The worksheets had been photocopied a day before but my mind had been occupied with so many tasks of the day that I forgot to collect them from the designated room. They were essentially required for the first lesson the following morning and should have been on my table the day before.
As I stood in the assembly hall I was shuddered by the sudden realization of my mistake. It was carelessness on my part and unprofessional in the eyes of the management. My Grade 2’s were busy singing the School Song. I thought of slipping out quietly to make a sprint to the room and collect the sheets but accompanying the students to the classroom was my responsibility as well.
I cursed my forgetful mind as I walked back to the classroom, the children keeping to their line. I didn’t quite realize that my worry and anxiousness had crept onto my face and was showing quite visibly to all.
The Supervisor was a strict lady who got extremely ticked off by such accidents. As I completed my attendance, I decided to take my chances. I knew it would not be possible without the help and co-operation of my students. “Children, I need to go out of the class for about five minutes. I can’t do that with you all making noise or getting up from your places. I was so busy yesterday that I forgot to collect your language worksheets from the office. Can I trust you to sit quietly for just five minutes?” The class gave a half-hearted answer, a little confused by my unusual request and worried face.
I reached out to my book shelf and distributed paper strips to each one. “Now, while I’m gone, I’d like you to think and write at least three reasons why you believe you should follow the teacher’s instructions to be quiet while she is out of the class.”
I had no time to waste and leaving the door open, I rushed up to the first floor of the building to collect the relevant worksheets. It was a horror to find the door to the room locked. This meant that I now had to look for the gentleman who safeguarded the key in order to acquire the much needed activity sheets. I hurried down the corridor examining all possible spaces but he was nowhere to be found.
A part of me probed me to get back to the class whilst the other directed me to the ground floor with hope to find him in the office block. I made my way to the office block. It was already more than five minutes. I prayed to find him there so that I could reach back in reasonable time to avoid the much anticipated encounter now. The moment I saw him coming out of the Administrative block, I called out to him feeling a sense of relief. He was ever smiling and walked up to the first floor with me to unlock the door and hand me the necessary papers.
As I walked back to my class, I felt immense shame and guilt at wasting such precious lesson time of the children. It had been almost fifteen minutes. As I turned round to enter the classroom corridor, my heart froze at the sound of the Supervisor talking to my students. I knew I was in trouble. I had absolutely no excuse for my silly morning adventure and my careless act.
As I entered the classroom, I saw my Supervisor walking across the room, pausing at each table to read what the students had written upon their paper strips. She looked at me and questioned my late entry with her eyes. I kept the worksheets on my table transferring my apology likewise. She came towards me and spoke loudly, “Mrs Noman, Your children are just fabulous! When I first walked by the classroom I thought the class was quiet because there was a teacher there. Then when I peaked in, I was shocked to see that there was none. They were all busy doing their work and so busy in their thoughts that only a few acknowledged my presence in the class. When I asked them where is your teacher, they said that you had to meet up with some emergency but had given them work.”
I smiled at my students who were relieved to see me smile. “Well done children and I’m very proud of your responsible behaviour!” The last remark was passed on with a little message for me to reflect upon later! She collected all paper strips from the students and asked me to come and meet her in her office during my free hour. After she left, I thanked my students earnestly for their superb behaviour. They had kept their word and had really earned my trust.
The classes went on as usual and as soon as I was free, I went to meet the Supervisor as instructed. She asked me to sit down and relax. Her mood was strangely pleasant. I started off, “I’m really sorry about this morning Ms.X. I don’t know how I forgot to collect my worksheets yesterday. I wasted a lot of time and…,” She interrupted me by saying, “I don’t think you need to fight your case Ms Shama. You have quite a strong Jury in the class it seems. The verdict is in my hand and I’d like to read it out to you.”
She had a few of my students paper strips in her hand and the stress of the entire morning episode collapsed in the form of tears as she read:
“I will be quiet when the teacher is out of the class because I want to do something good for her too so she feels happy!”
“I will be quiet because my teacher looks worried and I don’t want her to feel hurt!”
“My teacher wants us to be quiet because she needs our help and I will listen to her because she also helps me!”
“I will be quiet when teacher is gone because I love her and she is a good lady! She was busy and forgot to collect the worksheets from the office!”
“I will be quiet because teacher is teaching us good things and she forgot the worksheets and I think its ok!”
“I will listen to my teacher when she is out of the class because there is no one to help her and she is always busy and I want to help her!”
My children had pleaded my case well. They had convinced the Supervisor that their teacher was but human and probably needed some support to erase the possibility of such errors. They had not only understood my emotions of anxiety, frustration, guilt and helplessness but had gone ahead to register them as being natural and excusable.
The school then assigned a helper to each Key Stage to manage the collection and distribution of worksheets to relieve the teachers of meeting such blunders.
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