choo-choo trains and knock-knock jokes.

Today was my first day back subbing since last spring.  I've gotten some phone calls, especially in the last week or so, but had so many other things to do with working another 2 or 3 jobs and taking 2 classes, I really didn't have the energy to even think about substitute teaching.  This morning I got the call to sub in preschool in my preferred district (where I would love to get hired) so, having nothing else that absolutely had to be done today, I went.  I knew I would be tired tonight, and I was right.  Here a just a few highlights from my day.

I was watching the kids play outside and I was standing near the playground equipment.  Two boys were playing "train" and I watched as the train went off the tracks, was stopped by a wood chip, out of control again, stopped by the train whistle, stopped right before it went into the water, lost it's sail in the water, the train became a ship, and the ship drove across land.  Let me tell you, that was one amazing steering wheel.  I think the only thing this train didn't do is fly.  As I'm standing there I had this conversation with the boys:
Boy 1: "Look we are both train drivers!"
Boy 2: "Yeah, look! Train drivers!"
Me: "Do you know what another name for a train driver is?"
Boys: "No, what?"
Me: "An engineer."
Boy 2: "Oh cool, we're engineers!"
Boy 1: "They are also called choo-choo train men."

Oh, of course, silly me.

Right before we went outside to play, one of my worst nightmares came true.  Ok, so that might be a little dramatic, but it was definitely something I had hoped to avoid in all my teaching days.  It took me back to a couple of years ago when I was taking a class on Elementary PE in college and one day we were talking about rainy day activities.  So, our professor gave us all a squirt of shaving cream and told us to smear it all over our desks.  After we had covered our hands in it, she told us to make sure not to get any on our clothes as it might stain/bleach them. Awesome. This is exactly what I signed up for.  And, if you know me at all, I don't like having my hands covered in something gooey/dirty/whatever.  This is always the time that something itches really bad or your hair is in your face, by the way.  Anyhow, my friends in class were making fun of my reaction to this seemingly harmless activity.  Fast forward to today.  The teacher (I was subbing as the aide) tells me she was going to get the shaving cream out for them to play with.  I'm thinking: "Really, is that necessary?" But I bite my tongue and go along with things.  Next thing I know, 14 pre-K students have a huge gob of shaving cream in their hands.  I stood back while they smeared this stuff everywhere.  I still don't really know the purpose, as they played with it for about 5 minutes.  I was then charged with the task of helping them clean their hands, clothes, hair, wherever else they could have possibly gotten this stuff in 5 minutes off.  Then they all went outside and I got to wipe off all the desks.  Oh, what a dream. 

The best part about subbing in the afternoon preschool is that there is a huge break for naptime.  By the time we got all 18 kids settled down, it was quite peaceful.  Just prior to nap time was the time when everyone had to go potty before they got into bed.  I never remembered seeing this open bathroom, boys and girls using the same door-less stalls.  But apparently it happens.  Anyway, it was like directing traffic in there.  It's a good thing there's only 2 stalls, because between that and the kid lingering at the sink washing his hands, and the kid getting a paper towel longer than they are tall, not to mention the line of kids outside the door making noise, it's enough to keep you busy.  I'm just assuming that nobody likes this job and that's why I was doing it.

Overall, it was a good day subbing.  It always amazes me what kids say.  Or what they do when they think nobody can see and/or hear them.  Like sing in the bathroom.  One favorite thing of two particular boys was telling me knock-knock jokes.

Bryan: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Bryan "Bryan...that's me!"

Alexander: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Alexander: "Alexander...that's me!"
(I'm thinking to myself, "You do know that's not funny, right?")

Hallie: "Knock knock"
Me: "Who's there?"
Hallie: "Banana"
Me: "Banana who?"
Hallie: "Banana Peach!"
(At least she's got the whole concept of the knock-knock joke down)

These kids are a bit of a handful, but at least their pretty cute too.  And, apparently my new name is Wicki, because Whitney is so hard to pronounce.