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Last Tuesday, I became the gym teacher. I was handed the schedule when I waked into the office. Not bad, I thought to myself. I like covering Gym. It keeps me active.
Now the gym in the school I am currently assigned to is a classroom. That is why when the weather is decent the current Gym teacher brings the students out to the yard. The little ones you can get away with a classroom, but the big kids...not so much.
Being the principal and the competent AP were not in the building that day I went to the incompetent, out of touch, useless other AP to confirm that I can take the classes outside to the yard (I had previously covered gym and have done it).
Our conversation went like this:
AP: Mr Zucker, you are a substitute.
Me: No, I am an ATR.
AP: But I'm not sure of the safety of the students.
Me: I have been teaching for nearly 25 years.
AP: But this is Gym, you might....
Me: I have taught Gym in the past, once for almost an entire school year. I also was athletics director at a summer camp, taught Gym in D 75 for summer school, and coached my son's Little League team for 4 years.
AP: Well...let's see how today goes in the classroom and if it goes well, maybe next time.
Me: But there is no equipment in the classroom, at least the older kids can bring their basketballs with them.
AP: You can take some equipment from over there (points to the recess equipment closet).
Almost everything in the recess closet was projectile based and/or hard. I took four cones with me.
In the classroom all I had access to were about a half dozen hoola hoops and two foam balls.
I improvised during the day.
Playing steal the bacon with 4th graders was fun. The 5th graders were too big, and I saw what a safety issue I was put in the middle of.
The little ones it was fine. We did relay races, stretching, and some laps around the room.
But why is being outside cause the AP to me concerned for the safety of the students, when there is plenty of room to run free and to spread out. But being in a small enclosed space all is peaches and cream?
This idiocy just can't be made up.