SURVIVOR: Jon Davey
The first thing you have to do to survive is to know what you?re getting yourself into. To do this, study up! We are going to a place where there are lots of children, so best to practice on your younger brother or sister first.
When you get to your workplace the best thing to do is to go straight to your boss. In this case it?s the principal. Go in and introduce yourself. She will lead you to where you need to go, and give you tips on which doors are rooms and which are broom cupboards.
Once inside, don?t be tempted to pick the kids up like dolls, they?re human beings. Also don?t forget that, even though they?re not much younger, you are the teacher this week, and you have to be the responsible one. If they start mucking around do not join in. You have to ask them to stop being silly. If you smile at their antics behind their backs, make sure there is not a mirror around.
One activity will be silent reading. When they do this it?s not just the students who have to be silent, it?s also the teachers. So if you see anyone talking when they?re not supposed to, don?t scream out to them. Walk over and tell them quietly, so they won?t panic that if they don?t stop speaking they will be thrown out the window into a crocodile infested moat.
?At recess and lunch, some people like to go out and play with the students. I think you should come into the staff room and talk with us.? This was a piece of advice that a very wise teacher gave to me? I totally disagree! It is good to go into the staff room with the rest of the teachers, but only go in there for a short while, let the teachers get to know who you are and what your purpose is in the school. Then, when the teachers have established that you are not an extremely big student in casual clothes or an extremely strange piece of furniture, you may go outside to play.
The kids are still young and you have to realise that some won?t accept you straight away. To get their attention, first learn their name. Then whenever you see them say hello, followed by their name. They will soon realise that you are not quite a teacher and are still capable of having fun. At recess there will always be a choice of soccer, basketball or footy. Be fair! They all want you to play so just say you will play each one later. After all you have a whole week.
On the second day you will be in the same room, unless previously organised. The teachers, when marking the role will sometimes get the kids to say something else when their name is called out instead of ?yes?. You may be asked what you want them to say, the following are some good ideas:
-favorite ice-cream flavors
-favorite movie
-if they are studying something like minerals: name a mineral
-their bank account number
At recess it is actually better to go into the staff room. It?s too short to get to remember the kids? names again, so go in, get some warm milo, and have a good old talk with the teachers. They have grown up a lot since you were a student there yourself.
At lunch it?s all right to go outside and play with the kids. If any of them come up and say hello to you, using your name, don?t freak out and think they?re spying on you. They are just a kid who you talked to yesterday and can?t remember, or they just asked their friends what your name is. If any of this happens, just say hi and pretend that you know them, the best way to get out of saying their name is to change the subject.
The most important thing to remember while you?re at the primary school is that you haven?t yet fully grown and it?s all right for you to go a bit silly to make the kids laugh. The more you make the kids laugh, appropriately, the more they will respect and listen to you, this in turn will impress the teachers you are working with, which in turn will impress the principal who will give you a good report- and this is a really satisfying feeling. Also, the more you make them laugh the more happy they will get, which will make you happier. If it doesn?t make you happier you won?t make a good teacher. You can always get work experience at the bakery next time.
The best thing to do to really impress everybody at the workplace is, on the last day during lunch, walk up the street and buy a large block of chocolate. Make sure that you arrive at the end of lunch so all of the teachers have all gone into their classes. Break the chocolate up into a bowl and leave it in the staff room. Well, it worked for me anyway...
