Team Ahimsa Blog Relay, Various Contests

“I’m only going to say this once.”

Words: 287

The third-graders were seated in neat rows, looking up at me. Some of them grinned. Some looked curious. The Assistant Principal of the school and the English Teacher were quietly observing from a bench right at the back of the classroom.

This was it. I'd been through the curriculum-vitae, the written test and the interview. Now I had to prove I could be a teacher - by actually teaching. I had forty minutes in which to really prove myself.

Discipline and kindness, I reminded myself.

“I’m only going to say this once.” I heard myself saying it and then finished with "You will each need a pencil and piece of paper."

Immediately, three children raised their hands. "Yes?" I asked, nodding at one of them.

"Did you say a pen or pencil?"

"A pencil," I replied, turning to the other hand-raiser.

"Did you say a notebook?"

"I said a sheet of paper."

The third kid spoke before I could look at him. "Are we working with our desk partners, or by ourselves?"

"I said each - that means you'll work by yourselves."

The Assistant Principal's hand was raised. Startled, I nodded at her.

"You've already said it four times," she informed me with a smile.

I gulped.

Then I recovered and went on with 'The Night Before Christmas'.There wasn't time to read the whole thing, but I marked the verses I was going to read and I managed.

By the end of the allotted time, three kids had read original poems - "The Night Before Diwali" "The Night Before Id" and "The Night Before Navroz."

I was called to the Principal's office, where she greeted me with "I'm only going to say this once." And then, "Welcome to our staff."