The same thing that I'd want today, I would want again tomorrow

The Vice-Head sent out the email to the parents of Mr. C's room, saying he was leaving for six months and I'd be in his place. Mr. C told the kids himself, but I couldn't be there, as I was subbing in another room. By the end of the day there was one (possibly the first of several) email from a parent concerned that the change would result in their son slipping in his reading progress.

I understand parental concern and naturally I'm going to discuss their fears with them. But really, some of these high-maintenance parents are bit too jumpy, if you ask me. How likely is it that Prestigious is going to replace the teacher with a total slacker who's going to just let the kids slide? Anyway, I'm meeting the parents Friday morning. There will be donuts, juice, and anxiety.

I had a talk with Mr. C after school in which he briefed me on some of the more troublesome behaviors to be found in his class. At the beginning of the year, two kids regularly would pitch screaming fits, and one of them literally had to be held by Mr. C. He said it was the worst first six months of his entire teaching career. Apparently, the kids have calmed down a lot since then; two are on some kind of behavior-altering drug.

***

When I was in his room during class hours, briefly, one girl came up to me, talked excitedly about something, and then abruptly turned and skipped / ran / jumped off to the circle area.

"She's in a hurry, I guess," I remarked to another five-year-old girl.

"No," she said offhand, "she's just hyper."