learning as I go

got my second call to sub yesterday.
second graders!
remembering how tired I was after a day in first grade, I was a bit nervous.
but I had been assured that this was a lovely group of kids, and that their teacher is very organized.
well, he was certainly correct, on both counts.
I had three pages of typed, detailed instructions, a stack of "if you have time or would rather..." stuff, the day was not interrupted by any special events, and so I was able to follow the schedule without incident.
we pledged to the flag, changed all the calendar information (including day, date, days left in the school year, and local weather conditions), and had a sharing time, where I asked them what their favorite part was of this past week's lesson on the planets.
they all had something to share, and begged to sing their planet song for me.
how could I refuse?
pretty cute, just a little tune so they now know the order of the planets.
then I was to check their work folders for parent signatures, and they dutifully lined up for inspection.
a signature for today's date would indicate that they did their assigned homelink page (what happened to homework?) and had read for at least 15 minutes.
almost all had done so, but a couple out of my new bunch of 14 little ducks had not completed their work, nor had the necessary signature.
their teacher had already warned me in her notes that anyone not completing their work would have to stay behind while the rest went to the computer room, and although they both tried to convince me that was not really the way they did things, I stuck to what I had been told (and what my other little ducks were telling me - kids really want everyone to follow the rules, and they are quick to rat on anyone who is not doing so!).
after computer time, it was, of course, bathroom break time.
and recess.
I had recess duty, and had to borrow a whistle from the second grade teacher next door.
it was terribly cold, and I wasn't really prepared for it (no one told me Fridays are casual, and I could have worn jeans!), but the 20 minutes went quickly, only had to break up one little scuffle and remind a couple of indignant young ladies - eleven going on sixteen, you know? - that if they stopped yelling at me and stood in line, they would surely get their turn on the tire swing and if by some odd chance they didn't, they would still live to old age, drive cars, etc.
oh, and I was hugged repeatedly by the sweet little first graders I had subbed for on my last visit.
("Mrs. O'R, Mrs. O'R, you came back!")
after recess, I had to administer their Friday spelling test.
(nice to see a few things that haven't changed in the three hundred years since I was in grade school.)
they giggled at the sentences I made up for each word, then jumped into action as soon as I repeated the last one on the list - it was time to move into their "tribes" for shared reading.
each tribe, a group of 4 or 5, would take turns reading together a section from their Scholastic newsletter (I remembered those, too!), and today's topic happened to be recycling!
I was in heaven - I could actually contribute something to our limited conversation.
I would have loved to have had more time to talk with them about recycling, Earth Day, etc., but the schedule demanded that we move on to the reading resource room to pick out their RIF books.
the school had received a grant from Reading is Fundamental, and they could now select a free book.
pretty cool.
while they looked, I spoke briefly with the reading teacher, and told her about the recycling discussion, and asked her if they ever recycled books, or had book swaps.
they had not, but her face lit up, and perhaps something will come of the suggestion.
we waddled back downstairs, time for another bathroom break, hand washing and lunch.
hamburgers, baked beans, tater tots, and canned peaches.
got to remember to pack my own lunch next time.
and bring a cup for coffee.
sure could have used one about 11:40, as I had to go back out into the cold for the lunch recess duty.
there were several other teachers out there, though, and we chatted a bit.
after lunch, things seemed to go very quickly - the Phonics teacher paid a visit, and drilled them with flashcards on all the various vowel-sound letter combinations, and whether or not syllables were "open" or "closed" - I was impressed!
as soon as she made her exit, we lined up for the walk upstairs to the library, then music (yes, they had to sing their planet song again for the music teacher), and after music they went to gym.
I used the half hour to go over the math lesson I was supposed to teach when they got back, and discovered the note from yesterday's sub that they had not gotten to yesterday's assignment.
quick adjustment in plan, but we managed.
the kids were great, working with their "3 o'clock buddy" to complete yesterday's worksheets, while we had snack time, and we got a good start on the day's assignment.
I would have preferred to keep working on it with them - I can't believe they now do fractions in second grade! - but promptly at 2:20 the second grade class next door piled in for the movie.
I don't know if it was just because it was Friday, but it was just an animated story, something about an Indian and his horse, not particularly educational, but I decided I could correct their spelling tests, and make sure their math journals (what, no workbooks, have they eliminated the word "work" from grade school vocabulary??) were complete, and that they understood my instructions for that last lesson.
I worry that I will explain something in a way that's not kosher, and scar them for life, but so far, so good.
the movie ended at 3, they stowed their stuff, turned their chairs up on their desks, and lined up.
little ducks, all in a row.
I was to receive one of the three H's before they could leave - a handshake, a high-five, or a hug.
and I was surprised by how many chose to hug me.
including the identical twins (who had worn identical t-shirts) that I confused all day, and finally just started calling "twins," and they would answer in an eerie sort-of unison.
they clear out fast on Friday, and I was home by 3:30, tired, in need of a cup of coffee, but pleased with how the day had gone.
and I've already gotten another call for a day in May - 5th grade, here we come!
later,
Patty