Coming back is always a little scary, especially after more than one day away. My kids had had three different teachers in three days. It's pretty disruptive to the kids' routine to have so many different people in, and they're usually pretty wingy when I get back. To make matters worse, the teacher on Tuesday never got my lesson plan due to an email mix up. Whoops. (Sure glad I spent three hours writing the day plan for that day! Gah! At least I was able to use part of it for the next day.) I felt terrible for my TOC (teacher on call)! It's always so hard if there's nothing left for you. And there was NOTHING. I don't think I even had written what subjects were supposed to happen in what block apart from the plan that never arrived.
So I was wondering what on earth I would be coming back to today. Who knows what got done, what didn't, and how much I'd have to re-teach, repair and reprimand.
I got in, though, and found - delight of all delights! - I had three wonderful TOCs who actually taught lessons, prepared for the next day before they left, and seemed to really have their stuff together. WOOHOO! (I've had many instances of the contrary) I was most impressed with the TOC from Tuesday, cause she - with nothing from me - put together a day almost exactly as I would have done it. She even managed to nail the PAGE in the socials textbook and the two concepts that I wanted covered that day! Go her! I emailed her this morning to tell her what happened with the plan and to apologize, and to tell her what a great job she did! Yay!
One thing I discovered, though? The Pee Nazi needs to make a triumphant return. ALL THREE TOCs mentionned in their notes to me that my kids were asking excessively to go to the washroom. I always read the 'student behaviour' bits to my class after I come back from being away, and, while they got a kick out of hearing the same message three times, they also got a big ol pee lecture from me today, complete with me assuring them that no, they will not make a puddle if they had to hold it for an hour and a half. "You go before school. You go at recess. You go at lunch. You do not go in class time. You will not leak. I promise." Oh it was a comedy fest, allright (remember, these are 10 year olds, and the mere HINT of anything bathroom related sends them into hysterics!), but these tiny-bladdered time wasters will find out very quickly that I mean it.
NO PEE FOR YOU!!!
9 comments:
Go pee nazi!!!!!!!!
My favorite kid thing...
My kids (at the church where I worked) would always say, "but that's not fair!!" whine whine whine!
To which I replied...
LIFE ISN'T FAIR! BAM!
Hehe
Was that what you said when you had to take their goats away???
The "BAM" adds effectiveness, I think.
My response to the "it's not fair" wail is: "Life's not fair, buy a helmet."
I don't know where I got it, but it's what comes out and it makes sense to me.
Oh, and is there a way you can rate the TOC with someone in power? Letter in her file, just a general "hey this person did fantastic" to your principal, etc. Something like that goes a long way to getting us jobs - especially if we're looking for full-time positions.
Goats? What's this about goats?
Careful, Pee Nazi, you don't want to run the risk of water intoxication. Not likely to happen in an hour and a half though :)
I've heard the helmet comment before too, but I don't remember the guy's name who uses it.
But good for you, Pee Nazi! :)
Queen Bee, I do make sure the kids don't have bladder problems before I refuse access to the washrooms. And really, I'll still let them go sometimes (S-O-M-E-T-I-M-E-S) but THEY don't need to know that!
And goats? That story is here. Freakin' hilarious. Go show Sarah some love!
When I used to teach, I HATED when I had to have a sub. AHHH! Wrecked Havec on my return.
I even once had a sub do nothing and then steal the pencils and pens from my pen jar that I keep from the students. At first I thought it might have been the students, but when one after another kept telling me the story (even my "good" non-lying ones) I believed them. Honestly, most of them rarely lied to me, so I believed what they told me about the subs.
Whew...long story to say, "I hated subs." : )
I used to teach. It was my worst nightmare having to call in. The plans, the crazy subs, the out of control kids. I'd rather just be miserable and there rather than deal with all that crap!
Thanks for the link to Sarah Cool's goat story, Hillary, that was soooo funny!!
Post a Comment