Today, as I was about to board my train to school, I received Stfn's call. She asked me if I was coming to school.
"Of course." I replied, baffled. "What's the matter?"
"Please don't come to school. Today there are only three teachers yet in the school - all the rest are ill. We also do not have any manager now nor is Stf, the boss available on phone or mail; so we have to decide amongst ourselves. We can't manage the kindergarten with just three or four teachers so we are closing down."
"But we don't have the authority to close. We have to manage anyhow. We can't close."
The fool that I was, I came back home, rang the school again and this time Ndn spoke to me who agreed that we couldn't close down.
I started for school once again, cursing myself for having wasted a good half hour already.
Even the train was late and kept stopping in the tunnel every five minutes or so. The main train station was simply speaking a sea of passengers!
Just outside the school building I saw Ll's mother and Ls's mother.
"We are taking our children back home."
"Why?" I cried.
"There is shortage of teachers in school. Our children can't be very well taken care of."
"Of course not. There are, indeed a few teachers who are sick and then there was some problem with the train due to which some other teachers,me and Asy as instance got very late. But this does not mean in the least that you need to take your child home. Please come."
"To tell the truth, I am a bit glad to see you. I would have felt very uneasy leaving Ll in this situation, but I think I can now leave her safely in the kindergarten."
I brought back both Ls and Ll. On the way, I met another truly baffled parent who wanted to know what the hell was wrong."Nothing at all. Just that, a few teachers are absent due to being sick and others got delayed due to something wrong with the train. Everything is okay now." I reassured him and he was okay.
As I entered the school, I was disconcerted to see so many panicked parents talking to all the equally panicked teachers. The expressions on their faces were enough indication that they were revealing the whole Mz-My episode in full details.
"Are...you...sure..., Ls...will...be...okay...if...I...leave...him?" Ls's mother wailed at my elbow.
"Why did you lie to me? You said the train was late, but here all the other teachers are telling me that there is shortage of teachers in the school." I heard someone, probably Ll's mother say this Asy.
I whispered to Asy who was as totally shocked and disconcerted as I was." They are telling all the parents about Mz and My. I can't imagine. We don't need to do that. It is our kindergarten's private matter. We don't need to tell them this. We should be discreet."
"They are telling everything...Oh no! It is so shameful...!"
"Do...you...really...think...Ls...will...be...okay?... He...was...ill...this...morning...."
"Is he unwell?"
"No...But...he...has...a...runny...nose.... And....he...didn't....eat....anything... in... the... morning-"
"Please go. He WILL be okay. Don't worry."
"You.... think... so....?"
I wish I could kick that woman out of the building.
The first disconcerting factor having faded, the other one emerged. There did not appear to be a teacher shortage after all, at least not bad enough to close down. There were total eight teachers out of fourteen and about 55 children. And many children had already been sent back and many were being persuaded to do so if it were possible for them. It now dawned on me why Ls' mother and Ll's mother were taking their children back- because they had been told to so. And I brought them back and couldn't understand why Stfn and Ndn looked puzzled to see them in the class.
To tell the truth, I felt furious, distressed and frustrated at the way together Ndn and Stfn had decided there was an emergency and should either close down or send as many children back as possible. They continued to bumble in one disastrous step to another until it was a complete torture to watch them.
God knows why they thought that fifty five children could not be managed by eight teachers or why they felt that this situation had something to do with Mz/My's termination.
They decided to have a merged morning circle of all the children together instead of letting them go to their respective groups and relaxing the tension build up. Meanwhile I managed to assure another parent- Ksk's mother- that he would be okay if she left him here, nothing to worry so not to take him back home only to discover later that Stfn had rang her up to come back and take Ksk back home. Phew!!!
When the assembly was over, they announced that only ten children at a time would have their snack in the kitchen, while the rest will be made to engage in free play in the hall. Mks and Gbt were managing their group separately.
"But why can't we have the snack in our room as usual? 12 children in our room, 12 children in the kitchen and the rest can wait. Isn't it possible?" I protested.
"No, it is not possible. I have not prepared their snack. It will take time." Stfn replied.
"Preparing musli and milk doesn't need any preparation or time." I suggested but Stfn had made up her mind already that she wanted things to be done the difficult and complicated way rather than simple and easy one.
So the children kept playing while at a snail's pace ten ten children finished their snack. It took ages to get finished with just 35 children.
"The snack is over but I have no idea what to do about the lunch."Stfn sighed deeply.
"I have a plan, if you want to listen to it." Said I. " We eat the lunch together, ten bigger children in kitchen, the rest twenty five in our room with more chairs."
"Oh, yes. That sounds good." She exclaimed.
We brought some extra chairs and an extra table and soon all the children were sitting in a neat order, eating their food in perfect discipline. We had no difficulty in serving food or cleaning up and absolutely none at all in getting lunch managed.
'I wish they had done like this at the snack time too. There was so much confusion at that time and now look this appears so good and orderly. Absolutely no confusion or chaos." Asy whispered to me.
For the sleeping time, luckily Stfn and Ndn didn't much exert their brains so every group slept as usual except my group which slept with the baby group. Ksk mother came to collect ksk at 12. 30 - his usual time and I saw Stfn talk to her, persuading her to "not to bring him to school if it was possible as we have a teacher shortage..." Arrgh!
Ksk's mother has agreed to keep him at home the week now.
I had a talk with Mchl. She too appeared rather off set and disgusted at the way our school's private affairs were made shamelessly public by all the teachers in the morning.
I was watching over the sleeping kids when Asy started chatting with me in hushed whispers as the children were asleep. She asked me what could be the reason behind Mz and My's treachery. Did Stf do something to them, maybe some injustice or bad behavior?
"I don't think so. My and Mz didn't have good character. They were not honest. They wanted more and more money, more and more power. They probably wanted more salary. They were also disgruntled by the fact that they rather had to work a lot without getting the money they desired. So they decided to teach Stf a lesson by plotting like this."
"You say, My and Mz were not good. Why? I think Mz was a very good teacher. And My was also nice."
"There can't be worse teachers than Mz and My. They didn't do anything with the children. And they were bad enough to get other teachers fired for their own personal reasons."
"Ya ya. Once I was talking to Stf and she had told me that I need not take notice of Mz as she is very jealous and many times she gets teachers fired because of her jealously."
"What?"
"Err, nothing. I just heard that she was jealous. I have to go now for my cigarette break. I will come later."
She abruptly changed the subject and didn't talk about it again.
Apparently this remark had just dropped out of her mouth without her intention.
Now I know something else. Asy is Stf's secret informer in the school.
Once in the beginning she had told us that she knew Stf through her boyfriend. Once there was a rumor that although she works here for only five hours like me, her salary is by far heftier than even Mz or My. I had dismissed this rumor because she had herself told me once that she gets only 400 Euros which is very less and she wants more money. I had felt sorry for her for earning so less, apart from her modelling job but it is fact that she is not only the best looking female in the whole school, she is also the best dressed female in the school; furthermore she never appears like she has less money. Her dresses, shoes, bags, car, dogs, even magazines which she brings to school to read all suggest that in fact she is quite wealthy.
In the past she had similarly dropped unguarded remarks like: "I was talking to Stf and told her you don't need any watch over this group; these two are so dedicated they work hard without anyone telling them.'
and, " Stf asked me if it was okay to admit more children in this group." This remark in particular had baffled both me and Cl as we wondered why would Stf ask this question to Asy who is just one month old in the school, does not know any thing about our group, isn't even a teacher to begin with and has never worked in a kindergarten or with children before.
The day, for me was finally over but not my tension and apprehension.
When the parents came to pick their children up in the afternoon, Stfn began shamelessly requesting them to keep their children at home if it was possible for them as the next day too the situation would be very much the same like today.
I continue to feel ashamed and indignant the way Stfn and Ndn took an extreme step without even the need. The situation was not an emergency. It was not impossible to handle as they declared that it was. They, together with the other teachers like Mks literally stripped the school down by discussing Mz and My affair with the parents. The parents are now laughing at us or holding us in contempt and sarcasm.
The stupidity of our teachers resulted in such chaos and confusion, not to mention so much of unnecessary trouble and botheration for the parents.
It would have been far better to let the children come in as usual without panicking about the teachers, to maintain a discreet silence on Mz and My matter, talk to all the teachers to decide what was best to do and merge the groups. To have somewhat larger groups would still have been better and fairly manageable rather than having a jungle group of thirty five and telling them to 'play whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want' The school had a total number of 55 children today and eight teachers. Even if 10 children groups were formed, or 15 or twenty, we would still have been able to handle them handsomely. What made them think we couldn't?
I am amazed! What are they made of? Jelly? They get cold feet if they have to manage meager 12-15 children alone? Eight teachers mean emergency and urgent closure of the school? Didn't they feel ashamed begging the parents to take back their children as they were unable to look after them? Give me fifty and I can look after all of them alone.
I am wondering how Stf receives this news....
"Of course." I replied, baffled. "What's the matter?"
"Please don't come to school. Today there are only three teachers yet in the school - all the rest are ill. We also do not have any manager now nor is Stf, the boss available on phone or mail; so we have to decide amongst ourselves. We can't manage the kindergarten with just three or four teachers so we are closing down."
"But we don't have the authority to close. We have to manage anyhow. We can't close."
The fool that I was, I came back home, rang the school again and this time Ndn spoke to me who agreed that we couldn't close down.
I started for school once again, cursing myself for having wasted a good half hour already.
Even the train was late and kept stopping in the tunnel every five minutes or so. The main train station was simply speaking a sea of passengers!
Just outside the school building I saw Ll's mother and Ls's mother.
"We are taking our children back home."
"Why?" I cried.
"There is shortage of teachers in school. Our children can't be very well taken care of."
"Of course not. There are, indeed a few teachers who are sick and then there was some problem with the train due to which some other teachers,me and Asy as instance got very late. But this does not mean in the least that you need to take your child home. Please come."
"To tell the truth, I am a bit glad to see you. I would have felt very uneasy leaving Ll in this situation, but I think I can now leave her safely in the kindergarten."
I brought back both Ls and Ll. On the way, I met another truly baffled parent who wanted to know what the hell was wrong."Nothing at all. Just that, a few teachers are absent due to being sick and others got delayed due to something wrong with the train. Everything is okay now." I reassured him and he was okay.
As I entered the school, I was disconcerted to see so many panicked parents talking to all the equally panicked teachers. The expressions on their faces were enough indication that they were revealing the whole Mz-My episode in full details.
"Are...you...sure..., Ls...will...be...okay...if...I...leave...him?" Ls's mother wailed at my elbow.
"Why did you lie to me? You said the train was late, but here all the other teachers are telling me that there is shortage of teachers in the school." I heard someone, probably Ll's mother say this Asy.
I whispered to Asy who was as totally shocked and disconcerted as I was." They are telling all the parents about Mz and My. I can't imagine. We don't need to do that. It is our kindergarten's private matter. We don't need to tell them this. We should be discreet."
"They are telling everything...Oh no! It is so shameful...!"
"Do...you...really...think...Ls...will...be...okay?... He...was...ill...this...morning...."
"Is he unwell?"
"No...But...he...has...a...runny...nose.... And....he...didn't....eat....anything... in... the... morning-"
"Please go. He WILL be okay. Don't worry."
"You.... think... so....?"
I wish I could kick that woman out of the building.
The first disconcerting factor having faded, the other one emerged. There did not appear to be a teacher shortage after all, at least not bad enough to close down. There were total eight teachers out of fourteen and about 55 children. And many children had already been sent back and many were being persuaded to do so if it were possible for them. It now dawned on me why Ls' mother and Ll's mother were taking their children back- because they had been told to so. And I brought them back and couldn't understand why Stfn and Ndn looked puzzled to see them in the class.
To tell the truth, I felt furious, distressed and frustrated at the way together Ndn and Stfn had decided there was an emergency and should either close down or send as many children back as possible. They continued to bumble in one disastrous step to another until it was a complete torture to watch them.
God knows why they thought that fifty five children could not be managed by eight teachers or why they felt that this situation had something to do with Mz/My's termination.
They decided to have a merged morning circle of all the children together instead of letting them go to their respective groups and relaxing the tension build up. Meanwhile I managed to assure another parent- Ksk's mother- that he would be okay if she left him here, nothing to worry so not to take him back home only to discover later that Stfn had rang her up to come back and take Ksk back home. Phew!!!
When the assembly was over, they announced that only ten children at a time would have their snack in the kitchen, while the rest will be made to engage in free play in the hall. Mks and Gbt were managing their group separately.
"But why can't we have the snack in our room as usual? 12 children in our room, 12 children in the kitchen and the rest can wait. Isn't it possible?" I protested.
"No, it is not possible. I have not prepared their snack. It will take time." Stfn replied.
"Preparing musli and milk doesn't need any preparation or time." I suggested but Stfn had made up her mind already that she wanted things to be done the difficult and complicated way rather than simple and easy one.
So the children kept playing while at a snail's pace ten ten children finished their snack. It took ages to get finished with just 35 children.
"The snack is over but I have no idea what to do about the lunch."Stfn sighed deeply.
"I have a plan, if you want to listen to it." Said I. " We eat the lunch together, ten bigger children in kitchen, the rest twenty five in our room with more chairs."
"Oh, yes. That sounds good." She exclaimed.
We brought some extra chairs and an extra table and soon all the children were sitting in a neat order, eating their food in perfect discipline. We had no difficulty in serving food or cleaning up and absolutely none at all in getting lunch managed.
'I wish they had done like this at the snack time too. There was so much confusion at that time and now look this appears so good and orderly. Absolutely no confusion or chaos." Asy whispered to me.
For the sleeping time, luckily Stfn and Ndn didn't much exert their brains so every group slept as usual except my group which slept with the baby group. Ksk mother came to collect ksk at 12. 30 - his usual time and I saw Stfn talk to her, persuading her to "not to bring him to school if it was possible as we have a teacher shortage..." Arrgh!
Ksk's mother has agreed to keep him at home the week now.
I had a talk with Mchl. She too appeared rather off set and disgusted at the way our school's private affairs were made shamelessly public by all the teachers in the morning.
I was watching over the sleeping kids when Asy started chatting with me in hushed whispers as the children were asleep. She asked me what could be the reason behind Mz and My's treachery. Did Stf do something to them, maybe some injustice or bad behavior?
"I don't think so. My and Mz didn't have good character. They were not honest. They wanted more and more money, more and more power. They probably wanted more salary. They were also disgruntled by the fact that they rather had to work a lot without getting the money they desired. So they decided to teach Stf a lesson by plotting like this."
"You say, My and Mz were not good. Why? I think Mz was a very good teacher. And My was also nice."
"There can't be worse teachers than Mz and My. They didn't do anything with the children. And they were bad enough to get other teachers fired for their own personal reasons."
"Ya ya. Once I was talking to Stf and she had told me that I need not take notice of Mz as she is very jealous and many times she gets teachers fired because of her jealously."
"What?"
"Err, nothing. I just heard that she was jealous. I have to go now for my cigarette break. I will come later."
She abruptly changed the subject and didn't talk about it again.
Apparently this remark had just dropped out of her mouth without her intention.
Now I know something else. Asy is Stf's secret informer in the school.
Once in the beginning she had told us that she knew Stf through her boyfriend. Once there was a rumor that although she works here for only five hours like me, her salary is by far heftier than even Mz or My. I had dismissed this rumor because she had herself told me once that she gets only 400 Euros which is very less and she wants more money. I had felt sorry for her for earning so less, apart from her modelling job but it is fact that she is not only the best looking female in the whole school, she is also the best dressed female in the school; furthermore she never appears like she has less money. Her dresses, shoes, bags, car, dogs, even magazines which she brings to school to read all suggest that in fact she is quite wealthy.
In the past she had similarly dropped unguarded remarks like: "I was talking to Stf and told her you don't need any watch over this group; these two are so dedicated they work hard without anyone telling them.'
and, " Stf asked me if it was okay to admit more children in this group." This remark in particular had baffled both me and Cl as we wondered why would Stf ask this question to Asy who is just one month old in the school, does not know any thing about our group, isn't even a teacher to begin with and has never worked in a kindergarten or with children before.
The day, for me was finally over but not my tension and apprehension.
When the parents came to pick their children up in the afternoon, Stfn began shamelessly requesting them to keep their children at home if it was possible for them as the next day too the situation would be very much the same like today.
I continue to feel ashamed and indignant the way Stfn and Ndn took an extreme step without even the need. The situation was not an emergency. It was not impossible to handle as they declared that it was. They, together with the other teachers like Mks literally stripped the school down by discussing Mz and My affair with the parents. The parents are now laughing at us or holding us in contempt and sarcasm.
The stupidity of our teachers resulted in such chaos and confusion, not to mention so much of unnecessary trouble and botheration for the parents.
It would have been far better to let the children come in as usual without panicking about the teachers, to maintain a discreet silence on Mz and My matter, talk to all the teachers to decide what was best to do and merge the groups. To have somewhat larger groups would still have been better and fairly manageable rather than having a jungle group of thirty five and telling them to 'play whatever you want, wherever you want, whenever you want' The school had a total number of 55 children today and eight teachers. Even if 10 children groups were formed, or 15 or twenty, we would still have been able to handle them handsomely. What made them think we couldn't?
I am amazed! What are they made of? Jelly? They get cold feet if they have to manage meager 12-15 children alone? Eight teachers mean emergency and urgent closure of the school? Didn't they feel ashamed begging the parents to take back their children as they were unable to look after them? Give me fifty and I can look after all of them alone.
I am wondering how Stf receives this news....
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