Well, I would definitely do Friday differently. I gave the students a test. We had worked hard all week. It was Friday. The students were tired. And I was tired. I didn't really want to start any new material after the test. So, after everyone completed the test, I gave them Free Time. There was about 15 minutes of class time left. I told the students they could talk quietly, work on other classwork, or they could put their heads down on their desks and rest. And that's what they did. The ones who were talking were barely speaking over a whisper, some were working on other classwork, and others had their heads down resting. Everything seemed just fine.

I never sit at my desk during classtime, but this day I sat down at my desk. Well, don't you know that this is the time one of the APs decides to come in and observe my class. I got up and walked over to him and told him that the students had just completed a test and I was giving them Free Time.

I dreaded to see the write up. The APs are doing what they call "fly-bys." They come in and observe for 10 minutes or so and complete a check-list. There are blocks that they check about what the students are doing, what the teacher is doing, if the teaching is student focused or teacher focused, where the teacher is (in the front of the room, circulating around the room, etc.)if all students are engaged.

My write up said I was sitting at my desk. The students were not engaged in any meaningful learning, some had their heads down sleeping. He did note that I had my Essential Questions written on the board. And that it appeared that the students had taken a test since I had that written on the board as well. He also wrote that I didn't appear to be fulfilling the mission of the school of teaching from bell to bell.

There was no need to discuss the write up with him. He wrote what he observed. But it sure made me feel like a complete failure. And it really hurt my feelings. I have never gotten a bad write up before. I have received some helpful suggestions, but never anything as terrible as this.

I learned a good lesson. I don't know how I could have done anything differently after he came into the room. What was done, was done.

Is it ever permissable to allow students to have Free Time? No. I should have used the Take Five handout that we got last semester to fill up the remaining time. I have used that handout numerous times to fill up leftover time. If only I had used it that day....

But, as Willie Nelson says, If a bull frog had wings he wouldn't bump his a@@. Enough said.