Jan 15, 2008
There is a serious lack of communication between the principal and the teachers at my school. Don't get me wrong, I like my job. But sometimes I'm kept a little too much on my toes.
On Tuesday and Friday night I teach a children's class. Eight little monsters that I'm expected to not only teach English, but control. The latter being immensly more difficult than the former. This Friday was a special Friday though. It was the day when the little monster's bigger, scarier, parental monsters get to watch my class.
I, however, was completely unaware of this.
Friday evening comes around. I'm tired and prepared for a normal chaotic class when I walk in and find all the children sitting nicely in their chairs with all their parents sat behind them. No one is fighting, no one is making swords by stacking their markers up, no one is cleaning the floor with their stomach. They're just sat there watching me. Like humans.
Still in shock from the big monsters behind the little ones I excused myself from the room to make a phone call to my boss. After letting her know that I was not happy about this surprise I went in to teach.
I really don't mind the parents sitting in, I just ignore them anyway, but I do need some warning. The thing is that because the children are so well behaved in front of their parents I run through the material I've prepared twice as fast. If they were as obnoxious as usual I wouldn't go through it so fast. So in front of all the big monsters I had to BS about half the class.
I was not happy.
I could almost see the look on your face when you entered the room...
gen