I Stepped Into Another Demnsion When Stepping Into The Classroom!!

It was as if I was in another world completely. Kinda eerie, if you ask me.

When the now former teacher for my daughter's Kindergarten class left, she apparently took a lot with her. Including the alphabet, color pictures (of crayons with their name) and even the Calendar for them to do their days of the week and dates/weather report.

As I was helping the Substitute to help "corral" the kids, knowing what would work, I mentioned "Treasure Box" rewards for Friday Folder passing if they got all greens on their Behavior sheets for the week.

Well, forget that! The Treasure Box was taken, too.

Now, the teacher that's been hired has really NOTHING to speak of to start working in the classroom with. Including what was found to be a wonderful reward system tool.

Lucky for me, I know the incoming teacher, seeing as she has been working as a Teacher's Assistant since last school year, as she awaited a full-time position to open up. She really is a nice lady, works a lot with the Special Needs kids, and I think will do very well teaching the class for the remainder of the year.

I'm telling you though, the poor woman is walking in to a holy hell mess! The situation isn't pretty. And I saw the kids act like wild animals for a good part of the day while I was there volunteering on Friday.

And I saw one kid that we FINALLY got in a better place behaviorally and socially going back in to his old habits.

None of the kids (yes including my own little angel) really listened to the Sub, were talking when told NOT to be talking and some were intentionally getting out of their seats as to run around the room.

"Bathroom, hands and water" was never done. Nor was "bathroom and hands" for lunch.

Their entire routine is entirely shot. It was pretty sad to see their whole world being turned upside down like this, classroom-wise and acting out.

I'll be there on Friday next week, when the new teacher officially starts for her first day of being a Kindergarten teacher. She can't start before then due to red tape jargon.

And I've already said that I am more than willing to come in for extra hours/days in the following one, two or three weeks, as to help her get them used to her, help her by showing and guiding her through their behavior modifications and rewards that have proven to INDEED work with *THIS* class of kids.

Plus I can easily tell her which kids are sensory-sensitive, who's got behavior/social problems, who are "shadows" (those that try and mimic others to get out of doing stuff if one of the other kids is TRULY sick-feeling), and also I know who are the famous trouble-starters (who usually get the entire table group to join in the "fun").

So in a nutshell, it seems that both the new teacher and myself have a wild ride ahead of us. There's been so many changes within the last six months in this one classroom, it's really not shocking to see the extreme changes in these kids. Both at home and within the classroom.

First, their Student Teacher left right before Thanksgiving because she finished her internship and was graduating. Then, their regular teacher that they've had since day one had to leave for medical reasons at Christmas time. Now, the Sub will leave after two week, to be replaced by their new regular teacher.

How much are these five and six year olds supposed to take? This is probably the MOST crucial time of their educational career. And for the last six months, they have really been put through some crap. Sad..