Lafferty balances consistency, speed in switching classrooms
“Okay, everyone. It’s time to head for homeroom,” English 1-2 teacher Karen Lafferty said to her class in D-103.
It was one minute until first period ended.
Lafferty is among some Westview teachers who do not remain in a consistent classroom throughout the day – she travels from first period D-103 to D-116 for homeroom and her 3rd and 4th period French classes.
Hustling from D-103 to D-116 is a normal part of her morning schedule. “Looking for Ms. Lafferty?” posters note the transition for students.
Students zipped up their backpacks, and pushed in their chairs to leave.
After briefly answering a student’s question, Lafferty hastily coiled up the cords of the projector and placed it back on its cart.
She quickly took off the magnets holding her poster paper and shoved them inside the cabinet.
She then snatched her English charts off the floor.
“Jeanne, could I put these in the back beside the bookcase?” she said.
“Yeah, that would be fine,” English teacher Jeanne Cavanagh said. Cavanagh teaches in D-103 for the rest of day.
Rushing to the back of the room, Lafferty leaned the charts against the wall for another day’s use. After stuffing her papers from a nearby table into her own bulky black cart, she headed out the door.
She maneuvered to D-116 around students talking in groups and those walking towards their own classrooms, hoping that her cart wouldn’t snag the bottom of her pants and tip over. It already happened three times this month, and she hoped it wouldn’t happen again.
Arriving at the door of D-116, she pulled it open, and walked in to see some of her homeroom students.
Relieved that the transition went well this time, she took out her blue folder containing the day’s announcements and began reading them aloud.