For thirty-one days I will write a slice of life, post it and visit others at Two Writing Teachers.
We have a substitute shortage in our district. This means there are times that the music teacher, PE teacher, and I rotate in as subs. Today was a day like that. A kindergarten teacher had a family emergency and there wasn’t a sub for her.
The PE teacher was in the kinder class in the morning. By noon another sub wasn’t available (but another teacher was returning to school on her personal leave day to take the class) so I covered until she got there.
The sub plans were clear:
12:15 pick class up from recess.
12:15-12:30 Read a story. No problem.
12:30-1:35 Writing time: We made list of ideas the could write about. One student wanted to know if I was meeting with the groups. No, I wouldn’t be.
I was with this class a couple weeks ago writing poetry during writing time, I thought I knew the routine. After they got their writing done, they read to me, and make reading and writing choices such as reading books, writing on the white board, working on words.
Pretty soon, I notice three boys are cleaning the white board and not necessarily writing on the white board. Then I see that paints are out. Hmmm….one kindergarten told me paints weren’t supposed to be out. So I had them put the paints away.
Finally the other teacher arrived. First question? How many kids were there in class? Not having been there in the morning, I HAD NO IDEA! So I started counting and she reminded me to call the office to find out what attendance said. Oh my word! You have to know how many are in class because kinders have no clue who’s here and who’s not. What kind of kindergarten teacher am I? Obviously one who forgets to count kids! Oops. I returned to the library to finish my day.
Jone Rush MacCulloch 
Kindergarten! Whew! I’m not sure I’d be able to sub for that bunch…
Oh no, and you’re right, they might not even remember who was absent that morning. We learn something new every day, don’t we?
I laughed. I had to teach a 30 minute kindergarten ESL class EVERY DAY last year. It was the part of the day I worried over most. I was never meant to teach kindergarten and I think that anyone who does is a saint.
Kindergarten is a delightful and terrifying breed all to itself. Your post brought a smile to my face!
Your post made me laugh! My district is in a similar situation with substitutes and a couple of weeks ago, I subbed in kindergarten on Origami Ladybug day! Oh my gosh!