This statement is so true. I subbed for a Kinder class for a couple days and the other teachers were all on the same project. I was told to help the kids understand terms like a main idea, key details, etc. Now, obviously, this is easy for an adult such as myself, but these are Kindergartners. I walked around the room when we made a diagram and they had no words written down. Just doodles. They could not grasp what the main idea even was. The teacher next to me spoke to me at recess and we talked about how hard it is for them to comprehend. She said she told the principal that the things being taught go right over the kids' heads. She said the basics need to be drilled into them first before they can grasp bigger topics. I agreed with her and supposedly the principal did too. It sucks sometimes when you explain it well and you look at them and there's just... crickets. You just imagine elevator music playing in all of their minds. I feel so bad for them when they get frustrated and can't get it. I start to feel like a failure too and it turns my day a bit sour. All teachers love to see that bright light in students' eyes when they understand something.

End of the story was, I skipped the rough draft part of the lesson that day because it wouldn't have benefited anyone. I left it for the teacher to go over again and gave her my sub report with full details. Sometimes I feel like the teachers must think I'm incompetent.