the rest of the week

Was crazy! Lawrence, the school assistant (has been my assistant since the school hired a second to learn preschool teaching with Dorothy) was off on Wednesday and then sick on Thursday and Friday. It wasn’t as bad as Monday but a whole classroom on your own is really difficult to maintain any semblance of order. Monday group time wouldn’t work (well nothing did on Monday), Wednesday center time wasn’t working. They were all fighting each other and running around chasing and yelling but group time worked great so we spent extra time there doing ball activities, reading stories, listening to music and singing songs. Thursday was similar with the added bonus of someone coming in and working on installing a sink for the classroom…winding down at the end of the day was not done…the toys were everywhere (though again not like Monday) and then they wouldn’t sit to get dismissed…not a huge shock since they weren’t listening anyway… Friday they had put the swings in on the playground! Great idea—I was only worried because there were only 4 swings but it worked out wonderfully! There was no reporting (tattling) or fighting…the first grade teacher Mirriam told them that they would get 10 swings and then it was someone else’s turn. I thought that 10 was a very low number but figured we could try it and we didn’t hear a thing about it. the only problem now is getting them to come in for assembly in the morning and after break. As the swings are spread out it is hard to herd them away from both at the same time (being only one person). But it is doable after a little while. I’m glad it was Friday because I needed a little break and because Lawrence should be back on Monday!