Bad Week at Work ! ! !

Bad doesn't even begin to describe the week from hell.

Imagine, if you can, 18 five year old children confined to one room
okay got that picture in mind?

Now imagine that of those 18 five year olds two are hyperactive twin boys (one of which has a grudge against his brother - who has the grudge varies from moment to moment).
Okay got that picture.

Now add to the twins, three boys with major behavioral problems, one sweet kid that just cannot sit still, one tomboy and her bud (male), one Prima Donna with a major attitude and only one caregiver/teacher.


These children have no attention span, no respect, no manners, no discipline at home or perhaps too much discipline at home (of course we are not allowed to discipline at school), foul mouths and think fighting is a way of life (kick boxing, fists, finger guns, etc.). I would like to blame the parents and in some respects I do blame the parents. But then again - these are working parents, single parents, foreign speaking parents who drop their children off between 7 and 9 in the morning and return to pick them up between 5 and 6 in the evening. By the time they get the kids home and fed its time for bed. Not much time to discipline or train. We actually spend more time with these kids than their parents do.



This week the head teacher in my room was out for medical reasons, which left me in charge. I spent many hours (of my own time at home) preparing fun and educational projects that I thought would entertain the children and keep them busy during "center time". We were only able to complete (just barely) two of these projects due to constant distractions that took my time (I had no helper for three of the days). One cannot teach while there are fights (verbal and physical) going on in two or three different locations around the room.



The powers that be, that dictate the rules and regs for childcare, can come up with some of the pettiest, most asinine directives for the most trivial of circumstances, but think it is okay for one person to supervise 18 five year old children. Well, I would like to witness anyone of these bureaucratic morons in my classroom - alone! I asked myself the other day, if I ran a daycare at my home or anywhere for that matter, would I take on 18 five year old children by myself and the only answer I came up with was NO WAY! Perhaps eight or maybe ten but eighteen . . . Their parents couldn't pay me enough money.

TGIF took on new meaning today. I was never so glad to be done with that room and those kids. By noon, I had almost given my two weeks notice . . .

Don't get me wrong - I love kids, I love teaching, talking to, reading to, etc. young children. There is nothing like the smile of a young child when you listen to them relate an adventure or ask a question of great importance.

Eighteen children - nine that demand all your time and could care less. And nine that would love the opportunity to learn and develope who unfortunately are short changed on a daily basis.

Thought for the day . . .
"Don't base your parenting skills on your ability to keep a hat on your child" -- Author:Dee Ann Stewart from "What Spock Forgot"