SOLSC Somehow?

One of those days when
I didn't catch my breath until the school day ended.

My Teacher Resident was absent.

The school gave me a sub, and for this I am truly grateful. We are a brand new school, just opened this past fall, and we simply don't have enough substitute teachers in our "pool."  There have been days when I have just had to deal with the fact that someone on my teaching team is missing (there are three of us with 22 preschoolers), meaning administrative folks take turns coming in and helping, maybe an hour at a time.

So, this was much better - one person, all day long!

But, wow, I worked double-time to follow our routine.

I found myself doing many additional tasks because I didn't have time to explain to the new person what needed to be done.  Somehow, I not only led the Gathering, but I cleared tables, closed the sensory table, ushered children to the carpet, held a frisky one on my lap to placate him, tried to keep all eyes on me.  Somehow, I led an engineering effort during centers, plus rushed to get a child to the bathroom, coached children to resolve a conflict, and showed a book to another child.  Somehow, I led story time, got lunch on the tables, put out the cots, swept the floor, and put on soothing music. Somehow, somehow, somehow.

Somehow, I got through the school day.



I sat down in the teacher's lounge to breathe.

My ears were my clue that this was not a normal day.
They tingled, vibrated, ached, really...there was an echo of the constant, chirpy voices.  I realized it was quiet here in the lounge.  I smiled.

My feet were my clue that this was not a normal day.
They were hot and tired, wanting to be up, perched, shoeless. I slipped off my shoes.  I smiled.

My shoulders were my clue that this was not a normal day.
I felt them hunched, up around my chin; I reminded myself to relax them, lower them.  As I released, a soft tingle radiated up my neck and down my back.  I smiled.

Everyone needed ME today,
only I would do.
Somehow.