Who Put Me in Charge?!?

Today when I showed up at the elementary school for my observation time there was a different teacher in my room. Even though it is only 2nd grade, they team teach. I wasn't sure if I should go looking for my assigned teacher or stay with my assigned class. I decided to stay with my class so that I could observe a different teaching style. This teacher was sitting on the floor with all of the kids going through a workbook that is designed to prepare the students for the TAKS test. She didn't seem very happy and neither did the students. That was not fun for any of us. I could go on and on about it, but I won't.

After about 15 minutes the teachers swapped classes again. A man came in and talked about the food pyramid and he guided the students through analyzing a sample menu. He was really energetic and seemed to enjoy the lesson. When he was done he left. Me. Alone. With. The. Entire. Class. (more about him later)

I was alone with them for almost 10 minutes. I just walked around the room and helped them with their food pyramid worksheet. If they were done I told them to get a book out of their desks and read. I also spent the entire time silently praying they wouldn't get so loud that the other teachers in the classes near ours would be able to hear us!

Then my teacher came back. She got them going on a language arts lesson. It was a pretty easy one (nouns and verbs) and she let me lead the part of the lesson that involved checking their answers. It was easy except that I can't remember half of their names yet and I called on some of the same kids twice. They all raise their hands eagerly for every single question. After a while this one kid said, "You already called on her! Call on someone who hasn't answered yet!" Really, if I can't get through checking one worksheet ... how am I supposed to teach a whole classroom full of kids for an entire school year?!?

By this time it was almost time for the kids to go home. They all line up in various sections of the hallway to go to their destinations (car-riders, bus riders, walkers, day-care, etc) My teacher asked me to stand at the door (out in the hallway ... the door to the outside world) and make sure they weren't too loud. I was assigned the car-riders. Mr. Food Pyramid was standing with the bus-riders. After a few minutes he looked at me and asked me when he was supposed to let them go. He asked me! Uhhhh .... I don't know? Is that the right answer?

He led his group out the door and mine tried to leave. Well, obviously I can't be the person who takes the car-riders out to their parents. The parents who know who their kids' teachers are!! So I just stood in between the kids and the door. Kinda like a sheep dog. That worked until a REAL teacher showed up and took over. A teacher who told me that Mr. Food Pyramid was a sub then promptly asked me who (the hell) I was. (I could see it in her eyes) That badge they gave me at the school disctrict building didn't mean anything to her.

She took over and I got the heck outta there. As fast as I could!

I was there an hour and it only seemed like 10. I need a nap. Or a margarita. Or both!