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.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
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.
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.
Monday, May 17, 2010
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.
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.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
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.
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.
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