kick in until about 9am...
um...hm...could you offer recess help instead?? enjoy your walkabouts!
Wow, you are devoted. Kids need more teachers like you.
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