First Grade Follies

Well... today was much better as far as the adults go. I have been avoiding social contact with most of them. It seems to be working to maintain a bit of sanity.

As for the kids, they were all asleep and non-responsive most of the day. I felt as if I were teaching to a bunch of empty desks. Repeating everything over and over and forcing their participation. It could possibly be because of the massive amounts of rain or the fact that it's a Monday.

I always forget what babies the first graders are at the beginning of the year. I have to "retrain" their bladders to only go to the restroom when we go as a class. I'm in a portable and it's not really safe to let them go from the classroom by themselves. I take the kids to the restroom four times a day and there are always a few that need to go at other times. Today I took them to the restroom after our specials. I told them to go now or they may have to wait until or next break in an hour. We get back to class and not one minute later a student, G, asks to "go pee" in a very loud voice. I explain to him we don't go "pee", we go to the restroom. I then ask him why he didn't go one minute ago when we were all inside. His response is, "I have to go pee". I'm frustrated because I can't get a response from him other than that so I tell him to just go, but to hurry. He opens the door and goes nowhere. I tell him to go again. He just stands there. I tell him again, in a much more stern voice, to go. He says, "but I'm scared". Scared? Of what? The rain. We go back and forth like this five times. I finally tell him to decide if he wants to go or sit back down. He goes and sits back down. I finally can't stand it anymore. I'm afraid he will "wet" himself so I send a child to take him. Babies! Unbelievable.

Hopefully it won't be raining tomorrow!