Waldorf update

[labelleizzy]

Friday went reasonably well. The kids were very patient with me, though I got the hairy eyeball for messing up the words to the song and for ringing the wrong bell to call them back to recess. Because I don't know any better. =) I'm okay with that, observing for three days, out sick for one day, then taking the classroom for a day as the full teacher (the first substitute, I am told, that Scott has had during the three years he's had this class! Amazing!)

I had fun, I learned a whole lot, I have been reflecting on my mistakes and where I can fix them or do better next time.

Friday night and Saturday morning classes have been good from the perspective of preparing for the upcoming two weeks, and getting feedback from my classmates both on art and on lesson plans. Willow and Melinda both have said that they are envious of my energy and confidence in front of a classroom and that they think I'll be a wonderful Grades teacher. *beam*

A whole week of not-enough-sleep means I spent four hours comatose this afternoon instead of socializing with my hubby... =( But I had dinner and then have been reading and talking with him, telling him about my week, we have a fire going downstairs, and a really, RILLY nice bottle of Ridge Carignane (sp?) that we're drinking between us.

*curious*

he's playing some kind of swing music downstairs, I'm going to investigate.

Comments

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on your first day. May I ask the name of the teacher you're working with? I know somebody who might be working down there, and I'm wondering if it's the same person.

[labelleizzy.livejournal.com]

His name is Scott Olmsted. He's the fourth grade teacher. I think he mentioned knowing Tasha?

[tara-bella.livejournal.com]

OK, I'm going to assume that you wouldn't be discussing work if this wasn't a safe place, but feel free to take this down if it makes you uncomfortable.

Scott was Tasha's first grade teacher. He's a great guy, friendly and very sweet. He also has a reputation as one of the Waldorf experts. He's been through the grades before and then spent a few years working at the national level with adults. You'll see his name in a lot of the publications. There were very high expectations for him as Tasha's teacher.

It didn't work. We knew the class was having issues half way through the year. By the end, SWS had decided to find someone else. The problem is as you have seen--his class control is "mushy". In all fairness, returning to the small kids is hard, especially if you've been away for a while, and Tasha's class does have a large proportion of cholerics and a few with some learning disabilities.

Scott was great with the kids who were easy to deal with. But the wilder ones were literally bouncing off the walls. Tasha liked him because she enjoys bouncing off walls, but it just wasn't a good match.

I'm glad he's found a good place and I wish him well. You can learn a lot from him, I'm sure. But you won't learn how to control a class. Oh, well.

Small world, isn't it?