My hands have been giving me all sorts of problems over the past 4 months. Last week I had to return to the dermatologist again, but this time they weren't able to get me in after school, so my class had their very first full day substitute.
As I was preparing for the substitute, I realized that teachers can never truly take a day off. Preparing for a substitute is far more difficult than just going to school and teaching yourself. That was my first realization.
After many, many hours, and a very long talk with my class about how they should act with a substitute, everything was ready. I had all the work organized in stacks, going from the morning into the afternoon, with a sticky note attached to each of them explaining what they were. There was also the overall schedule for the day, a note explaining which kids to watch out for, and of course, my phone number.
All morning I looked at my clock. When nine o'clock rolled around I wondered if everything was going okay. I wondered if the little boy who still cries in the morning was giving the substitute trouble. I wondered if any of my notes/organization made sense.
Finally, at 11 o'clock I caved in. I called my classroom to make sure that everything was fine. Which it was. The substitute even told me that they were being the ideal first grade class (I find this really hard to believe. I like them a lot, but ideal?) And when I went back the next day everything was fine. Whew.
That is when I had my second realization: I am going to be one of those parents who leaves their children with a babysitter, then calls all night!
As I was preparing for the substitute, I realized that teachers can never truly take a day off. Preparing for a substitute is far more difficult than just going to school and teaching yourself. That was my first realization.
After many, many hours, and a very long talk with my class about how they should act with a substitute, everything was ready. I had all the work organized in stacks, going from the morning into the afternoon, with a sticky note attached to each of them explaining what they were. There was also the overall schedule for the day, a note explaining which kids to watch out for, and of course, my phone number.
All morning I looked at my clock. When nine o'clock rolled around I wondered if everything was going okay. I wondered if the little boy who still cries in the morning was giving the substitute trouble. I wondered if any of my notes/organization made sense.
Finally, at 11 o'clock I caved in. I called my classroom to make sure that everything was fine. Which it was. The substitute even told me that they were being the ideal first grade class (I find this really hard to believe. I like them a lot, but ideal?) And when I went back the next day everything was fine. Whew.
That is when I had my second realization: I am going to be one of those parents who leaves their children with a babysitter, then calls all night!
6 comments:
You are exactly right- you never do get away from school. Even when I'm home being really sick I look at the clock and think, "Oh, they are going to lunch", etc.
I think that must be one of the signs of a good teacher as well as a good parent. You obviously are and will be both. :) Kinda sad that you can never truly take a break though... I guess that's what summer is for, right? :)
You will be like me when we have a babysitter. I have every minute planned out and every detail for the babysitter. Sometimes I think they are thinking I am werid. But I can't leave them without doing that. So I understand where your coming from.
I forgot to ask Are you coming to visit me this summer? You should!
hehe, you are going to be that kind of a mother. Karl hates when I am like that. When we went over our anniversary and stayed at the anniversary inn I couldn't stop worrying about Maddie. As soon as we woke up I was ready to go get Maddie. And that was just over night. What am I going to do when I go to girls camp this summer and have to be gone for 5 days!?!
LOL! I KNOW how you feel!!! I haven't ever called my subs - but I worry about them all day. And it takes WAY more work to be gone than it's worth. But...sometimes it is nice to be gone for a day. :)
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