Twice this year, I have had the fourth and fifth graders come through the library during my sub time. They share two teachers who have divided up the subject areas between them. Each time, the same teacher is dropping the kids off. When she leaves, she gets this concerned look on her face and asks me, "Will you be all right?"
(I'm sure she's unaware that I am a certified teacher with a Master's degree, but I'm still a little insulted).
After the first time I taught these two groups I had the kids' number. And we've done just fine, thankyouverymuch. They're not bad. They're just 10- and 11-year-olds.
And each time the teacher comes back to pick up the kids, she's surprised that they're being good. This afternoon when she retrieved the fifth graders, she was amazed to find them sitting at tables, all reading their library books quietly.
I guess I'm wondering if I should be insulted by all this. She doesn't seem to think I am capable of handling these classes, though I have proven otherwise. Or am I just paranoid?
3 comments:
Maybe she verges on the brink of chaos when they are in HER care...
Ah, but see, you are only a librarian, and only a substitute librarian at that!
I'm sure the teacher doesn't mean anything by it, but as a teacher myself I've seen such attitudes displayed. Yes, it could be a sign of her own inadequacy. It could just be ignorance or lack of experience. It could be that she's encountered some less-than-stellar subs.
I wouldn't take offense.
I'd assume there's a previous bad experience with a library sub that is informing her concern.
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