I spent two full days this week at my younger son's school. As I volunteer there each Tuesday morning, I'm a familiar face around the school, but this was the first time I was there as an employee rather than a helper. 
I came in to substitute for the librarian. Here are my Best and Worst Moments from my two-day substitute-teaching experience.
BEST: Hands down, the four-year-old pre-kindergarten class. They were so cute! The librarian had left me three books to read with them--all about "Russell the Sheep." The stories were funny and the illustrations were as adorable as the little four-year-olds themselves. At the end of the third story the kids were begging for more books about Russell and his friend Frankie the Frog. Translation: success!
WORST: The fourth grade. I needed more coffee after that class was over. The kids were so busy asking me questions (or telling me) about what was to come next, despite the fact that I told them that the teacher had left instructions, that I quickly gave up any idea of treating them as "old enough to be independent" and instead reverted to the kind of classroom-management techniques I used when I taught first grade, way back when. It took a while, but they got the picture--even the kid who didn't think I had it in my power to rearrange seat assignments that the regular teacher had given them.
At the end of the second day, I was asked if I'd be willing to substitute again in the future. I agreed, with my own private reservations. If I wind up teaching that fourth-grade class again, I'm going to ditch the lesson plan, send them all to sit on the storytime rug, and read picture books with them.
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