modified from my homework:
We have had a few issues with the children making guns
out of the toys, so we are continually removing items from the
housekeeping corner, such as the plastic breadstick, chicken wing, pizza
slice, zucchini, etc. I feel as though we are going to pare down
everything if things keep up.
This past week was dominated by issues about the yard.
We go outside with one or two other classes, and very few of the teachers
are willing to stand in the yard in the sun (as opposed to the shady area
where the kids ride their bikes). Many of the teachers stand around
chatting with each other or sipping their beverage of choice. The
situation came to a crux last Friday when one of the teachers left the
yard while there were children in it. I asked her not to do that and she
told me that she had been teaching at the school for 17 years and I was
new and I shouldn't tell her what to do. I said I felt the situation was
unsafe (as well as against the rules). When I didn't back down, she
proposed that the two classes that are always in the yard together have a
meeting Monday morning.
During the meeting I asked that they have one of their
three teachers in one of the two yards at all times. This did not go over
well and the issue was skirted. Then I said, "And most importantly,
please don't ever leave the yard when there are children there if there is
no other teacher." One of the teachers looked straight at me and said,
"You can't tell us what to do."
So, we continue to have issues with the yard. There
are security cameras recording all activity in the yard. We live in such
a litigious location, and I don't know what else to do to protect myself
from being responsible if a child is injured and none of the other
teachers are doing their job. I spend the entire outside hour in one of
the two yards, so at least I know that those children are safe and
protected.
We have a warped mirror in my college classroom. I caught myself
before class started.
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