Substituting

I substituted in my son’s class the last two days.   It was a fun experience.   As a parent you always want to know what’s going on in your child’s school world, but it’s typically hard to get a true view into what their school life is like as someone who isn’t in the classroom with them.   I’ve substituted at our Montessori school for years, but it’s typically not in one of my children’s classrooms as it can be more of a disruption than a help if your child can’t settle into their normal routine while you’re there.

This situation was a little unusual as one third of the class was away on their end of year trip to Washington, D.C. with their teachers so the other substitute and I had only two-thirds of the class.   I’ve known and substituted with Amanda before, who also had a child in the class.   We know the general routine and expectations the teachers have for their students.  

I helped the students with all kinds of work: math, money, grammar, compound words, report writing, science and classroom routines.    The students were as much of a help to me as I was to them.   They’re very helpful and always were glad to show me where something was or what the expectation or procedure was for something.  

I sat at a table for much of each day as the students did the bulk of their work during, “work cycle” as the Montessori terminology goes.   I was rather in popular demand, with students asking if they could sit with me next when one of the current three students finished that particular work.   All of the students were different but each worked hard.   There was a lot of teamwork and help—one of the key components of Montessori education.  

We did Massage Train, read a group story about the first female solider in the revolutionary war, had thoughtful group conversations during circle time and also some fun.    At the end of the day today the other substitute teacher had left and we all worked as a class team doing “jobs” so that we could finish the book before dismissal.  

Montessori children from the age of eighteen months practice practical life work.   The students contribute to the classroom’s order and cleanliness.   These students in the span of fifteen minutes had all the tables cleaned, chairs put up, rugs folded, floors swept, dishes loaded and dishwasher started, linens packed up to be taken home by a student to be washed, countertops and windows cleaned.   And they were good at their jobs too—as first and second graders.

We finished the story and I was genuine when I told them all I would miss them and hoped they had an enjoyable summer.

The Big Boy Update:  we’re looking into my son’s diet to see if certain foods or types of foods make it more challenging for him to focus and concentrate.   Today and yesterday he was doing well at all tasks in school and then suddenly today after snack he couldn’t focus or do anything until half-way through lunch.   After some additional food he calmed back down.   Is there a connection or was it that it was Friday and it had been a long week at school?  We’re going to try some options to find out.

The Tiny Girl Chronicles:  My daughter is independent.   She walks out the door in the morning when we tell her her taxi has arrived.   She doesn’t say goodbye and she’s not in the least bit upset about it. She walks in the door after school, glad to be home, but calm about that too.   She’s very confident, which is hard to comprehend sometimes given that she has so little sight.