No lovely pictures of what my little charges made today. It was chaos in the classroom. Teach was out of class and we had a supply teach who was rubbish at maintaining discipline. I held my own - just - getting more and more frazzled as the day went on. The final straw was a a girl who took a piece of cardboard tube with paint on it and started chasing other children and stamping their faces. I told her to give it to me and she refused. I lost my temper and physically wrestled it from her. I wasn't kneeling on her chest (much though I would like to have been) I was just trying to take the tube from her hand while she tried to stop me, shouting ouch,ouch, ouch.
Suddenly I thought this is madness. This how you end up in court charged with assault. I finally took it from her, told her my opinion of her behaviour and went to wash up. The lesson wasn't finished - but it was for me.
In situations like this my lack of training/experience lets me down. All I have to work with is common sense. I put so much planning and prep into these lessons that they become very important to me. In reality they are not. They are useless busy work for the children. Someone else to 'do' the obligatory art and give the teachers a break. If the kids choose to paint each other purple that's really none of my concern. I should keep my focus firmly on the pay off, do the minimum and go.
Need sleep, distance, rest and maybe drink.
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8 comments:
What a gruesome experience! I have every sympathy as you know... What on earrth was the supply teacher doing to earn their pay?
Big hugs and a large G&T/whisky/drink of your choice
What an awful day for you! Hope you never get another one like it.
Maybe you will be able to go back later and take some of your wonderfully inspiring photograghs to show us.
That was awful for you Sally...at the start of a busy week too. I think the supply teacher owes you big time - she should have been there maintaining order allowing you to do your terrific art.
Sympathy coming through in bucketloads
Sally I'm so sorry you had such a bad day. You have learnt from your experience, as you said if they want to paint each other purple and the supply teacher was not concerned, then why should you? But it does irritate me when I feel I'm beaten by a child. Times have changed I'm afraid and I'm glad I'm retired.
"They are useless busy work for the children. "
Don't ever believe the art lessons are a waste a time for Kids. The highlight of the week for my kids was when Mr Willing the Art teacher, came into the class and did something wonderfully different from the normal class day. I admit, my 2 girls are artistic but my son wasn't in slightest but he still loved the day the Art teacher came. I still have paintings they did at primary school on our office wall and they are now aged, almost 21, 18 amd 16 and love looking at their achievements from that young age.
And I think the parents who didn't see their kids all purple will be more than delighted....horrendous colour to get out of clothes.
And mention to the regular teacher the lack of control the sub had over the kids, they like feed back.
Thanks for your positive words Jacqui. Onwards and upwards!
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