Substitute Teaching Assistant

I haven't had a regular job for more than eight years. Still, there's no denying that some kind of regular, part-time job could help with finances. But what job? After a false start earlier this year, I found something that I hope will be suitable, at least for awhile: Substitute Teaching Assistant for the California Montessori Project. So low on the totem pole that I'm subterranean. And today (December 5th) was the first day of work (at their Capitol campus; all grades). 

It was a sensory overload kind of day. My job today was to assist with lunch and recess, for kindergartners and older kids too, plus monitor them prior to their parents picking them up towards evening. Lots of time on my feet. 

Most of the kids were a bit wary of me at first, which I expected. I'm a new man, much older than anyone else in the school. Still, some of the kids approached me, as kids will, out of curiosity. I talked to one ten-year-old boy. He was the classic lonely boy in a new school, having troubles with adjusting.  We talked about long-duration space flight.

Still, the 5-to-6 year old kids were the most charming. One girl explained that she was the Queen of Hearts and that she daydreams a lot. Another girl, with a slight Russian accent (Sacramento has a large Russian community) explained that she has three birthdays (about which I still need clarification). In midafternoon, a boy felt overwhelmed by fatigue and tried to nap by kneeling at the foot of a slide and using the slide as a pillow, which caused problems when the other kids used the slide as designed. Several girls spilled dirt across the tops of several basketballs, added wood chips and pine needles, and played hair stylist. Several kids showed me loose baby teeth, absent baby teeth, and new permanent teeth. 

All pretty charming. And if I'm good at this maybe I can aspire to the lofty goal of Substitute Teacher. 

(It’s interesting to be the rule enforcer when I have no idea what the rules are. “Can I go outside?” Well, why not? It’s a free country and it’s a beautiful day outside.)