So, yesterday the regular kindergarten teacher was in to start setting up the room and I asked her what the deal is with the "Kindergarten Ice Cream Social" which is tonight, which no one ever really told me about, I just happened to see it on the white-board calendar at the front entrance of the school. She said it's no big deal but then we continued to talk about other details of our upcoming year, none of which I had any clue about. She informed me (assuming I already knew) that I am coming in at 9 and staying until 6. Is it just me or is it commonly understood that when an employee's hours are changed, it is common courtesy for the employee's boss to inform them of this change??? Just wondering...
But here is the really great thing that I learned from my conversation with Linda..... I am teaching Spanish. ?!?!?!?!?!?!? I'll let you in on a little secret... I DON'T SPEAK SPANISH! The most Spanish I know is what I picked up on during my internship when the 3-year-olds had Spanish for 1 hour a week with Senora Enriquez (who actually knows the language... imagine that!). So, now I have less than a week to get enough of a grasp on the Spanish language to teach it to my 20 kindergarten students, many of which have been at this school for 4 years, learning Spanish all along.
In summary, I am so excited to be working at a school that values me enough to inform me of my own responsibilities so that I don't sound like an idiot when parents ask simple questions. Lovely place.
Kindergarten started two days ago and I'm starting to see what might be a trend. You see, the first few days of class have not been altogether successful. My teaching partner even said today that this has not been a good first week and I certainly agree. Now, when Mrs. Randolph is in the classroom and in charge, the kids (for the most part) sit and listen and do what they are told. However, as soon as she is gone or busy with something else and I am in charge, it is like a different classroom. It is as if they don't even notice I'm in the room...
I was wondering today how I have managed to "get a bad class" in every teaching experience I've had so far. That is when it occurred to me that maybe it's not the class that is bad, but perhaps the way that I manage them is. If that is the case, I need to learn how to have and show authority like Mrs. Randolph and I need to do it quickly or I am going to have quite the frustrating career.
