Oh Anne!!! How horrible for you! I don't want to give you alternatives, because with everything else I've seen of yours, you are a great teacher. You care. You try. You've got a bad group this term; you guys just aren't givving. What about last year's group? The positives can't be that far away.
As to your observation, lessons can go out the window. Bad days happen. I hate observations too. Did you get any notice? Are your observations intended to be for development(really) or strictly assessment? Can they understand that not everything could possibly be completely under the teacher's control? Even for the really good teachers with loads of experience who can usually handle anything that gets thrown her way.
I think you'd make a great tour guide/arranger, especially for detailed trips for people wanting to learn about where they are. Or a music teacher, or a tutor - see how all of these are education related?
What else can we do for you? Name it!
Sing an unwritten song or repent for the deeds you left undone.- GBS
If curious means that you trade your routines for something free, the freedom you feel's the whole point of the deal so curious I'll be! - BNL
Priates over Ninjas!!