September 23, 2009

• Different grades – different personalities

  Someone asked me if it was hard to teach one grade one day and a different grade another day.  Generally speaking, no, that isn’t hard for me.  I follow the plans a teacher has left and that is it.  Sometimes, though, I forget what grade I’m teaching and I might have some unrealistic expectations.  That has happend a few times.   Monday a little guy told me he couldn’t read what I had written on the board because he didnt know how to read cursive.  Things like that happen.  You just adjust and go on.  Usually it is not a big deal. I have been known to call a class the wrong grade too.  For example… “Ok third graders, we need to walk quietly in the hall.”  Some kid standing near me will usually say.. “um.. we are fourth graders”.  Oops!   Part of being a good substitute teacher is being flexible and being able to just go with things.  I like it.  Fun times.

  On a related note, I want to talk about grades and classes.   I remember when I was living at home, my mom would talk about how different my class was from my sisters class.   She said one group was very organized and efficient (as a group) and one group was a little more flighty but they seemed to have a lot of fun.  I can’t remember which group was which because I had a lot of fun and went to several organized things.  I was thinking about class differences the other day actually.

  Big sister seems to be in a very social grade.  She could call a friend and they’d get together in a heartbeat.  It has been this way since kindergarten.  She is even in a different school with different kids and yet the pattern still seems to hold.  Those kids in that grade level really enjoy going to each others homes or hanging out together or sending emails to each other.  They really just enjoy each other.  Friends are always around.   If they aren’t around, it is only one phone call and suddenly, there is a group! 

  Little sister is in a grade that seems a lot less social.  She will call 6-8 people and not one of them will be available to come play or talk on the phone.  They may have lessons or practices or something.  Sometimes it is… “they aren’t old enough yet to have a sleepover.”  What?!!   I don’t see kids in her grade level hanging out with each other or doing things together.  Again, it has been this way since kindergarten through two different school with two different sets of kids.  That makes me sad for little sister.  She takes it personally when she can’t find a friend to come over.  I try to explain that it isn’t because of her, it’s soccer practice or piano lessons or a parent that doesn’t like sleepovers with anyone.  Still.. it is tough when it happens again and again.  I know  it isn’t just her.  There is a kid two doors down in her class and he never has friends come over either.  I have a social child in a non-social grade.  Bummer!

  So…. I figured out a birthday thing for little sister.  Obviously, I haven’t told her yet because her birthday is not till Thanksgiving.  Anyway, she is a social kid and also very very active.  We traditionally do a birthday party every other year and just a fun family thing on the non party years.  This happens to be a non party year.  HOWEVER, she is turning ten this year and her birthday is ON Thanksgiving day.   So…. we are going to surprise her by having a party for her and take some of her friends to a place where the floors and walls are all trampolines.  She will be so excited!!!   I just hope we find a day where a bunch of her friends can come and they decide to have at least ONE social day. 

  Have a happy day!

  • 12:14 pm
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