“Who can tell me what we do first?”

This is a common phrase that comes out of my mouth as a third grade teacher.

Especially because I am only at the school for an hour and a half every day, most of the time when I first get into the classroom I have no idea what is going on that day.

As elementary school classes are constantly shifting lesson plans, I have to be quick to adapt to new situations and unforeseen challenges.

A lot of the time, I get there just in time for that day’s chaos. When chaos occurs, I am usually left at the last minute to occupy the class while my mentor teacher deals with the situation.

With only an hour and a half each day with my classes, I do my best to pick up on the strategies and methods my teachers use. 

But sometimes, I miss a few things here and there.

And the kids don’t let anything slip. They are always quick to call me out on something if I do things just slightly different than their teacher does. They cannot handle little changes.

Most of the time, when I’m thrown into a situation, the best thing I can do to start off is simply ask the kids “who can tell me what we do first?” It allows me the opportunity to not seem like I’m clueless and that everything is under while also providing the kids to challenge themselves with the skills we are practicing.

As a teacher, you have to be able to go with the flow, fake it until you make it. You get really good at winging it. That’s just how it is.