Winter Break

I know this may sound a little self-serving, but I'm giving myself the Gold Star of the Week award.  Surviving the week before Christmas break as a substitute is an amazing feat!  My week constited of self-contained elementary special education, second grade, fourth grade, second grade again, and eigth grade humanities.  Let me tell you, students are ready for break!  They are very ready for break!!  Every day this week has been a management struggle.  Students have a hard enough time paying attention in the last days before a two week break, but you add onto that a new temporary teacher who doesn't know what she's doing and it's a disaster waiting to happen.  I have never been so grateful for elementary teacher's management systems.  I gave students checks and "color-changes" more than I ever have in all my substitute work combined.  I think I am equally grateful for the upcoming break and the much needed rest that will accompany it.

In other news, today I am back at the junior high school where I completed my student teaching one year ago today.  I started my day at the starbucks down the street from the school, just like I did a year ago.  In that moment, I realized just how much I've grown in the year since my student teaching.  I am a much more confident teacher.  You have to be as a substitute.  I have learned so much patience.  I smile and tell eight year olds to return to their seats for the sixteenth time that day.  I painstakingly describe how to write a well-developed paragraph to junior high students.  I laugh and ignore the high school students trying to embarrass my with their inuendo.  Very little phases me now.  So readers, this is me, signing off for 2010, grateful for the experiences I've had and looking forward to the new stories to tell in 2011.

Gold Star of the Week

It's the second Gold Star of the Week.  This gold star is brought to you today by a lovely first grader.  Just as I dismissed my first grade class to recess on Tuesday, Suzy came up to me and started crying.  Suzy missed her mommy and wanted to go home.  I gave little Suzy a big hug and promised her that her mother would come pick her up after school like she always does.  After a few moments of comfort, fellow classmate Sarah came up and tried to cheer up Suzy by showing her the nice purple dragon stuffed animal that she had.  Sarah also offered to play with Suzy during recess.  Because of Sarah's kindness, Suzy had a great day and a wonderful recess.  For her kindness and for bringing a rockin' purple dragon to school, Sarah wins my Gold Star of the Week!  Congratulations Sarah

*Note*  I have changed all students names (and this is true in every blog post) to protect the privacy of my students.

What's in a Name?

I know I've written before about names.  This is not a post about the interesting names that I've come across over my months of subbing.  This post is about my ineptitude at correctly pronouncing names.  Even easy names!   There are so many names where one small letter can change the pronunciation, and more importantly the gender, of a name.  Like the name Louis.  I know that this is generally a boys name.  Yet, is it pronounced like C.S Lewis or like the king of France.  Then you can add an "e" to make it Louise.  I have to somehow have to remember in the split second that I look at the name on my attendance list how I'm supposed to say this name.  I often get it wrong, and in turn get laughed at by the class.  I have a similar problem with Gabriel and Gabrielle.  There's just not enough time in my brain to make a decision and correctly impart to my mouth how I'm supposed to say the name.

More embarrassing is my inept ability to say easy names I've seen all my life.  I could blame it on the mass population of Indians (East Indian, not Native American) in the area.  For some reason, I've started to pronounce the name Adam  "Uh-dom."  There really is no reason that I should think that name is said that way.  I really do no better.  One of the first Bible stories I learned was Adam and Eve.  My last manager was named Adam, and I was his assistant!  I've met numerous Adams in my life and never tried to call them "Uh-dom."  I think the constant change in students is starting to mess with my brain ability.

It's for these very language mix-ups that I've started to warn students about my roll-call failures.  I always tell them to just say "here" if they hear their name or something that sounds similar to their name.  I really hope these students can forgive my failure to say names correctly.

New Feature

I decided that I need something to keep me posting more regularly.  An idea came to me yesterday that I should make a special once a week feature to make sure I at least have one post a week.  I've decided to call this feature:  The Gold Star of the Week.  I occasionally joke with students that say cool things or make cool answers that they get extra credit or a gold star.  Well, as a sub, these "awards" don't really count for much.  They won't really count for much on here either, but at least I'll remember the fun and funny incidents at school.

This weeks gold star of the week goes to Harry Potter loving high school girl in the hall.  This girl is the first person to recognize the scarf I knit for myself as a Ravenclaw scarf.  I'm not counting the people that I told I was making a Ravenclaw scarf or the people that knew because I was wearing it at the movie premier.  So, hats off to you girl in the hall!

Runner-up goes out to the student today that said I was the "Luna" substitute because I look like Luna from Harry Potter (I think I had a themed week :)

Look forward to new feature ever Friday!  Have a good weekend everyone.

Finished

I finished reading XKCD today at school.  Now what do I do during my free time?

SNOW

Today is my first sort of snow event as a substitute.  I live in an area of the country where it snows very rarely.  When there is any snow, people tend to freak out and close everything because no one really has the necessary equipment to get to work and keep the roads clear.  This morning, it was snowing lightly when I went to school.  Several other school districts had a late start or had already announced an early release because temperatures are expected to drop and more snow is expected to fall.  This morning marked off and on snow flurries.  For once, I am a bit sad to have a classroom with several large windows.  Almost an entire wall is made of windows.  As if being a substitute wasn't bad enough. . . as if working three days before Thanksgiving wasn't enough. . . as if working within view of snow wasn't bad enough.  So far classes have been ok.  There's definitely a bit of a "we're not having school tomorrow so I don't have to work on this assignment" kind of feeling though.  I have two more ninth grade classes, so we'll see what happens.  I'm still trying to get a job for tomorrow, but it could be a very interesting Thanksgiving week!

Update

So much has happened since my last blog but nothing seemed worthy enough no get an entire blog to itself.  Today will be a hodge-podge of my goings on in the last few weeks.

First, I finally got my first full pay check of the school year.  Because the ridiculous pay-periods and only getting paid once a month, my first paycheck for an entire month of subbing came last Friday.  It was a very exciting day because my husband and I were at zero dollars and hadn't really been able to buy anything for a long time.  We celebrated by grocery shopping and feasting on our shopping spoils.  And there was much rejoicing in the Snyder household.

I also received several apology letters from some not so stellar sub experiences.  These letters reminded me of my own assigned apology letters (see previous blogs for more info).  First, several weeks ago I subbed in an ELL classroom for a friend of mine.  I had one class that was terribly noisy.  It was pretty sad because it was even a fun listening exercise with a scene from the movie "Coraline."  My friend made them all write me apology letters in English.  I'm sure it was great practice for them and they were great fun to read.  I also was mailed apology letters from the girls I ninja attacked.  They all said they were sorry and would be more respectful of a sub in the future.

This week seems to be specialist week.  Every assignment is just a little bit out of the ordinary classroom experience.  Monday I taught preschool.  This was an exhausting day working with teachers who have been together for a very long time.  It was quite frustrating because they weren't real great at telling me what I could do.  They were however fantastic at telling me what I shouldn't do!  The next day I taught elementary English.  I was there on the one day that the teacher didn't have a break except for lunch.  After about ten classes teaching the same lesson, I was ready for a nap.  Yesterday I worked in an elementary special education transition room. This was basically the self-contained children with more severe disabilities.  This day I had fabulous para educators that helped show me what to do with the children.  Once I figured out the schedule and rotations I was able to jump right in and help out.  The paras were impressed with my fearless attitude and hoped I would return again as a sub in their classroom.  Today I taught two periods of Jr. high Spanish. I am so grateful for a pretty easy morning.  Tomorrow I return to the same school for Jr. high P.E.  As usual for me there's nothing normal in my schedule.

Best of all, next week is vacation.  I get to spend an entire week in Hawaii with my wonderful husband and parents.  I am so in need of this break.  I am ready for the sun, the sand, and the great company.  So until next time, this is your sub chronicler saying, "Aloha!"

Ninja Move

I've discovered that I have ninja-like senses.  At the beginning of the school year I freaked a kid out because I heard his whispered (correct) answer to a question I asked.  I told him I had ninja ears!  Well, yesterday I found out these skills now also include ninja sight.

I was working for a music teacher that taught choir at three different schools.  Although my music skills aren't a zero, they are definitely far from a ten.  I was at the last school of the day: a junior high school that I do not particularly like.  I only taught concert choir there, and I had already taught  the lesson to another class; I figured it shouldn't be too bad.  I somehow made it through the fifteen minute teaching activity while constantly asking the students to stop talking with their neighbors. 

After the lesson, I thought the rest of the class should be a breeze since I was showing a movie.  A helpful student turned all the lights off which happened to drown the room in almost complete darkness.  Turning off all the lights was a mistake.  This classroom was extremely large.  The room was really two rooms with a large partition that was open creating one huge room.  My class was sitting at tables with tiered seating on one half of the classroom which faced the other half of the classroom.  The other half had a small stage with curtains partially hiding the stage area.   The movie hadn't even been going for five minutes when I saw the faint outline of a white coat heading toward the stage and behind the curtain.  At that time I decided to ignore the escaping student and I would take care of the deviant in a few minutes.  A minute later I saw another student's outline heading for the stage.  I knew I had to bust them now.  I quietly walked over to the bank of lights, turned on the row nearest the stage, and illuminated two girls crawling up a ramp that led behind the front curtain.  It was a complete deer in the headlights kind of moment.  They froze and slowly looked at my stern but devious face.  I simply said, "Principal's office.  Now."  They knew there was no escape.  They stood up, grabbed their belongings, and left to go to the office.  Then a third culprit, the one in the white coat, came out claiming she was trying to bring them back to the class.  "That is not your job.  You can now join them in the office."  She grudgingly followed the other students to the Principal's office.

I am now pretty amazed at my ninja sight.  I just happened to notice their shadows at the right moment.  It also made the rest of the class on their best behavior for the rest of the class period.  I kind of hope I don't get ninja scent next though because junior high boys are awfully smelly.

Kids Say

Over my time as a sub, I have heard some pretty amazing things from the wide variety of students I've taught.  The following are some of the more hilarious quotes and stories from children of all ages.  Some stories include my thoughts at the time in italics.

Jr. High boy upon walking into the class and seeing a sub: What's your name?
Me: Mrs. Snyder
Boy: Aww man, she's married.

After explaining my name and who I was to a kindergarten class, a five year old with total sincerity: "Excuse me, Mrs. Spider, I have a questions.
In the student's defense, I did tell them that some students in the past had joked that my name sounded like 'Spider.'  I did however have a hard time refraining from laughing at the five year old.

High School Algebra Student: Mrs. Snyder you're the coolest sub ever!
Me: Why is that?
Student: Not only do you knit, but you also read XKCD!
This was quite possibly the coolest compliment ever.  Some times I worry that the older students will think I'm stupid or a complete dork for knitting.  If you have never read XKCD, you should go HERE!

The same day as XKCD guy:
Female Student: Subs are scary!
Me: Why is that?
Student: If you walk into class swearing a lot they look at me funny.
Me: Do you routinely come into classrooms swearing?
Student: Only on test days, or days we get tests back.  Or. . . yeah, pretty often.
This was after I heard XKCD guy tell me I was so awesome.  I was a little deflated to hear that I was not only cool, but also scary.  I think this made me ego inflation/deflation ratio for the day hit even.

Ninth grade students were in the computer lab starting a rough draft for an essay.  A small group had been talking a lot and laughing throughout the period.  I looked over about half way through the period and wasn't sure whether the girl was laughing, crying, or both.
Me(thinking I was being funny): Did someone poke out an eye?
Crying Girl: Yes!  I stabbed my eye with my pencil.
Well, it really is all fun and games until. . .

The next few quotes need a little explanation.  In elementary school there's that time at the end of the day where everyone gets ready to go home, does their clean-up jobs, and clears their desks.  As a sub, I never know how long this will take and usually make sure to give a little extra time for this just in case.  I wouldn't want anyone to miss a bus or anything!  So, when the students are ready to go and there's a few minutes left I play, "Ask Mrs. Snyder."  The rules are simple: I let the students ask me any question they want as long as it's school appropriate.  I get a lot of the same questions like "are you married," "How old are you" (always followed with a don't ask just anyone this question), and "what's your favorite color."  Sometimes I get really awesome questions or exchanges with students like these:

"Do you like cheese?"
I couldn't figure out how this student KNEW I liked cheese.  I'm pretty sure I'd given no indication of my cheese love affair.  Perhaps the student was psychic.

Student: Can you do magic?
Me: Well, sometimes I try to accio the remote control, but it hasn't worked yet.  I also have a wand in my purse that is also a pen.  That's as magical as I get.

and my all time favorite:
Student: Do you like clothes?
Me: Well, I like clothes in the sense that I don't like to go around naked.
Student: Some people do!
WOW!  A student that already knows about nudist colonies.  I am impressed at the thorough education these students are getting.

I'm sure I"ll have a whole plethora of new quotes to share soon.  It's things like this that makes coming to work fun.

FIRE!

It finally happened.  I finally subbed for a class during a fire drill.  Well, not exactly a "drill."  There was not a scheduled fire drill, but sometimes strange things do happen.  I had made it successfully to fourth period without any major mishaps.  Technology was even obeying my every command today.  It really was too good to be true, and I should have expected that something big was going to happen.  I was half way through the class and the students had just settled into their assigned reading.  Then one loud beep.  There was a pause and I thought the alarm was just a mistake.  Then there was a second loud beep.  After two or three more intermittent beeps, the alarm began to wail in earnest.  Now it was buzzing with regularly accompanied by the blazing flash.  I tell the class to exit the building and follow protocol which I'm sure they've been trained to follow. 

I quickly look around the room searching for the emergency backpack, bucket, or whatever else I may have to bring me.  I spot a backpack on top of a bucket in the corner near the door and ask the nearest students which I'm supposed to take with me.  After a few varied answers the students seem to come to the conclusion that I only need to take the backpack.  I grab it, the attendance sheets for the class as well as the clipboard hanging above the backpack that looks important and follow the flow of students outside the building.

I shuffle through the pages of the clipboard hoping to find more detailed instructions as I follow the crowd around the building.  This would be the one day I didn't look for emergency procedures in the sub folder.  I locate the list of teachers and where they line-up on the football field and hear from the students around me that everyone is supposed to go to their second period class for attendance.  I locate a class roster and continue around the building wondering just how far the football field is from my classroom.  Turns out, all the classes on my side of the building have to go around the school, around  two sets of portables, down a path and into the football field which is behind the school.  I find my class on line number eight and ask the first student if everyone is in alphabetical order.  She informs me they don't have to line up in alphabetical order and that the teacher just marks them off the list.  I didn't bring a pencil.  I can't believe with all the stuff I grabbed I didn't get a pencil.  I finally find a student with one to borrow and go down the line asking all thirty kids what their name is so I can cross them off my list.  Turns out it's hard to hear names when 500 people are talking.  People also have a tendency to give you their first name when asked their name which is hard to find on an alphabetical list.  Somehow I make it through the list and find all my students and figure out to show the green sign instead of the red sign on my clipboard to show the administrators that the class is all here.

After a few minutes, I get the word that students should return to their fourth period class or lunch depending on where they were before the fire alarm.  On my return to the classroom I hear that the kitchen in the cafeteria was remodelled and an overly-sensitive smoke detector was put in an often smokey part of the kitchen.  This apparently wasn't the first false alarm of the school year.  I got all my students back to their classroom and somehow got them settled back into their reading for the last ten minutes of class.  Overall, I consider my first fire exercise to be a success, though I hope I'll remember a pencil next time.

It's All Coming back

For those of you keeping track (just me, I think) I have now logged over 100 days substituting.  I feel proud.

Now for the real part.  For some reason, I keep getting jobs teaching Math.  Even a lot of my recent elementary days seem to have the "big" lesson for the day be the math lesson.  I am proud to say that besides my current AP calculas job, I've been able to remember how to do maths (I decided to be British for that sentence because saying maths is fun)!  My high school math teachers would be so proud.  I've remembered how to plot points on a coordinate plane.  I've remembered how use alternate exterior angles to find out how big other angles are.  I think I've even managed to correct mistakes that some students were making on their homework.  I think I even missed doing proofs in geometry earlier this week (Given!!).

Now, I'm relatively sure that I'm not wanting to turn in my English degree and pursue the life of a mathematician (though "A Beautfiul Mind" does make that look fun).  I am just excited that I am at the point where I'm comforatable teaching almost anything.  I really don't worry that much about presentation anymore because usually I just know what will work.  I can relax and have fun with the lesson.  I made a roomfull fourth graders giggle as I taught them about decimals by usuing money.  Although I occasionally have the I've-never-done-this-so-don't-ask-me class (like today), I still feel confident that I'm not going to regrett my decision to accept that math teacher position.

Search Programs

I've been meaning to do a blog on sub job assistance programs for some time, and I am finally getting around to it today.  Last spring I described to you how the internet sub system called AESOP works.  After a few weeks of spending hours and hours on the system waiting for something to come along I thought there must be a better way to work the system.  I was actually just googling the system looking for more information about the program when I discovered that there are several companies that offer downloadable assistance to finding sub jobs.  The basic program will refresh your page every few seconds and makes some sort of sound to alert the user that a new job is available.  Each system, though, is slightly different in how the execute this search.

Jobulator
Jobulator is the official program that works as a peripheral with AESOP.  It is made by the same company that creates AESOP so it is designed to work seamlessly with the program.  With jobulator you download a widget onto your desktop that makes a ringing sound when it detects a new job.  You can then enter your pin onto the widget and it will accept the job.
Benefits:  It is created to work with the system.  They also offer a 30 day trial and you pay $40 for a years subscription.  
Drawbacks:  Jobulator has to be enabled by your school district which unfortunately mine has not.  It also does not have monthly subscription price.  If you get a teaching position or longterm sub spot, you're pretty much out the money you paid for it.

Assignment Assistant
With Assignment Assistant you download a file which logs you into AESOP and refreshes your page as often as you set it (I set mine for every 7 seconds).  When it detects a job, a voice echoes "Hello!" excitedly for  about 15 seconds.  The best part about this program is that it automatically accepts the job for you, even if you're not right next to the computer.  You can also set your computer to only accept jobs that match specific criteria.  After I got the system down, I set mine to only accept full days and to not accept special education jobs.
Benefits: Automatic acceptance and the ability to filter jobs through preferences.  They have a montly fee of  9.95 so you're not stuck if something comes up.  As I understand it, this program is developed and maintained by a current substitute teacher, so he knows the system and what people want out of it.
Drawbacks: It only works with Internet Explorer (which I hate!)   And although they have good customer service, the developer e-mails everyone almost every day about the program.  I got a little sick of everything clogging up my e-mail.  I've also heard from some people that it didn't always accept jobs based on preferences.  It also rejects jobs that don't match your preferences so you can't go back and accept them later.  Also, because it works by refreshing your browser you get an annoying click every few seconds.  It didn't really bother me, but I know some people don't really like it.

SubJobSearch:
This program seems to run along the same lines as Assignment Assistant.  They seem to have a few different features though.  They do have where you can set up preferences for schools, times, and even teachers that you do and do not want to work for.  The other thing they offer is an automatic start up time.  Their example is you can set it to start looking at 4AM and their alert will wake you up if they found a job for the day.
Benefits: Even more control over what jobs you accept.  It seems to cost $25 for the year (though it's a bit confusing by the website).
Drawbacks:  They don't offer a trial period.  Reviews I've read from other people said that their customer service was terrible and that they're a bit cocky about their program.

Sub Sidekick
I just found this one at the beginning of this school year.  They offered a free 30 day trial so I took it.  This program also runs via widget.  It starts automatically when you start your computer and searches AESOP ever 30 seconds.  You can also set the program to only accept jobs for specific time durations, schools, and to include or exclude pretty much anything you want.  This program automatically accepts jobs as per your settings.  One day I just let my computer run while I was at another job and came home to three new jobs already lined up!  I also like that you can set it not to reject jobs that don't perfectly match your descriptions.  It will also alert you whenever there's a job available on your system whether it matches all your preferences or not.  You can also set it to send you an e-mail or text your phone when it detects jobs.
Benefits: I found this program a lot easier to use than Assignment Assistant and I haven't gotten one e-mail from them besides the "you got a job" e-mails.
Drawbacks: It's price is 9.99 a month which isn't terrible, but also isn't cheap.

I haven't subscribed to a program yet and I'm not sure if I will.  It's been really nice using sub sidekick the first few weeks as I wait for the sub season to pick up again.  I might pay again during the slow months just to make sure I still have jobs.  Right now I really can't afford a luxury like this and I'm not sure it's worth it when I CAN find jobs on my own, just maybe not quite as easily.  I'm hoping really hoping that my substitute networking is going to pay off.  I already am going to work two days for a friend this year!

The First Week

School has been in session for a week now, and I already have stories!  I've been blessed to find half day jobs for every day but the first day of school so far (more on this blessing in a future blog).  My first day I was covering for a teacher who only needed to leave for an hour but by contract the sub has to have either a half day (3.5 hours) or full day (7 hours) of work.  So, I bounced around to a few different classrooms performing odd jobs to help several different teachers.

My second day was very similar.  I taught two periods for an orchestra teacher and showed films to both classes that the students were uninterested in.  It made for two very long hours.  After the classes, the office was supposed to put me to work but they had nothing for me to do.  I spent the extra hour and a half reading.

Yesterday (Tuesday because of the holiday weekend)  I again read in the teacher's lounge for an hour and a half due to a lack of busy work.  Then I taught two periods of junior high English.  I had a fabulous discussion with the 7th graders about what makes good writing.  After explaining that showing in writing is always better then telling, one student asked if that meant film was better then books.  I then engaged the students in a conversation about how film and books were very different mediums and each did different things better than the other.  We then played a rousing descriptive game where each member of the class had to describe part of their "dream car."

Today I had a job teaching at a special school for performing arts and reasoning.  The teacher I worked for teaches English, social studies, and performing arts.  Today I taught two performing arts classes that were a blast.  I led the class in warm-ups and led them through several dance exercises.  At the end of the day, the teacher was interested in my endorsements because she is having a baby in the spring and needs a long term sub.  She was very excited that I have a theatre endorsement as well as the English endorsement.  If all goes well, I'll get a few months teaching in the same classroom.  There are a few hiccups that might get in the way, but I'm very hopeful that this will work out for next spring.

I've got a few more jobs already scheduled for the next few weeks.  I'm very surprised and grateful that I acquired so many jobs so quickly.  I'm hoping the rest of the year is just as fruitful as these first few days.

Here it Goes again

Well ya'll, I'm back.  It's been a. . . kinda boring summer.  I wound up with minimal employment so I tried to keep my time occupied by working on my wedding scrapbook and other pursuits.  But the school season is now upon us, or at least almost upon us.  Tomorrow is the first day of school for my school district.  I'm very excited and have spent the last few days getting ready.  As is usually the case with me, things did not quite go as smoothly as I expected.

I noticed that sometime during the summer, my account with the sub system had been locked out.  At the time I was not alarmed, assuming that perhaps the system gets locked during the summer when the district isn't using it. I was worried though when my account was still locked up a week ago.  I had also sent the sub coordinator an e-mail a few weeks ago with my new address and phone number.  I specifically asked her to send me an e-mail back saying when/if she would change my phone number in the sub system because that would change some of my log-in info.  Two weeks later I still heard no reply.  I finally phoned her office yesterday to find out if I had missed some bit of valuable information or was I going to be out of a job for the next year.  I was lucky enough to get the actual HR person in charge of the sub system and she was able to get everything working again for me.  Apparently  there was a letter that went out about continuing employment that was somehow missed in my move. She also never received my e-mails.  I'm not sure where they got lost in cyber space because I double checked after our phone conversation and the e-mail address definitely was hers.  Either way, there was no permanent damage done and I am not gainfully employed for the coming school year.

I'm very excited for the coming year in that I found out several of my friends received permanent teaching positions with the district.  I told that to let me know if they get sick or need a vacation.  I am also determined to try networking and trying to get more requested jobs this year.  I didn't try very hard at to make connections as a sub because I was only planning to sub just the half of the year.   I had business cards made to leave teachers so they will hopefully call me for their subbing needs.  I also have a few more ideas to help get the sub ball rolling.  For now, I'm just waiting for the first job to show up on my screen.

The Final Score

Not that I've really been keeping score, or even knowing how you would score substituting.  Either way, I'm counting this year as a win!  I successfully finished student teaching with an absolutely wonderful group of ninth graders.  I'm so thankful I've been able to return back to "my" classroom several times as a sub, for more reasons than knowing kids names for one day of a crazy week.  Tomorrow I get to finished my year with a half day back in my old classroom.  I think they're having some sort of field day, so it could get a little crazy.

Here are some other ways I think I've won:

1. Nobody broke an arm, bled profusely, or died while I was working!  I count that as a major win.
2. I was able to find work for almost every day I wanted to work.  I think I only had 5 or 6 days for the whole half of the year that I didn't work when I was trying to find a job.
3. I figured out how to use the Aesop substitute system (the online job finder).  The last two months of work I had almost exclusively full days of work.
4.  I found the teachers lounge almost every day! (I only didn't find it one day, and I don't think it was a half day without lunch anyway.)
5. I found creative and effective ways to deal with discipline issues.
6.  I made creative lesson plans for dead time/sub plans-gone-amuck days.

I'm sure there were many other wins throughout the semester, I'm mostly just happy to have survived.  Over the last five months I've worked at 27 of the 37 schools in the district (i'm hoping to make it to the other 10!)

And now, some advice for future subs:

1. If you need the money, don't be picky with the jobs.  I've worked everything from special education preschool to AP Calculus.  Although some of the jobs I've had were most definitely horrific, I always figure I can do anything for 7 hours!  Most teachers are pretty considerate in their lesson planning (some a little too considerate)
2. Bring a book, knitting, or SOMETHING to occupy your down time.  You will have it.  Most teachers don't give you grading or copying to do during breaks or prep periods.
3.  If you want to do any actual teaching, you'll probably have to sub for elementary school.  The majority of my secondary sub jobs were supervising projects that I didn't really know what they were doing or any of the requirements, AV technician for videos, or study hall monitor.  Elementary teachers have to teach several different subjects a day, which usually includes at least some direct instruction.
4.  Keep track of the teacher's you don't want to work for.  Those are the teachers you'll probably see a lot on the sub system.

Finally, my goals for the next year:

1. Teach at the last 10 buildings I haven't been to.
2. Network more so I'm requested for more jobs.
3. Learn more about discipline.
4. Enjoy my summer before I start this whole thing over again!

I've enjoyed this year.  It's been incredibly difficult, but also incredibly wonderful in so many ways.  I'm glad I survived the year.  And more importantly, all my students survived the year too!

A First

I caught my first student cheating last week.  Not really something I look forward to as a teacher, but it is a part of the job.  The worst part was I was back in the classroom where I did my student teaching, so this was a student I knew pretty well.  I can't say that I'm surprised at the cheating, just disappointed.  Here's what happened:

I was giving the students their final vocabulary test for the year.  Before I started for the day, I was told that cheating had been a rampant problem with students.  Many found themselves at the end of the school year desperate to get that A for their freshman  year of high school.  Other students were just trying to pass the class and avoid summer school.  Whatever the reason for cheating, I was told to watch the students very carefully during the test. 

I did my watching with no problems that I could see in the first class.  After I passed out all the exams to the second class, I noticed a problem.  One student had his hand balled into a fist, and I could see a bit of white sparkling through his fingers.  I watched him carefully and noticed he never moved his hand out of the fist, and I knew I had a problem.  For awhile, I decided just to watch him carefully, and not give him an opportunity to use his notes.  I realized that I couldn't watch him throughout the entire test and knew I had to move in.  I calmly walked beside his desk, ask for his cheat-sheet, and calmly walked by to my desk where I unfolded the two small pieces of paper with several of the vocabulary words and definitions writen in miniscule handwriting.  He quietly protested as I walked away that he hand not used the papers. 

I let him finish his test.  I was relitively sure he didn't use the cheat sheet, but I really couldn't be sure.  I asked the student to stay for a minute after class.  I told him that no whether he used the notes or not, he still came to class with the intent to cheat and there is no way for me or his teacher to know if he cheated or not.  All we see is that he had at one point decided to cheat on his test.  I told him I would write his teacher a note explaining everything that happened, but he should probably prepare for the worst. 

Overall, I think I handled the situation decently.  I am really not great at the intense discipline part of teaching (another reason why I would make a terrible principal).  I was the kid that never cheated in school.  I know some methods of cheating, I'm just don't think I'm very good at recongnizing cheating yet.  I'm sure I'll get better, but it saddens me that I have to.  I suppose I always have to take the good along with the bad when it comes to any profession.

The End is Near

I can tell in every classroom I've been in lately that the end of the school year is fast approaching.  Monday was the last day off of school.  With the end comes a whole slew of problems.  First, I'm not sure how many jobs will be available for me in the next two weeks.  Should I start accepted every day and half day job I find?  At this point I'm thinking probably, but I can't help but think that every time I accept a mediocre position a few days in advance I will miss a perfect job (a better suited subject matter or a closer school).  I really can't worry too much about the what ifs though.

The kids have also gotten a bit more difficult.  I can feel their summer energy is now barely contained as the watch the calendar slowly count down the days to their summer freedom.  The teachers I have talked with are also excited for the new prospects that come with summer.  Some are anticipating the few months of freedom, or just the new opportunities that await in September.

I find this new season much more difficult than I anticipated a few short months ago.  I've been at this for almost five months and had expected to be moving on to a better position in Japan.  Alas, it seems as if I am doomed to stay in professional limbo for awhile yet.  I hate the waiting the most, which seems to be all that I'm doing lately.  Waiting for another sub job, waiting to hear about the Japan program, waiting to move, waiting for something to happen.  While students around the district and country are eagerly waiting for the last day of school, I am dreading the end of the school year.  Although subbing is frustrating at times, it was consistent work that I could count on for a decent paycheck at the end of each month.  It was something that was flexible and I could leave at anytime without anyone really noticing should I get the call to go to Japan.  Now I have to find something to occupy my time throughout the summer.  So more waiting as I send applications and resumes to anything that looks promising.  Still two weeks left, and I know a lot could change in these few weeks.  For now, I'll just be waiting.

Student Teaching

It's the time of year where student teachers are EVERYWHERE!  I spent an entire week (at two different jobs) with student teachers.  It should be a good thing that I get paid to not do anything.  Literarally not anything.  For the most part, the rules dictate that student teachers have to have a certified teacher in the room at all times.  Even when a student teacher is to the point of teaching the class by themselves full-time I still can't leave the room.

So the past week I've spent my time stuck in the back of the classroom, glued to the computer, deperate to find anything to occupy my time and mind.  I know this may sound like the dream job, but seriously, it's not fun.  Especially when I'm dealing with computers that have everything blocked and are rediculously slow.

During my time in purgatory, I tried to stay busy.  But really, I can only check my e-mail so many times a day.  I got a good chunk finished in my knitting.  I started my first hat ever which is now almost complete.  On Monday I applied to three jobs for summer employment.  I spent a lot of time visiting my favorite websites.   It has been pretty interesting to see what is and what is not filtered by the district.  Sometimes I am pleasantly surprised to find that my favorite web comics are not blocked by the district.  Other times I am frustrated that sites like Pandora or even gmail are blocked.

I always used to say that at work I'd rather be busy than bored.  This still holds true.  I hate being stagnant.  I hate not having something to do.  Sometimes it's nice for a little while, but there needs to be something to keep me busy or my mind active.  After days of nothing, I really need a day where I actually get to teach something instead of supervising projects, showing films, or monitoring computer lab time.  It's days like I've had this week that really make me miss my days of student teaching, where I got to teach something everyday.

Release Time

I know I wrote earlier about early release days, but now I am going to give an update on some of the things I've done during the extra time since.

Some days are lucky and I get to work with a cool teacher on a fun project.  Probably my favorite job I've done to date is inventory for science boxes.  This may not sound very fun, but compared to the other things I've had to do, this was glorious.  Many elementary schools get science kits that come in big boxes to go along with the lessons.  These boxes usually contain classroom experiments and extra supportive materials for science units.  Instead of having to buy a ton of supplies for a school to only use part of, the district puts them into kits and the get shipped to the different schools to share.  My job was to organize and count all of the supplies and return them to the correct boxes of the kit.  The students had just finished a geology unit focusing on the Grand Canyon.  I separated  rocks and different testing materials for each of the boxes.  I really enjoyed this because I'm fairly good at organization and had fun checking the different objects off the master check list.

Other days are not so fun.  Several times I've been stuck in the library checking the call numbers on the books to make sure they were shelved in the correct place.  This is probably the most tedious job out there!  I also have been sent to computer labs to disinfect the keyboards and restart computers.  I've also been stuck at a photo copier for hours making copy after copy.  Trust me, the copy machine smell gets to you after a few hours.  Another day I spent the two hours sorting the state proficiency exam.  I could tell when I arrived with several other subs and a few of the schools office assistance that this was a fairly large plan.  I could also tell that the office ladies had done this task for many years and they had a system down.  Unfortunately their system broke apart when they opened the test packets and found that the state had not alphabetized them by last name like they usually do but had organized them by homeroom.  So each of us had to search several test packets for the correct name that the assistant principal called out.  It was slow tedious work.  In the two hours we managed to get through only one of the four different tests we needed to organize.

Today has brought a new low in the annoyance of early release.  For the first time in five months I can't find a place to help.  Usually I just return to the main office where the office manager will point me to who needs help.  Today I couldn't find her because she takes her lunch during the time I need to start helping.  I haven't been able to find her or anyone else that needs help.  I don't mind getting paid to not do anything, but I really feel that it's in the best interest of everyone to help the school that's paying me.  I just really wish I could be more helpful.

Makeup of the average week

My history teacher taught me that a soldiers life in the Civil War was 10% terror and 90% boredom.  I believe the life of a sub is very similar.  Let's start with the terror.  Terror comes from never knowing what I will find waiting for me in a school. The same designation as history, math, or even fourth grade teacher can vary in classroom responsibilieties from school to school.  I once had a fourth grade designation, but taught only the math, science and writing for several fourth grade groups.  Sometimes I never know what type of students I might get.  Sometimes I have the talented students, sometimes the special ed students.  At a high school I could get anything from troubled freshman to graduating seniors.  I can have AP classes or just students learning things I know nothing about.

Another part of the terror is always in the lesson plans.  Some days I get fabulous, well thought out plans.  The best plans are detailed while being brief.  Other days,  I get a few sentences only specifying what students are to work on during the day.  No specification of due dates or any instructions for general classroom expectations and procedures.  On the most terrifying days, I receive no lesson plans and spend the first few minutes of my work day in a panic trying to figure out what I am supposed to do for the day.  Luckily I have always had another teacher appear or disover a late night e-mail that quickly details the work for the day.  These are usually the briefest lesson plans creating a chaotic day.  Another terrifying moment is when I realize the lesson plans are not enough to fill the class time.  Usually this is not too big of a problem in elementary schools.  These days I just go on to the next subject and try to spend a little extra time explaining to make up the extra time.

Terror also includes unruly classes, or particularly beligerent children.  These types can appear at any time so there is the constant terror of knowing you may have to manage a difficult situation at any time.

Boredom seems to take up the most part of my day.  Usually the plans in junior high or high school include overseeing a project that the students already know how to do or watching a film.  I also usually have an at least fifty minute planning period with no kids and nothing to do.  Elementary school usually isn't quite as bad.  I often spend recess and specialists time to prepare for whatever the next subject is.  Sometimes in elementary school though, students spend extended times at specialists, have a special movie day, or just have down time for the teacher when the kids are working quietly on a project.  Note to full-time classroom teachers: please leave detailed lesson plans and extra grading for your sub.

Diversity

*Note* This note started about a week ago.

Last week was quite the diverse week.  I started the week out with some rambunctious, but well meaning third graders.  The highlight of that class was helping the school counselor work the interactiv board and use the active votes.  Somehow we managed to get everything working properly for the poor girl. 

Tuesday was probably my most interesting day.  I worked as one of the teachers in a special needs preschool classroom.  This classroom had seven students in the morning and seven students in the afternoon.  Most students disability was in the autistic spectrum.  During the day there was me and two para educators and the linguitics specialist was in the room most of the day.  During the time I was there I played with the kids, helped corral them during circle time, and help make sure they eat their own food during meal times.  It was exhausting but exhilarating work.  Most surprising, I'm aparently pretty good at it.  I kept getting compliments from the other teachers I worked with at how great I was with the children.  I think they were surprised that someone like me, without any experience would just jump right in and help out.  They couldn't believe that I wasn't afraid to touch the children.  By the end of the day, the teachers I worked with were convinced that I had missed my calling as a special ed teacher.  I'm not so sure I could handle it every day, but it was a nice change in my schedule.  It also felt good to get complimented on my work. 

Wednesday was the exact opposite of Tuesday.  Wednesday I taught AP calculous.  That's about as far as you an get from special ed preschoolers.  Luckily they were taking quizzes for about half the period and then working on whatever they needed to prepare for the AP exam the following week.  Then I had planning and leadership which was just making sure that they completed the days tasks.

Finally I ended my week at elementary school with second and sixth graders.  The thing about second grade at the end of the school year is that they are much like third graders in their need to tell the sub everything she is doing wrong and also report on all behvior issues of their peers.  It's quite the lesson in patience.  Sixth graders, in a K-6th grade school, are very much finished with being in elementary school.  They're ready for summer, junior high, and all the bad behavior that comes with that.  I sent my first student to the office twice, where thankfully he spent the rest of the afternoon there.  I feel I am getting much better at sending students to the office and knowing when that is the most productive intervention for both the student and the classroom.  That was my week of mass diversity.

The Snyder

I recently wrote a blog about names, but forgot to write about the interesting things that have come up because of my name.  I've got my opening speech consisting of, "Hello, my name is Mrs. Snyder and I will be your teacher today" down pat.  I don't even have to think about it too much anymore.  It's kind of fun writing Mrs. Snyder on the board each morining like I'm claiming the classroom in my name.  Usually I am quite happy to revoke my ownership of the room by the end of the day though.  Some schools also welcome their guest teachers by name of the intercom during the morning announcements.  It's a bit exhilarating to hear my name over the intercom.

I've had some students do some interesting word plays with my name as well.  Snyder, in all of its different spellings, is quite the common name.  At the school where I completed my student teaching and have subbed at a few times since has a librarian named Mr. Snyder.  I get asked by every class if I'm married to said Snyder.  Ironically, this Snyder is also named Richard, like my actual husband, and spells Snyder with a "Y" like I do.  I have since learned to just add the "no relation to Mr. Snyder the librarian" to my opening speech at this school.  I was asked by my fifth grade class yesterday if I was their Mr. Snider's (a sixth grade teacher) daughter.  I've also had a few students named Snyder that get quite excited to share a name with their teacher.

I think the name thing that has surprised me the most is that many elementary students seem to like to rhyme my name with spider.  I don't know if I look particularly archanidish, but I announce my name and first graders giggle with glee "Mrs. Spider?"  I know they are hearing me correctly, but somehow they cannot just accept a name for what it is.  Maybe it's because they are young, but I still find it amusing.

Management

I'm finally getting to the point in my subbing where I can tell the difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher just by observing how their classroom interacts and works without the teacher.  Sometimes I can even tell from the lesson plans.  Sometimes.  Bad teachers often leave brief lesson plans that have little directions for the sub as well as for the students.  Combine little direction with a poorly managed class and you get absolute chaos. 

Other times, everything works perfectly because the teacher has trained the class to continue work as normal even in their absence.  Today, I'm pretty sure I subbed for a master of management.  Master teacher's can write lesson plans that may be brief, still provide all the necessary information to finish every task for the day.  These teachers have also spent the entire year training the students on classroom procedures.   This class is so well trained that I had very few notes about what the students should be doing as far as jobs and procedures, and I didn't even have to ask the students to explain the procedure; they just did it. It is a very relaxing day.  Even when the students get a bit chatty, they are redirected quickly and regain their good work habbits.  During math, I felt free to help the few students that really needed help with the new math concept.  Students even knew to keep working when they had a question on a math problem until I could come by and help them with their problem.  All I can say is I am impressed.

I do understand that just because I had a bad experience doesn't make the class or teacher bad.  I know that there are some classes that drive even the best of teachers crazy.  Students also have good days and bad days, and the bad days tend to fall when a sub is in town.  Teachers have bad day too where they really don't have time to make up a stellar lesson plan.  All I'm saying is the great teachers prove their greatness with how their class behaves when they are gone.  Bad classes don't necessarily prove a bad teacher, but it is certainly not a good sign.

Minor rant on Names

Names have gotten downright weird.  I know that this is in some ways an "old" problem.  But, I still feel the need to comment on the ever widening problem of name pronunciation.  Maybe it's becuase the melting pot is still getting a good stir, or the need for parents to name their child something incredibly unique.  Either way, I've come across some very strange names over the last few months.  Most of them I immediately forget.  That's just what Ihave to do as a sub.  There isn't room in my brain to remember every child I've met for seven hours.  There are just too many kids in the district.  I've had a few strange names stick in my head though.  Take Jacobe.  I originally thought it was just an interesting spelling (also a viral plague on the attendance sheets) of Jacob.  Instead this child's name is pronounced Ja-Kobe (like the basketball player).  Today, I have a child named A.  Not short for anything, not pronounced weird.  Just A.  Said like the letter in the alphabet.  One nice thing about names in elementary schools is the students always have name tags on their desks AND they stay in the same classroom all day.  In high school however, the students always change, and  usually I have to take attendance for every class period forcing me to butcher through a miriad of ethnic names and creative spellings.

My second comment about names actually has to do with last names.  I just find it odd that with all the Smiths, Johnsons, Browns, and Whites out there I always get stuck with the unpronouncable last names.  They're lovely and fine names for sure, I just don't want to tell first graders that I'm here for *insert today's teacher's name* and then have them all laugh/correct me profusely on the mispronunciation.  I've subbed for many a hyphenated last name, a name too long to pronounce (or remember for that matter) and the all-time favorite simply short name that could easily be pronounced one of three ways.  I usually just tell the students I'm here for their teacher and move on.

Rant over

Spring Break

Spring Break feels like unemployment.

Sing it by ear

I swear I'm not allowed to have a normal day.  It was only supposed to be elementary music.  It was the last day before Spring Break.   The lesson plans were even easy.  For elementary music show parts of "Fantasia" to the older kids and play name that tune using a pre-made CD with the younger kids.  The first three classes were perfect.  I showed them the video, I even talked a little about how Disney was trying to show different ways to visualize music.  I made it all the way to first recess when CRACK!  The computer screen I was using went blank, the overhead projector started whirring down, and the CD player stopped working.  All the lights were on, the computer was getting power, but none of the electronics were working.  Listening in the hallway confirmed that this problem was not localized in my room.

Five minutes before the first grade class.  Five minutes to make a new plan.  Five minutes.  I look at the cheat sheet of tracks I had made myself for the game and decided it was all up to me and my singing for the next half hour.  I ushered the kids into their seats and waisted as much time as I could getting them into to teams, having them pick a team name and explaining the rules.  Then I proceded to hum, sing, and whistle parts of the songs for them to guess the titles.  It wasn't pretty, but it helped me make it to lunch!

At lunch I found out that some classrooms had computers, but no lights.  Other classes had lights but no computers like me.  The phones didn't work, the microwaves didn't work, the vending machine didn't work, though periodically it made a loud VVVVV noise in an attempt to try and disperse its contents.  The official word from the district electrician was that the school was running on half power, but the problem was not something within the school building.  The electric company could not find a problem on their computers but would be sending someone to investigate, eventually.

Thankfully I had some younger classes coming in the afternnon and thankfully I had subbed recently for a music teacher that used a lot of song games in his classroom. I taught the older kids musical murder (it's like the winking dectective murder game only you sing when you die) and the younger kids I taught them a song game that the kids use vocal dynamics to find a hidden object.  The power returned somewhere in my second to last class (still without the projector display) but by then I was on a role with my first grade teaching.  I'm seriously excited next week is Spring Break.  I don't think the school district could handle me going to any more schools and messing things up right now.

On the Fly

I should have known something was amiss when the gym contained an orchestra at my arrival at 7:10.  For some reason I thought maybe they were practicing or warming up before going somewhere.  But soon the gym filled with several other orchestras.  I also had no idea what the plans were for the day.  My folder contained a short paragraph without a date that could have been written anytime throughout the year considering that there were four other lesson plans in the folder from past absences from this teacher.  Unfortunately, football players streamed in and out of the men's locker room all morning which was, of course, the home of my teacher's desk.  I convinced a responsible looking orchestra member to run into the locker room and check the teacher's desk, hoping he wouldn't do something stupid with the large lanyard of keys I handed him.  A short while later the teen returned without any further supplement to the paragraph my folder already contained.  I knew the current lesson plan was written without knowing a band festival  was taking place in the gym all day.  There was no way I could have thirty teenagers running around and playing volleyball while performers tried to play Bach and Chopin.

By this time, school was about to start so I opted to wait until the first few students entered the gym.  These students seemed as confused as I was by the bleachers full of instrument toting students and a few parents.  I passed the class roster and the absent form to one of the students and asked them to please take attendance while I ran to the office to try and find a suitable place for the class.  The office was perplexed at the lack of preparation from my teacher.  They sent another teacher with me back to the gym to redirect the increasingly restless students upstairs to the mat room (basically a wrestling room).  By this time I could see that half the students didn't dress down because of all the confusion.  I knew volleyball would never work in this facility an had no other equipment at hand to keep the students busy.  So, I gave them a free period to talk, do homework, or whatever else they wanted while I tried to formulate a plan for the rest of the day.  The mat room had an adjacent weight room (I didn't dare let these students use the weights since they hadn't been trained how to use them and I didn't want to be responsible for an injury).  Unfortunately this was a ninety minute period so I had to try and keep this fist period class contained while I made my plan.

The first class finally ended and the next began.  I sent students to each locker room to spread the news about the change in venue for today's PE class.  In the mat room, the students began to trickle in and multiply.  I soon found out that two other classes would be joining my students in the mat room.  There goes my new plan.  Also, one of the other teacher's would also be a sub.  Luckily the lone permanent teacher had her own plan.  She led all 80 students in a 50 minute ab workout while the other teacher and I tried to keep the students working.  For the remainder of class we let the students use the workout machines  and use the weight room.  Next was lunch and planning, but I was flying solo for the last class.

I succeeded in getting all the students to the correct place and began my last-minute PE plan.  I had students get into groups of three and relay one at a time to one end of the room and back.  I then led the class in some stretches then continued the relay-style laps up and down the room doing different calisthenic moves.  Then I formed the class into three different teams of nine and made three lines down the longer length of the room.  I gave the first person in each line a medicine ball and they did different types of passes back and forth also relay style.  I ended the class with as best an imitation at the ab workout as I could.  I almost filled the entire class period.  I ended up with only three minutes left over before the students needed to go change.  Not too shabby for an English teacher!

The Bubble

I heard a lot during my student teaching and final education classes that teaching is a hard profession because so much of it is practiced alone.  For most possitions you create lesson plans alone, you develop your curriculum alone, you teach your students alone.  There is very little feedback from other professionals.  In fact, most of your feedback comes from complaining students and irate parents.  Then there's the occasional principal twenty minute observation every few years.

Subbing is worse.  Most weeks I'm in five different classrooms.  So far I've visited nearly twenty schools and been in so many classrooms I can't even count them anymore.  Every day I arrive, teach, and leave.  No feedback, no pats on the back, no getting used to the kids and learning their behavior.  When I teach special education classes and have the kid with the attitude, I have to remind myself that I'm not a bad teacher, the student is just testing me.  It gets difficult being tested everyday. 

The instibility is wearing sometimes.  But some days are good.  Some days I get a class that I connect with right away.  Some days I find a group of kids I can joke with, laugh with, and enjoy the day with.  Some days I get compiments and encouragement from surrounding teachers or para educators that happen to see something they like.  These compliments shine like gold.  They give me the ability to get through the tough days and look forward to the good days, whenever they might arrive.

Special Ed

I never know what to expect when I see that as the class title on the internet sub system.  I could be a teacher that works with high funtioning special needs children in a classroom with fewer students than a regular classroom.  I could be teaching more academic support which gives students extra time and help for homework and tests.  I could be in the transition room which usually hosts the more severe special ed students and tries to teach basic reading, writing, and life skills.

The class I was in on frieday was more the academic support type class.  Three teachers worked in the room supporting about twelve students throughout the day.  The other two teachers would follow the other students to their classrooms while I provided the support for two to three students at a time for their other classes.  The day was also confusing because the school was on an assembly schedule and the teacher I was there for neglected to give me the revised schedule for the day.  Instead I had to guess when class was over based on when students from other classrooms were in the hall.

The first two periods flew by with students needing little help and having little to do.  The third period was a bit harder.  The student I worked with came to class obviously upset at his previous teacher.  He argued with me about what he should be doing and thought that everything was absolutely stupid.  I tried several different things to get him to work on his paper.  After arguing with him for fifteen minutes, the other teacher sent him to the office.  This is the first time one of my students was sent to the office (thought I didn't really do the sending). 

This assignment was an interesting experience.  In one sense, it was easy.  I was pretty much watching over one student at a time.  I had three class periods with essencially no students or students with nothing to work on.  In another sense, it was terrifying.  I had no idea what I was doing all day.  My "lesson plans" were almost non-existent and I couldn't even tell the students when their class was over.  I am happy this assignment is over and hope future special ed classes go much smoother.

Complete 180

I always told people when they asked about the difficulty of subbing that I hadn't had a bad class yet.  That was true until yesterday.  I still don't know if this is how the kids regularly behave, they were too hyped-up after the weekend, or the weather was throwing them off, but there was definitely something not right with yesterday.

I started my day like every other sub day.  I checked into the office and attempted to get directions to my classrooms from one of the office ladies.  This is where I found out that not only were all the office workers out that day, all the office workers for the school district were "sick" that day.  Without getting into the politics of the matter, I was directed to the teacher I was subbing for and taken to my classroom. 

The teacher warned me that it was a difficult class.  He had 20 boys and I think 7 girls in the sixth grade class.  I read through the sub plans several times and braced for incoming students.  The morning started out easily enough with the students heading to Library for the first half hour.  They returned to work on some math.  I somehow got the chatty class through until math without any major incident.  Sometime after recess though I had to give my first "you ned to be more respectful and quiet lectures."  It seemed to work.  Until it started snowing.  That's right, snow in MARCH!  Tiny flakes floated down outside the classroom not 10 minutes after my lecture.  They had been working almost silently for ten minutes, so I opened the blinds if they promised to continue working and continue their quiet working.  They got about fifteen minutes of snow viewing before the class stopped working to watch floaty flakes.  Blinds closed, minds refocused.  I got the students through till lunch mostly focused and at least finished the tasks planned.

I had one particular boy that argued with me all day.  He switched seats, distracted others, and lied to me about his homework completion.  I would have sent him to the office if they weren't so short staffed yesterday.  They didn't need any more problems.  I somehow shepherded them through their reading lesson and was moving on to correcting their grammar lesson.  As I was going through the questions, I had the attention of about three students.  Half the class was talking, the other half moving about the classroom, reading, or staring off into space.  A few attempts to redirect students failed, so I did the only thing I could think of.  I made the students take out a blank sheet of paper, lectured them on their poor choices that day, and made them write their teacher a letter explaining why we did not complete grading their grammar lesson.  The next ten minutes clicked by in utter silence.  The students letters were mostly sincere appologies to their teacher, pleading for his forgiveness and mercy.  I gave several students the cold stare to reinforce the punishment.

I finished the last lesson, packed off the kids and sent them home.  I had to attack the urge to spring to my car at the end of the day.

Today is a much needed reprieve.  I had one class working quietly on a state pre-test before working quietly the rest of the class period (hurray for high school!).  Two class periods are away on a field trip and I end the day with two more pre-test classes.  I need days like today to recover from the almost career changing days like yesterday.  At the end of the day, I'm still alive, and more importantly, so are the kids.

Music

Today I got to be a music teacher at an elementary school.  Throughout the day I had eight half hour classes with different grades from 2nd-6th graders.  It was definitely a very different day.  First up, a half hour of planning.  During this time I read over the lesson plans thoroughly and tried to get ready for my first batch of classes.

Enter 4th graders.  The class came in and retrieved their recorders and found their seats.  I located the class helper who found the Activboard flip chart (think of it as a fancy Power Point) and attempted to start the first song.  Then, disaster struck.  The music icon on the flipchart didn't work.  Suddenly I have twenty 4th graders all telling me and their poor peer how to make it work.  "Try right clicking it," "You have to double click it, "Only click it once" were their knowing commands.  All failed.  After the first few tries I knew that somehow the board got into design mode where it only recognized the icon as an item, not as something that you click to make sounds.  After waisting a third of the class trying to make it work, we decide to try the songs without the music.  Horrible mistake.  They made it halfway through the first song before dissolving into senseless noise.  Next we attempted playing the acappella song.to much more success.  I insisted they practice this song two more times.  By this time the group was very frustrated and I submitted to their pleas to play a game for the last 10 minutes of class.

Luckily the first class was the worst.  For the next three classes the kids read an article about Motown music out loud and I asked them a few questions to get them thinking about the music style.  After lunch I taught the third graders a new song with much success.  The final two classes were second graders.  For these classes the students looked through their music text book and picked songs that they wanted to hear and/or sing along to.  I mostly played the part of facilitator and got the songs ready to go and asked them a few questions after each song.

Not a difficult day, but a strange day.  I am very glad that I have some basic music knowledge, otherwise the third grade singing class would have been forever long.  They were only working on one short song.  Without the knowledge of what to tell them to work on for each time practicing the song would have been extremely tedious.

Unknown

I was recently asked to give an example of my adaptability.  Well, I can't think of a job that requires adaptability as much as a substitute teacher.  Each day I go to a new school with new students and new curriculum.  I come into work with no idea what the day will be like.  I get to my desk where hopefully there is a sheet of paper with written instructions.  If I'm lucky, I get a few minutes to review the instructions and material before students come in and it's show time.  Other days I'm arriving as the students come in the classroom and have to teach as I read.   Even when I'm in a familiar classroom with familiar students, I still have no idea what the day will bring.  A lot can happen in a classroom between visits.

Today, my online assignment was to cover "elementary teacher" with no specific grade level.  Interesting.  This could mean anything.  I signed-in at the office and found out I would be covering classrooms while the teachers were released for peer observations.  I started in a fifth grade classroom where thankfully the teacher promised to take attendance before she left the classroom (see former blog!).  I showed the students this video to introduce the students to Read Across America Day and read Dr. Seuss books out loud.  Super fun.  Super easy.  Then I trekked to the fourth grade portable where I watched the students finish their writing prompts and supervised transition time to other classrooms.  During my break in covering teacher's classrooms, I wound up in the kindergarten classroom listening to individual students read to me from their little books.  Super cute! Finally, I ended the day back in the fifth grade classroom where I started.

Although every day begins with the unknown, I have loved everyday I have worked.  Each day brings a new adventure.  I really haven't had a bad day yet.  Most classes are really helpful to subs and I love meeting all the new students and seeing the different schools.  Whether I'm covering a vacation, a meeting, an appointment, or a sick day, I have learned to go with the flow and embrace the unknown.

Parking

Knowing where to park my car at a new building is always a bit of a challenge.  I get to the school and wonder should I park in visitor parking? Staff?  General?  All these questions while I'm just trying to get into the builiding on time.    I don't feel as a sub I should park in the staff parking because I would feel terrible taking another teacher's usual spot.  As for the other two, it depends on where I am.  Elementary schools generally do not have large parking lots, but in the morning there are many spaces in the general lot available.  Elementary school do often have many different portals of entry to parking lots and often have one area that is enter only and one area that is exit only. 

Junior High schools I have found to be the easiest to park at.  There usually aren't a lot of parents or other volunteers that come here, so parking is generally wide open.  High schools, however, are the strangest beasts to figure out parking.  At high schools, the students can all drive and are easily upset when someone parks in their lot.   Each high school seems to have their own way of parking control.  My very first day subbing I was at a high school and was very nearly late to class because they were very particular about their parking.  They prefer to have subs park in the assigned parking slot for the staff member they are subbing for.  Usually, though, for half-day subs, this option is not available.  In that case, I have to find the parking/traffic director so he can tell me where I am to park.  I've started at this school though in the afternoon where there is no parking director and no way of knowing where to park.  These days I just try to park far away where there are several open spots so as to try and appease the most people.  The problem with knowing the parking policy is that you never know what you are supposed to do until you get inside and look through the sub information for the school.  Either that or you do something wrong and get the parking police after you.  Either way, sometimes the hardest part of my sub day is just getting into the door.

Early Release

It's every students favorite day.  The day they get to go home early.  Two hours of free time devoted to video games or sports while their teachers attend meetings or prep for the coming week.  As a sub, these days are great because there are fewer lessons to have to figure out for the day.  But often, when the students leave, there is nothing to occupy those two hours except the emphatic click of the clock (or the silently meandering digital clock). 

On fortunate days, I am given something to copy, correct, or construct from the teacher I am subbing for.  On less fortunate days, I am stuck looking for something to fill the void in space.  Sometimes surrounding teachers swoop and in gladly except any help available.  High school and junior high schools are great for needed extra help doing anything from correcting papers to designing bulletin boards for the less artistically inclined teachers.  Elementary schools are usually much more sparse in their needs at the time.  Teachers are usually wisked into some sort of conference, team meetings, or other tasks in the first half hour after the students leave.  If I don't find something to spend my skills on in those first few minutes, I'm usually left, like I am now, staring at a computer screen wondering exactly what I am allowed to do that isn't considered a misuse of school property.  Hopefully blogging about my experiences counts as an enriching activity.

Attendance

Most schools have a strict attendance policy.  I know all of this goes to federal laws about kids attending school and keeping records and reporting truancy as mandated.  This poses a problem though for substitutes.  Taking attendance with a room full of strangers is hard!!  Usually, for high school or junior high schools, this process is outlined clearly in the information in a sub folder with proper forms and details regarding submission of attendance.  At the schools I've been to, this process can be as simple as turning in a form at the end of the day or sending a runner to the attendance office at the beginning of each class period.

Surprising to me, the most difficult schools to take attendance at is the elementary schools.  Every full-day job I have had at an elementary school has been incredibly difficult regarding attendance.  First, elementary schools don't always have a sub folder that clearly spells out how the particular school would like to receive said attendance.  And, teacher's often do not give me the folder when the school does require it.  Also, there are numerous pull-out programs in elementary schools.  At any given time, I could have three or four students working with an ELL specialist, in the resource room, or working with a reading group.  Also, elementary teachers often work with their partner teacher and split reading or math according to skill level (one teacher will take the high readers from both classes while the other takes the low readers).  One school I was given no attendance instructions and then called in the middle of reading class to take attendance when half of my mysterious faces were with the other teacher and thirteen new ones sat in their desks.  Another day it took me fifteen minutes working with the reading specialist outside my room to call the other specialist to find out where all my kids were.

Every day I am taken by surprise at things that take me by surprise at school.  Each day is a new adventure.

The system

Substituting has gone hi-tech.  Instead of waiting for someone to call me for a sub position, I go online to an automated system to find jobs.  I log in and press the search for jobs button.  On a lucky day, one or two different possible assignments appears on the cue.  If I want to take the job, I simply click on the assignment and then click the accept job button.

However, most days I'm not so lucky.  Usually I spend hours searching the site, hitting the search again button over and over.  On these days, I see the red "All available positions are filled" message with each refreshing screen.  Occasionally it will take longer to refresh, and I think that this time the screen will load with a new and exciting job for me to fill.  Most the time, I am continually disappointed with the glaring red message.

I think I have it down to a system now.  Finding jobs that is.  When I'm at school, I log onto the system from my computer and try to search a couple times an hour, hoping to find something for the next day.  If I don't find something by the time I get home, I spend the next hour or two refreshing the site every other minute until I give up on a job or I find something.

When the black and blue block pops on my screen, my heart starts beating rapidly as I search over the job description.  I know I must move fast because other vultures circle the site hoping to get a job for their own.  My brain switches into overdrive as I punch the button to learn the details of the job.  I try to process all the pertinent questions for the job.  Where is the school?  Is it too far away.  What time of day is the job for?  What does the teacher teach?  Should I accept a half day now, or do I think a full day job will come along later today?  I scan this information, often not processing what I see fast enough, then I try to make the right decision.

Again, on bad days, the job gets taken in the thirty seconds I take to click "accept job."  But the right day, at the right time, I get the job confirmed screen.  The screen warms my heart as I know that I will have work the next day.  I breathe easier and am finally able to relax and enjoy my evening.  I know that tomorrow, I get to be Mrs. Teacher again.

How it started

I think I might have been born one, a teacher that is. People were always asking me to explain the math homework or wanted to know what i got for number twelve. Somewhere between My senior year of high school and freshman orientation at college I decided I wanted to be in school for the rest of my life. I declared my major as English and theatre education and spent the next four and a half years preparing to be a teacher. I worked three semesters as an intern at a school, learning the practice and art of teaching.

Then, it came. My teaching certification.

Now what? I finished teaching school in December, and there are very few teaching positions that open in the middle of the school year. I also had applied to a program to teach English in Japan. If accepted, I would leave the states in six months. Instead of pursuing a full-time teaching position, I decide to substitute teach for the school district until the fate of the Japan program is known or better prospects are available for a full-time teaching position.

In the meantime, in the in-between, in the waiting, I am here. I now marinate in the teaching profession knowing that I have not arrived yet but soak in everything I hear, observe, and read. I've only been a sub for two weeks and I already have stories from my days in the trenches. These are my stories, observations, and thoughts from the educational world. Someone inside the system yet not accepted into the full-time ranks. All tales told here are true, at least from my point of view.