More school tales.

So...last week I did two days at the local school to make up for the previous week where I missed a day because of the Eisteddfod.Nothing ever seems to go to plan and I often arrive with my day planned out to find that something has changed.Last Thursday I found a completely different T.A. working with me in the morning for Science."And your name is?" I asked."Ms Butterh????" came the reply which I didn't quite catch because these Aussie folk can speak quite quickly.I wasn't sure whether it was 'Butterhump' or 'Butterhand' or 'Butterhind' and didn't feel I could ask her again. I knew I was going to have to introduce her to the class so worried about it from then on.When the class finally came in it turned out one of them had had a fall and so while she was quickly dealing with them I said to the rest,"And we have Ms Butterhaa???? with us today," saying the last part of her name as illegibly as I could.It turns out it was Butterham but I found out after it was too late.The day got worse from there. At morning tea another child injured themselves only this child was the son of the T.A who was helping me in The Prep/Year 1 class after the break. I was told I would have to manage alone as she was going to take her son to get checked out by the doctor but was not too worried about that.The lesson started and they were all sat on the carpet listening to me when past the windows behind them walked the man from weeks ago who had interviewed me about the school Fire and Lockdown procedures. He opened the door, clipboard in hand and found a chair and sat down at the back.What the heck was he doing there? My stress levels immediately shot sky high.I don't know whether I lost my composure but I certainly felt that on the outside I was not showing the turmoil within...but something had changed because the children suddenly became more restless and started to fidget. Two boys in particular began being very silly so much so that in the end I had to snap at one of them and send them out of the room. ( I had seen the class teacher do this before so knew that it was ok to do so.)I quickly finished the explanation of the handwriting and spelling work they were to do and sent them off to their desks telling the Year 1's they had to work independently because I was going to be working with the 'preppies'.The guy just sat there looking serious, occasionally jotting something down on his clipboard.The Year 1's  were getting on well with their work when Z came over."Can I go pee pee?""We don't ask like that." I said."Can I got to the toilet?" He asked."Please Mr Allen...." I prompted."Please Mr Allen can I go to the toilet?""That's much better" I said. "Now go away and come and ask me again."He walked away and came back. I glanced at the man and he was scribbling something down fast on his clipboard."Please can I got to the toilet Mr Allen?""Yes, you may." I said and off he went.A minute later there was a rumpus outside and Z was being silly with the boy I had sent outside earlier. I had forgotten about him so went out to speak to him and brought him back into work.When the spelling and handwriting was over I gathered them all back on the carpet to introduce the history lesson. They say slightly better this time but I tried to keep the carpet time to a minimum and get them back to work quickly. Again I told the Year 1's they had to work independently while I help the Prep children.One of the Year 1's sat with his head on the desk and two of the Prep boys were being a pain. I was back and forwards across the class trying to keep it on an even keel and still the guy sat there with his serious face.Eventually I could stand it no longer and went over to him."This is not a normal day" I said, "normally there is a Teacher Aide in here to help but today she has had to take her son to the  doctor.""They are a very busy class" he said."You can say that again," I said thinking he meant they were hard work."Did you know I was coming?""No" I said."Oh sorry" he said "I am here to observe Z.""Oh right," I felt some slight relief at last.Z was being pretty well behaved compared to other days whereas everybody else seemed to be being a pain.Finally after about an hour the man stood up. I went over to him and he said he had seen enough for today and he thanked me for allowing him in. I didn't think I had had a choice. He said that Z wanted teacher attention, the boy I had sent out wanted peer attention and he said that the preppies were 'off the chart!'I was glad that it was all over but it had been such hard work to keep on top of them all.Later in the day the class teacher told me that in her follow up discussion with him he only had good things to say about me. It still wasn't worth all that stress.Today was the first day of two whole weeks of teaching. I am at the school in town covering for a Prep teacher who has gone off on Maternity leave. I am doing the last two weeks of term before the school holidays.I hope I can survive it.