The Things They Say…

Supply Teaching has been happening – I have had a number of half-days of work, and some wonderful comments from the children.

One afternoon last week – covering a newly qualified teacher who had gone to an NQT course. The children came in from lunchbreak, and a rather precocious 8 year old had this conversation with me

“Who are you?”

“I’m Mrs Almond, and I am here this afternoon because your teacher has to be somewhere else, she will be back tomorrow. Who are you?”

“Are you fully qualified as a teacher?” [I am not thrilled at his tone, nor the fact that he didn’t answer my question]

“How old is your mother?”

“She’s 32, why?”

“Because I was fully qualified as a teacher some years before your mother was even born. Now, what was your name?”

[I wonder if they have had a lot of cover done by teaching assistants, and parents are starting to notice?]

Then one morning this week, covering a teacher who had gone off to an antenatal appointment. I went out into the playground and found where the class would be lining up. This time, a polite little girl

“Please Miss, where’s Mrs X?”

“Your teacher has to be somewhere else this morning, she will be back at lunchtime. I am Mrs Almond. Who are you?”

She told me her name, then turned and whispered to the child behind her. The whisper went all the way down the line, then a girl right at the back came running to the front

“Miss! Is it true that you are here because Mrs X is DEAD?”

Finally, yesterday afternoon, my favourite comment. I was covering for a Nursery Nurse with some 3 and 4 year olds.

“Miss, are you REALLY a grown up?”

“Yes I am, I’m quite old actually.”

“But you are not very TALL, are you?”