Setting the Seating Chart

Yesterday, I was surprised to get a message from the sub caller. I didn't expect to hear from her. I never work the first day of school. (Well, there was that one time at the continuation high school, and it was in July, so I don't count it.) Never say never.

Today I started the 8th grade math class.

At first I let them sit where they wanted. Perhaps this was mean on my part, but I had a plan. Get the kids into class, do my intro, and then deal with the chaos of moving them to assigned seats (the teacher wanted them seated alphabetically).

They couldn't believe their luck. They got to sit where they wanted. There was a lot of maneuvering. "Come over here." "No, you can't sit there, my friend is sitting there."

Then came the switch.

"Like where you're sitting?" I asked. "Enjoy it for another couple seconds, and then I'm going to tell you where your actual seat is."

Oh, they begged. "Can't we sit here today." And they pleaded. "We can move tomorrow." But I wouldn't budge.

As I didn't have the teacher's syllabus, I spent much of the rest of the period playing get-to-know-you games. It was an easy day. Yep, ease them back into the school year. Then tomorrow the work begins. (Oh, I forgot to mention, this is a three-day assignment for me--the first three days of school.)

And tomorrow I'm going to move them again.