the opposite of the most worst...

...day ever of working as a sub. teacher in the public schools happened yesterday. Thankfully, perfectly timed after two days of being in some less than desirable situations, a day of relative calm was welcomed.  I can't say whether the area of town, location of the school, really makes a difference. But I am certain that the years of teaching experience have a huge impact on the tenor of the classroom. Don't know how many years of accumulated 'lessons learned the hard way' are required for teachers to develop the necessary management skills to control a room full of energetic four and five year olds, but my day yesterday was a dream situation. Even though the teacher I was working with said this was her most challenging group in years of working in the school system.

I believe the students were about the same age as the ones in the schools where I was for two days earlier in the week. So I am inclined to attribute the difference in the atmosphere to those many years of developing the necessary skills to stay one step ahead of those few, usually males, who will be disruptive and distract the attention of the others who are making a effort to stay on task. I noticed her doing a couple of things as distractions began to occur, and realized what a good teacher she was as the day progressed. I even wrote her a note to tell her how amazing she is, what a remarkable job she is doing of teaching, retaining their focus while handling the disruptions with finesse.

I have not been doing any sub. work in a while, since the three days this week. But only had one day on the work schedule at my (semi) regular job, so thought I would try to get in some of the days the school system now requires as a minimum for remaining on the substitute list. All the while wondering to myself: 'why do I think I need to make the effort?'. There are days when I realize it would have been more pleasant to drop a brick on my toe than to devote my time to seven  hours of bull-dogging-wild-steer-wrangling-rodeo'ing.  But this last day, on Friday, was such a relatively pleasant experience, it almost restores my faith in public education. I think I will to write a  note to the principal of the school to tell how gratifying the day was,  in comparison to the other two I spent in classrooms during the week.