Teacher Talks: Normal vs. Abnormal

This past Friday and Monday were two very abnormal days. One of the fourth grade teachers didn't have a sub for both days while she was out. I learned in that situation that, that can affect the entire grade level. Our only option was to split that class into all the rest of the classes. Needless to say, those two days were very hard for a learning environment. I also learned that students can pick up on when things are going to be normal and when things aren't going to be normal. Between state testing, visitors coming to a school, assemblies, data meetings, PST meetings, sometimes you question when do the teachers actually get to teach? I observed these two days that students know when their schedules are off. When schedules are off it throws them off just as much as the teacher. Students will work just as hard as the teacher to manage the day when things are abnormal. If the teacher isn't going to try, they aren't going to either. 

Students want normal days just as much as teachers.