When Ms. Davis Is Away

Today when I walked into my classroom, something felt different. Ms. Davis wasn't at her desk. Instead, there was a man I had never seen before writing his name on the whiteboard. My stomach felt a little tight because I didn't know what to expect.

Ms. Davis left a note on her desk that said she was sick and would be back tomorrow. Mr. Chen is a substitute teacher, which means he is helping our class today because Ms. Davis can't be here. Substitute teachers come to classrooms for different reasons because sometimes teachers get sick, go to meetings, or take days off.

I felt worried because I didn't know if Mr. Chen would do things the same way Ms. Davis does. My hands felt a little shaky. Then I remembered something important: even with a substitute teacher, the classroom schedule stays the same because the routine helps everyone know what to do next.

I took three slow breaths in and out, counting to four each time. I squeezed my hands together tightly for five seconds, then opened them slowly like a flower blooming. After a few breaths, my body felt calmer because the tight feeling in my chest started to go away.

When Mr. Chen started the morning meeting, he explained what we would do today. He said he had read Ms. Davis's lesson plans so that he could teach us the same things because following the plan helps us keep learning even when our regular teacher is gone.

We did math first, just like always. Then we had science time. Mr. Chen showed us an experiment with water and food coloring that looked like dragons changing colors. I realized that even though Mr. Chen wasn't Ms. Davis, the day was going the way I expected because we followed our regular routine.

At lunch, I sat with Maya and we talked about the food coloring experiment. I told her I was nervous about the substitute teacher at first, but the day turned out fine. Maya said she felt the same way. We both realized that knowing what to expect made the day feel normal and okay.

When the day ended, Mr. Chen said he had a great time with our class. He told us Ms. Davis would be back tomorrow, and that we did a wonderful job following our routine even with a substitute. I felt proud because I had stayed calm and the day went well. Substitute teachers are just teachers helping out for a day, and the routine keeps everything okay.