A Child’s Selective Hearing

One of my biggest bug bears at school is having to repeat myself 27 times to a group of 12 children. I teach from children aged 3-12 and this issue is a problem at all levels. I do my best to make sure everyone is quiet and paying attention but still only a handful follow my instructions of the first time.

I’ve noticed the Baby has started this too. I am trying really hard to only say his name once and wait for him to look, rather than the ‘Baby?Baby?BabybabybabybabybabyBABY!’ trap I’m tempted to fall into. It’s hard though.

To save my sanity and lower my blood pressure I am going to employ a new tactic to get kids attention.

Any slightly more sensible solutions are welcome in the comments below 🙂

I Excel at Procrastination

The summer has come to a crashing halt. I am midway through the dreaded teacher training week, with the kids returning and lessons beginning on Monday. It’s a heck of a shock to the system to basically do nothing work related for 6 weeks then suddenly be in school from 7am-4pm every day.

The week before school begins is always busy to the point of mania and I am also trying to get to grips with a new promotion. Everyday my to-do list grows with very little seeming to be accomplished by me.

I have lessons and topics to plan, resources to order, various letters and emails to write, a new department to get to grips with, a new set of books for the entire Primary to figure out and tests to write and deliver in the first week. Plus an exhausted Mummy relieve from baby duty at the end of a long day.

Am I diligently ploughing through this mountain of work every day for 9 hours? Gleefully checking off items from my list and watching my accomplishments grow?

 

Nope. I’m gittering about with a hot glue gun turning pom poms into caterpillars.

 

Talking to threenagers.

I teach English in a school in Thailand part time. I almost never teach native English speaking children. Sometimes I am teaching very young children their third language.

Often I find myself in situations like this:

I think to myself, ‘Hmm. Pretty sure that’s not Thai, Spanish, French, Dutch, German or English….’

‘Yep. Still got no idea. ‘ I look around for inspiration. Zilch.

‘Uh oh. This isn’t looking good. The p-ed off expression is heading toward a melt down expression. Think fast!’

‘Phew, that did it. Crisis averted. Still got no idea what she was trying to say.’

 

 

Ever have any problems figuring out what kids are trying to tell you?

*****************Come be my friend!******************

Help me get over my high school unpopularity issues. 

Subscribe or be my friend on twitter or facebook  or pinterest 🙂

The time I felt really mean for refusing to kiss a child’s ‘winkle’.

This story was shared with me by a teacher friend. The names have been changed for privacy.

I was teaching kindergarten, when little Jimmy appeared, sobbing his heart out.

‘M-m-miss Queen, ‘ He sobbed.

‘What happened, Jimmy?’

‘I-I was in the t-toilet having a wee an-and the l-lid fell down on-on my winkle.’

Winkle? I thought, trying not to let a smile creep onto my face.

‘Oh, poor you. That must have been sore.’

‘Ye-yes. C-can you kiss it better?’

No effing way, kiddo. ‘Um, no Jimmy. Private parts are just for you.’

Sweet little Jimmy fixed me with the saddest, hurt, puppy dog expression in the world.

*****************Come be my friend!******************

Help me get over my high school unpopularity issues. 

Subscribe or be my friend on twitter or facebook 🙂

Make my day/week/year and help me get nominated for a Brilliance in Blogging Award, please!

Simply click on this link:

Click on the nominate button and choose either the ‘Fresh Voice‘ or ‘Family’ (or both) heading.

Here’s the info you need:

Blog Name: My Kid Doesn’t Poop Rainbows- and other parenting realizations.

Blog URL: http://pooprainbows.com

Twitter ID: PoopRainbowMama

Email: mykiddoesntpooprainbows@yahoo.com

and a favourite post url (the long thing that appears after the http:// when you’re reading your favourite post of mine).

Thank you!!!!