Back to School.

So...today I was back in school, one of the local village schools, for a days teacher cover.I was expecting a Prep to Year 2 class but for part of the day it was Prep to Year 3. There was actually only one Prep student and when the Year 3's were not there I had only 7 faces looking up at me.The day had been planned for me Spelling Mastery, Reading Mastery, more Reading Mastery, Narrative Texts, Maths Assessment and Health. I was to get some quick coaching from the Teaching Assistant before the lesson on the correct hand signals to use during the 'Mastery' lessons but she just looked aghast and said "You will never learn them in one day!"In the end she volunteered to take the groups that relied on these hand signals, because she already knew them, and I took the groups that were just beginning to learn them. It made perfect sense except that at one point she was taking a group of thirteen and I was sat with one little girl.It was pretty straight forward, all you had to do was read what to say from a book. It was so overly scripted it was quite insulting but hey, I was just thinking of the money.I had a short duty at Morning Tea. The older year groups were playing baseball or something like it so I hovered by the littlies on the climbing frame."We are playing Mums and Dads" said one little girl and I was just thinking 'Ah, things don't change that much' when one of the boys added,"....and Zombies.""Will you be the Zombie?" Asked one little cherub."Certainly not!" I snapped and walked off.Back in class a lesson on Narrative Texts was planned for Prep to Year 3 except that where the planning said the worksheets were on the desk....they weren't. I had to make something up quickly so waffled on about Narrative Texts and that beginnings, middles and ends of stories are important and got them to think of a well known story and draw a series of pictures telling their story in order. The older ones did 6 pictures and the younger ones three. It was the best I could come up with."What is your story?" I asked one of the older boys."Jack and the Beanstalk" he said."That's good!" I said "I can see Jack with the cow at the start of the story what will you put for the last picture?""Jack and the Giant are good friends," he said."No!" I said, "that's not right. How does Jack and the Beanstalk end?" I asked the whole class."Jack and the Giant become friends." they said."No, no, no!" I was shocked. "The giant climbs down the beanstalk and Jack cuts it down and the Giant falls to his death.""That's not appropriate," said a small disapproving voice."Oh, and I suppose playing Mums and Dads and Zombies is?"I just got blank stares.The daughter of the normal class teacher was in the class."What is your Mum doing today while I am in?" I asked."Putting embryos in cows" came the unexpected reply.That's small country schools for you.