OMGAAAAWD YOU GUYS I TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND IT DIDN'T SUCK
Yay!
I love my class. Even that one ADHD kid that everyone pointed to and warned me about. I may be naïve (and if so, boy howdy, it would be the last thing in the world I could possibly still be naïve about) but I do honestly believe there is no such thing as a bad child.
Even the fact that my teen assistant was absent (she duly informed the principal in advance that she wouldn't be here, and the principal then totally fucking forgot to tell me) was okay. Because the kids are sweet and eager to learn and I am totally in love with them all and the time is short and it is all so fucking amazing!
I think I might stick with the model I ended up improvising today when I decided the lesson plan I'd thought up originally was too restrictive. After opening assembly and library time, I presented a short talk and game concerning the topic of the day (today it was "being a mensch", which the little lesson booklets I'm using define as "maximum human being." I guess that's close enough), followed by two experimental techniques I am developing myself to teach Hebrew based on ones they use in Sarah's kindergarten. Seemed to go well today. We'll see how they work in the future.
There's one little girl who is so anxious to please it's heartbreaking; two boys who are nice enough but whom I have to keep separated so they don't get all disruptive; the ADD kid, a few other kids whom I have yet to figure out, and this one adorable little boy (let's call him Isaac) who reminds me of how a dear friend of mine looked as a child.
Part of my job is to cover the "daycare" hour until 12 for kids with older siblings (Kindergarten & 1st grade let out at 11.) Isaac was all concerned that his folks would be late to pick him up and then he'd have to stay in the office. I promised him I would stay with him until someone came. Well, I guess he can tell time because he was all sad when it had just gone 12 and no one had come for him yet. I told him we'd wait a few more minutes until someone came for him. Then his grandmother came and said his parents couldn't be arsed because they were watching football and asked me in sort of a sneering tone if he had been "extra special" today.
I absolutely wanted to punch her in the mouth.
I mean, this poor little guy, he was wonderful. Drew pictures, made a nice little take-home craft, and just was a sweetheart. And his parents couldn't come get him, then his grandmother acts like she's doing everybody a big favor. Shit, I wanted to take him home. I'll tell y'all for free, if I see too much more of that kind of attitude off family members I am telling them something. Maybe I should ask the principal to request that family members, you know, refrain from slagging off their children in front of school staff? Triple fucking ugh.
And thanks so much to all of y'all for the love, it was fantastic to see the early comments before I left this morning!!! You guys really are the best. ^_^
I love my class. Even that one ADHD kid that everyone pointed to and warned me about. I may be naïve (and if so, boy howdy, it would be the last thing in the world I could possibly still be naïve about) but I do honestly believe there is no such thing as a bad child.
Even the fact that my teen assistant was absent (she duly informed the principal in advance that she wouldn't be here, and the principal then totally fucking forgot to tell me) was okay. Because the kids are sweet and eager to learn and I am totally in love with them all and the time is short and it is all so fucking amazing!
I think I might stick with the model I ended up improvising today when I decided the lesson plan I'd thought up originally was too restrictive. After opening assembly and library time, I presented a short talk and game concerning the topic of the day (today it was "being a mensch", which the little lesson booklets I'm using define as "maximum human being." I guess that's close enough), followed by two experimental techniques I am developing myself to teach Hebrew based on ones they use in Sarah's kindergarten. Seemed to go well today. We'll see how they work in the future.
There's one little girl who is so anxious to please it's heartbreaking; two boys who are nice enough but whom I have to keep separated so they don't get all disruptive; the ADD kid, a few other kids whom I have yet to figure out, and this one adorable little boy (let's call him Isaac) who reminds me of how a dear friend of mine looked as a child.
Part of my job is to cover the "daycare" hour until 12 for kids with older siblings (Kindergarten & 1st grade let out at 11.) Isaac was all concerned that his folks would be late to pick him up and then he'd have to stay in the office. I promised him I would stay with him until someone came. Well, I guess he can tell time because he was all sad when it had just gone 12 and no one had come for him yet. I told him we'd wait a few more minutes until someone came for him. Then his grandmother came and said his parents couldn't be arsed because they were watching football and asked me in sort of a sneering tone if he had been "extra special" today.
I absolutely wanted to punch her in the mouth.
I mean, this poor little guy, he was wonderful. Drew pictures, made a nice little take-home craft, and just was a sweetheart. And his parents couldn't come get him, then his grandmother acts like she's doing everybody a big favor. Shit, I wanted to take him home. I'll tell y'all for free, if I see too much more of that kind of attitude off family members I am telling them something. Maybe I should ask the principal to request that family members, you know, refrain from slagging off their children in front of school staff? Triple fucking ugh.
And thanks so much to all of y'all for the love, it was fantastic to see the early comments before I left this morning!!! You guys really are the best. ^_^