Kindergarten

Today was my first time to substitute in a Kindergarten class. It was an adventure and I'm just not so certain that I did all that well.

To start off with, I forgot a kid. First thing in the morning the kids went to PE so I lined them up at the classroom door, we walked through the halls quietly to the gym and I dropped them off. When I got back to the classroom there was a kid sitting at his desk. I didn't see him so it scared me when I heard this little voice say 'um miss? You forgot me.' Oops. After that I found a student list so that from then on I could know that there were actually 17 kids.

The kids all get free breakfast at school. Apparently there is a list of students and the teacher is supposed to check off that everyone got their breakfast. First off, I didn't even know that there was a list. So when the cafeteria lady came to the classroom looking for one I was completely lost. Then at lunch the head cafeteria lady pulled me aside and emphasized how important the list was. I don't quite understand why it's so important but she insisted that I find it. But I couldn't. I looked all over the class, I even looked in the trash and it was not anywhere. THEN the cafeteria lady called me and I had to get all the kids to go an a mass hunt for the breakfast list. We still didn't find it and that cafeteria lady was not happy but what was I supposed to do? I'm just the sub who has no idea what's going on.

So I broke 2 apparently important rules, on accident of course. I understand about forgetting the kid but the breakfast list? Really? Throw in the fact that I fell down in the hallway and I think that qualifies as an extra long day. At least it was after school and not in front of the class. It's been a good 10 months since the last time I fell down but somehow this time was different. I feel like in Africa there was always a good reason, big holes, mud, long skirts. Today there was no reason...much more embarassing.

But I get a second try this week. On Friday I get a Kindergarten ESL class full of kids who don't speak English. That should be great.