It’s Miss Grogan, dad gummit!!!   Haha, ok….I had my first job today as a substitute in Albuquerque.  Apparently one of the 1st grade teachers at Emerson El. decided he no longer wanted to work there and quit his job during the third week of the school year.  Now, the automatic sub has taken over his class because she is bilingual and I have taken over the automatic sub’s job for the week (meaning I’m in a different room everyday at the same school).

I was oh-so-excited about having my first paying job, but a little nervous because the assignment didn’t tell me what grade or what teacher I would be subbing for.  It only said “vacant”.  So, I walk in there almost positive that it’s going to be 4th or 5th grade (mainly because I was HOPING it would be 4th or 5th).  The lady at the front desk says “ok, you’ll be subbing for Mrs S today and she is in room yada yada.  Here’s the key”.  I’m like OK and I start to leave when I realize I didn’t know what grade I was teaching.  So I turn around and ask…..”oh, you’ll be with first grade”…SSSSSKKKKKIIIIRRRRT.  what?

Let me explain.  I absolutely love kids.  I mean, I guess you kind of have to in order to be a teacher.  But I am in no way shape or form the “nurturing” kind of teacher, which is required for ages 8 and under.  This is why at Clemson they let you major in Early Childhood Education (K-3) or Elementary Education (2-6), and this is why I chose Elementary Education.  I just don’t have much patience for the younger students who haven’t learned all of the classroom management routines, still need a lot of babysitting, and are very needy.  It doesn’t mesh well with my personality.  Gimme a classroom full of 30 hormonal 5th graders and I’m good to go.  Gimme a classroom full of 20 tiny, “innocent” kindergarteners and I may not last the day.

So, although I was so very thankful to have a paying job today, I am also so very thankful that tomorrow I will be with a new class and hopefully with a new age.

I’m tired.