Ready to observe a fifth grade math lesson, sitting on the back of the class, I have my reading glasses on, notebook open and a pen ready. The students are also ready, workbooks and pencil cases on the corner of the tables, eyes turned to the teacher. The teacher is ready, standing in front of the class, smiling.
She has taken a breath and has opened her mouth to say something, when a knock on the door catches everyone's attention.
The teacher walks to the door, opens it and three eight grade boys, whom I had seen in the morning in their math lesson solving percentage word problems, smile to her.
"As part of the language week we have come to read out loud to the fifth graders," one of them announces.
For a fraction of a second the teacher's face speaks of confusion. We had moved the original observation lesson with her second graders because of a read aloud session. It seems there was either a miscommunication or she had forgotten that in this lesson too, the older kids would pay a visit.
I don't think anyone but me noticed the confusion because the teacher smiles broadly, opens the door wider and gestures the boys in.
The boys line up and one of them shows a book I recognise as a fifty year old copy of a picture book version of Sleeping Beauty.
So on this Tuesday during a third lesson I sat in fifth grade lesson and listened to eight grade boys reading "Sleeping Beauty" aloud.
How lovely... that the children got to read, that the teacher went with the flow, that you were ok to spend the time listening and reschedule the observation- wins all round!
ReplyDeleteA perfect slice to show how much being a teacher involves so much flexibility!
ReplyDeleteA good teacher knows how to go with the flow. This teacher captures that ability. arjeha
ReplyDeleteThis is teaching! There are so many times when I have agreed to one thing only to learn the other person meant something else. I once agreed to have a grade 6 helper come once, and they showed up three times. I try so hard to go with the flow but it isn't always easy to recover from these interruptions. And during an observation?? UGH! But once my admin had something unexpected happen on their end and didn't show up to do the observation. Everyone knows it happens to everyone.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. This moment has happened to every teacher. Love how you captured the moment ant the teacher’s ability to go with the flow!
ReplyDeleteTerje, what a gracious teacher she was (and you are) to just go with the mistake. I am curious wondering about this 50-year-old copy of Sleeping Beauty and what the illustrations and Estonian text must look like. I wish I could be a fly on the wall.
ReplyDeleteSerendipity!
ReplyDelete