November 5, 2006

Trying To Scare Me?

Went into #2's classroom on Friday, to observe the 4th graders learn some readin' and writin'. I've done a few field trips with the boys, and come to see a few science projects and oral presentations over the years, but I had never been in a class while the teacher was teaching -- so where did I get the idea I could be, or want to be, a teacher? Trapped in a room with 20 monsters, twenty fidgety noisy wiggling chattering four foot high monsters... what was I thinking?!?!?!? What struck me the most was how loud the class was, not in the out of control free for all sense, but there was constant noise: books closing, books being dropped, pencils sharpened and dropped and sharpened again, chairs scooting in out over and on to someone's foot, whispers and questions and comments and everything repeated three times. The other indelible image was the teacher looking at the clock more times, many more times, than the kids did. To be fair, she is pregnant, and it was Friday. I'm not sure what was louder, the bell at 3:35 or her sigh of relief.

1 comment:

twobuyfour said...

I don't think anyone ever said that being a teacher was easy - except those who have no idea. Look at it this way, you'll never have to stand before your class six months pregnant.

I loved being a coach all those years ago, but was absolutely grateful for the fact that we were outside 99% of the time. The sound dissipated, and it was easy to find things for the rabblerousers to do (run laps, do push-ups, etc.).