It was Friday. Twelfth grade English. The school is starting a study hall period, and this was the day all the teachers were to explain the concept via PowerPoint to the students.
This is new to me, too. We did not have study hall when I was in school. I have heard of it, but I've never experienced it first hand.
Of course, I was informed about all of this when I checked in that morning.
My job is pretty much winging things with no prep whatsoever, so I wasn't too concerned. I had access to the PowerPoint slides. I know how to work the in class projector and computer.
Yes, reading the slides to the students is dreadfully dull, but what else could I do?
So, the class came in, the slides were loaded, and the projector worked. I even had a group that sat quietly while I droned on. Success!
I was about five minutes into it when the door opened. In walked an assistant principal and a counselor.
Administrators walk in from time to time. They may be doing a dress code check or they may be looking to talk to a student for some reason. But this time they just stood in the doorway and watched.
Eeek. I didn't know I was getting graded.
I tried to up my game, but I was doing the presentation cold. And the slides were pretty detailed. There was nothing for me to add to make things more interesting.
The administrators were there for a couple minutes before they left. That's when I breathed a sigh of relief.
It is likely that they were making sure everything was working. But in my mind, I felt as if they were watching and judging. And I was sorely lacking.
We always judge ourselves way more harshly than the world sees us.
The administrators said nothing to me. So, I'm sure it was fine. It must have been fine, right?
I think they were judging the program, not you personally.
ReplyDeletebut I understand your feelings. Drew would freak out whenever he was being observed by the admins, even though he was a tenured teacher with 30 years' experience in the classroom.
It's as close as a teacher gets to being "called into the principal's office".
DeleteMore likely judging the program. And just making sure you were there.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure everything was fine. Have you been back to sub at that school since then? If so, I wouldn't worry. We had study hall when I was in school. Now mind you again I graduated 1975. It was required as a freshman and then optional if you wanted it for the rest of your high school years. I had study hall first period LOL which was of no help for me because I never really knew how long it would take to do my homework so I always did it the night before. I would study for tests during it or read a book.
ReplyDeletebetty
I can't imagine they'd keep it to themselves this long if they were "grading" you. Considering you're just kind of thrown in there cold, I don't know what else they would expect. Also, you didn't have study hall? I had no idea other places didn't have it. Mind BLOWN.
ReplyDeleteNo study hall? And it needed an in depth explanation? That's totally foreign to me. ~grin~ It's always fascinating how regions differ. Be well!
ReplyDeleteI shorthanded it for the blog. In actuality, it's a half hour once a week tutoring time that's been carved out of the school day. The students have to sign up for where they're going to go and they'll need to have a goal in mind for the time. That's primarily what the explanation was for.
DeleteBut yeah, we've never had study hall.
Thanks for the explanation! Fair enough, and very interesting. Hope all goes well as possible.
DeleteIt was definitely fine1 I always get a bit nervous whenever anyone "observes" me in my job for any reason.
ReplyDeleteIt is really odd that you and your students never had study hall....I had TWO study hall periods per day during my high school days!
Kim
Nope, all time in school is class time or break time. And they only get a half hour for lunch and ten minutes for a mid-morning break. And when I was in school it was the same.
Delete"We always judge ourselves way more harshly than the world sees us." -- THIS. You are so right.
ReplyDeleteIt's easy to say. Harder to remind yourself when you're being judgy (or is that just me?).
DeleteI am sure you were fine. We had study hall in high school and I remember using the time to do my homework so I didn't have bring any home.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah. Me, too. Or I read a book. :)
DeleteThanks.
ReplyDeleteI am sure you are fine. Don't you just hate when out of the blue they pull stuff like that. I don't have to jump through a lot of hoops like I did when I was a full time state employee. They have goals they have to meet and they are graded on lots of things....as a 120 day a yr employee, I just show up, do my job and get paid. Its the nicer side of going back to work.
ReplyDeleteThat's basically a sub's life, too. We're generally not evaluated, unlike the full time teachers who get evaluated every couple years.
DeleteIt's possible that they were observing a student, not you. I'm sure you did fine.
ReplyDeleteIt's possible.
DeleteIt's funny, I just read another post that raised the same point, we judge ourselves far more harshly then we ever judge anyone else.
ReplyDelete