Substitute Teaching

I was asked to sub for one of the 1st grade teachers at our church last Sunday. I'm thinking, "1st graders, young & eager kids, who still want to please you and learn." Instead I had 5 girls and 7 boys who were young and were 1st graders and that's where the expectation stopped. Talk about shocked, I was. Granted it has been several years since I've taught little kids, but this was way different from what I expected. The GIRLS were even rude and boisterous. They were more interested in letting the other kids know that they knew "bad" words. I nearly had to horse-collar one little innocent tyke to keep him from sharing every bad word he knew. There was another lady in there to help and she had her hands full just keeping the boys in their seats and hands to themselves, while I tried to tell the Bible story.

If I get called back, it will be with Sandy's black plastic spoon in my purse. At least then I'll have some protection. It was all very sad and very disappointing. I had made bookmarks for each child with the memory verse on the back and even laminated them. One child outright refused it. Two of the boys threw theirs down on the floor and said it was "just a bookmark." One girl left hers on the table. I have placed the teacher on my prayer list. She's got her hands full.