The Alberta Teachers’ Association

How a spectacular flop led to a long-lasting lesson

THE CHALLENGE
How to be organized enough to plan for the best, and flexible enough to deal with the worst.

TEACHING JOBS WERE scarce in 1987 when I graduated from university, so I spent the first part of my teaching career as a substitute. I moved back to my hometown, where I subbed in schools I had attended as a student. Former teachers thought I was still a student, and children I had babysat were shocked to see me at the front of the classroom after making comments about “messing with the sub.” The learning those first months was invaluable. 

I was lucky to land a short-term position in February that stretched to the end of the school year. When the students realized I was going to be there until the end of the school year, we were able to settle in. We set up routines and expectations were clear and we got into “our groove.”

As I planned on moving in the fall, I asked for an evaluation to add to my portfolio. It was late April and our classroom had become a great place for teaching and learning. The principal, also a parent of a student in the class, scheduled his visit for a Tuesday morning. 

I had the perfect lesson plan, manipulatives ready, multi levels of questioning and was going to knock it out of the park. Everything was perfect! 

Tuesday morning came and so did a huge dump of snow. Needless to say, the students were more interested in the snow outside and planning for their recess adventures than whatever was happening in the classroom, and I couldn’t get them back to the amazing lesson I had so carefully planned. My perfect lesson was a flop! 

My principal was very understanding. We rescheduled for another day and I learned the importance of flexibility and good humour. That amazing lesson I had planned became one of my own best learning experiences. 

Got an idea? Maybe you created a lesson that totally flopped or were on the receiving end of a lesson that was truly inspiring. Whatever your story, please summarize it in up to 300 words and email it to managing editor Cory Hare at cory.hare@ata.ab.ca.