Friday was the last day for the Seniors at [City Withheld] High School.
This is a school that I have subbed at many, many times, including a couple long-term jobs. This year's Seniors were Freshmen when I first started working there. This is the first time I've ever really been able to see a class through their entire high school career (even if I wasn't there every day).
Knowing that Friday would be their last day, I decided weeks ago that I would not accept any other jobs for that day. A early last week I started to notice a LOT of job openings. One school had 10 posted positions for Friday. I began hearing teachers complaints at other schools about how their posted jobs were not being taken. I felt reasonably confident that if I did not get into my school of choice, I would easily be able to land a job elsewhere. There were so many jobs that the staffing agency I work for sent out a mass email telling all their employees to "please make yourselves available" to work on Friday. That's something I'd never seen before.
Thursday morning I accepted a job at [City Withheld] High School.
When I arrived, I discovered a couple major things. First, the teacher I was subbing for was actually around and in her classroom all morning, and only needed a sub for the afternoon. It was unclear why the job had been posted for a full day. Second, a posted job for a different teacher had gone unfilled. This kept me very busy all day.
Why was Friday such a popular day for teachers to skip?
Also, one of the Seniors gave me a Senior-photo. I felt special.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A History/P.E. Teacher
I subbed today for a Social Studies/Gym teacher.
Most of my gym classes today played soccer. I guess this was injury day. One girl pulled a muscle in her leg. One girl twisted her ankle. Two boys tried to catch the ball with their face. Luckily there was no blood or broken limbs.
The seventh grade history class had an awesome assignment. They were given a fictional report on a 4000 year old archaeological dig site. They had to draw pictures of all the items described in the report, and suggest how the items may have been used. Once they finished, I gave them a picture of the dig site. It turned out that the scene they read about was a modern motel bathroom, where someone had died in the bathtub.
I thought the assignment was fun.
Most of my gym classes today played soccer. I guess this was injury day. One girl pulled a muscle in her leg. One girl twisted her ankle. Two boys tried to catch the ball with their face. Luckily there was no blood or broken limbs.
The seventh grade history class had an awesome assignment. They were given a fictional report on a 4000 year old archaeological dig site. They had to draw pictures of all the items described in the report, and suggest how the items may have been used. Once they finished, I gave them a picture of the dig site. It turned out that the scene they read about was a modern motel bathroom, where someone had died in the bathtub.
I thought the assignment was fun.
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| The final image. |
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
A 12th Grade English Teacher
I subbed today in a senior English class.
We watched Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. At the same time, there was a strong thunderstorm going on. On more than one occasion, a climatic scene in the film was punctuated by a BOOM from outside. It was pretty cool.
Also, apparently this is "Teacher Appreciation Week." I didn't think teachers were EVER appreciated. They had pizza in the break room for the staff. Usually I won't eat the "for staff" munchies, but there were only five of us in the break room, and there was something like 4 large pizzas. It was much better than the lunch I had brought with me.
We watched Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. At the same time, there was a strong thunderstorm going on. On more than one occasion, a climatic scene in the film was punctuated by a BOOM from outside. It was pretty cool.
Also, apparently this is "Teacher Appreciation Week." I didn't think teachers were EVER appreciated. They had pizza in the break room for the staff. Usually I won't eat the "for staff" munchies, but there were only five of us in the break room, and there was something like 4 large pizzas. It was much better than the lunch I had brought with me.
Thursday, April 11, 2013
A Business Education Teacher
I subbed in a business/computer class the other day.
Computer classes might just be the single most boring class to sub for, especially when the kids are good. All day the kids sat silently and typed away.
In fact, this may have been the most interesting part of the day...
Student: "Hey, is this vocab sheet double-sided?"
Mr. C: *picks up his copy and flips it over, showing a blank side* "Nope."
Student: "Oh, I guess I could have done that."
Computer classes might just be the single most boring class to sub for, especially when the kids are good. All day the kids sat silently and typed away.
In fact, this may have been the most interesting part of the day...
Student: "Hey, is this vocab sheet double-sided?"
Mr. C: *picks up his copy and flips it over, showing a blank side* "Nope."
Student: "Oh, I guess I could have done that."
A US History Teacher and a Special Ed Teacher (plus a BONUS rant!)
Today was exciting.
I excepted a job posting to teach high school US History. When I arrived at the school this morning, I found out that, despite what the job posting said, I was only getting a half day's work (and pay).
Something similar to this happened a month so ago in this same district. I had planned on registering a very firm complaint about this at the end of the assignment. Before that could happen, though, I was asked if I could fill in the rest of the day for another teacher, who's sub had not shown up. I was told that if I accepted I would be paid for two half days, rather than one half day.
I probably should have complained anyway, on principle, but by the end of the day I just wanted out of the building.
The second half of the day was spent with a special education class. I had a lunch period separating the two parts of my day, and I ate in the special ed room so that I could go over the lesson plans. The remaining two class periods of the day were rather vague. They simply talked about taking the kids to the library, with no mention of what they were supposed to do.
Near the end of lunch another teacher came in, asking if I knew about the trip to the library. I told him that I had seen it mentioned, but no specifics were given. At this point he explained that my class was meeting up with two other special ed classes, and they were all taking a public bus across town to the public library.
The trip was really very easy. I was told that the teachers usually just spread out around the building and read, trying to set a "good example" for the students, who pretty much just screw around the whole time.
We returned to school with about 25 minutes left in the day. The kids were wound up pretty high, and I was not left with any material to fit the situation. I told them to "sit and read quietly." Most did, the rest sat and talked, thinking I couldn't hear them.
Okay, so, here's my question to all you other subs out there...
If you accepted an assignment online which was posted as being an entire day (at a full-day's pay), and when you arrived you were told that the assignment was only a half day... would you be upset? Would you feel cheated? Am I being melodramatic?
Personally, I won't accept partial day assignments unless it is the day of, and there are no full-day assignments available. I feel like the district is cheating me - a "bait and switch" sort of deal.
As I said, I had a similar problem with this district a while back. I didn't write about it, and I probably never will. I usually try to keep the material here positive and funny (or at least light-hearted).
Suffice it to say, I was under the impression that the district understood why posting jobs incorrectly (in regard to the pay scale) was not in their best interest.
I excepted a job posting to teach high school US History. When I arrived at the school this morning, I found out that, despite what the job posting said, I was only getting a half day's work (and pay).
Something similar to this happened a month so ago in this same district. I had planned on registering a very firm complaint about this at the end of the assignment. Before that could happen, though, I was asked if I could fill in the rest of the day for another teacher, who's sub had not shown up. I was told that if I accepted I would be paid for two half days, rather than one half day.
I probably should have complained anyway, on principle, but by the end of the day I just wanted out of the building.
The second half of the day was spent with a special education class. I had a lunch period separating the two parts of my day, and I ate in the special ed room so that I could go over the lesson plans. The remaining two class periods of the day were rather vague. They simply talked about taking the kids to the library, with no mention of what they were supposed to do.
Near the end of lunch another teacher came in, asking if I knew about the trip to the library. I told him that I had seen it mentioned, but no specifics were given. At this point he explained that my class was meeting up with two other special ed classes, and they were all taking a public bus across town to the public library.
The trip was really very easy. I was told that the teachers usually just spread out around the building and read, trying to set a "good example" for the students, who pretty much just screw around the whole time.
We returned to school with about 25 minutes left in the day. The kids were wound up pretty high, and I was not left with any material to fit the situation. I told them to "sit and read quietly." Most did, the rest sat and talked, thinking I couldn't hear them.
Okay, so, here's my question to all you other subs out there...
If you accepted an assignment online which was posted as being an entire day (at a full-day's pay), and when you arrived you were told that the assignment was only a half day... would you be upset? Would you feel cheated? Am I being melodramatic?
Personally, I won't accept partial day assignments unless it is the day of, and there are no full-day assignments available. I feel like the district is cheating me - a "bait and switch" sort of deal.
As I said, I had a similar problem with this district a while back. I didn't write about it, and I probably never will. I usually try to keep the material here positive and funny (or at least light-hearted).
Suffice it to say, I was under the impression that the district understood why posting jobs incorrectly (in regard to the pay scale) was not in their best interest.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
A Pretend 7th Grade Band Teacher
I subbed for a middle school math teacher today. However, during what would have been my prep hour, I had to cover for a middle school band class.
The whole class period involved the kids watching the Original Star Trek episode, The Return of the Archons. They even had a worksheet to fill out as they watched!
I don't know how this fits into the curriculum for a music class... but that's not for me to understand. I just follow directions.
The whole class period involved the kids watching the Original Star Trek episode, The Return of the Archons. They even had a worksheet to fill out as they watched!
I don't know how this fits into the curriculum for a music class... but that's not for me to understand. I just follow directions.
A Pretend Gym Teacher
Last week I had two separate assignments as history teachers. During both of those assignments I was asked to sub for a gym teacher on what would have been a prep period.
The first day I was in a very large class being co-taught with another gym teacher. She was there that day, so I just needed to supervise. The class was having a badminton tournament. About 15 minutes in the other teacher asked me if I wanted to be her partner against a pair of students with no one else to play. I agreed, and quickly discovered two things. 1) I am HORRIBLE at badminton (though the teacher and the students were cool about it.... going so far as to let me re-serve shots when I missed the shuttlecock entirely) . 2) Badminton is a surprisingly athletic game, and wearing a button-down shirt and tie while playing is a very bad idea.
On a side note, the other teacher and I DID end up winning a very close game. I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been given an unofficial handicap we would have lost. Also, she nailed a kid directly in the eye with a shuttlecock, then laughed at him once she realized he hadn't lost any vision.
The second day was a much smaller gym class, and the students were playing Pickle Ball, and I also joined in on a game the last 10 minutes of class. Despite all appearances it was much more difficult than badminton. It was good that the group I was playing with weren't really keeping score. In fact they were not all that interested in the competitive aspect of the game period.
The first day I was in a very large class being co-taught with another gym teacher. She was there that day, so I just needed to supervise. The class was having a badminton tournament. About 15 minutes in the other teacher asked me if I wanted to be her partner against a pair of students with no one else to play. I agreed, and quickly discovered two things. 1) I am HORRIBLE at badminton (though the teacher and the students were cool about it.... going so far as to let me re-serve shots when I missed the shuttlecock entirely) . 2) Badminton is a surprisingly athletic game, and wearing a button-down shirt and tie while playing is a very bad idea.
On a side note, the other teacher and I DID end up winning a very close game. I'm pretty sure if I hadn't been given an unofficial handicap we would have lost. Also, she nailed a kid directly in the eye with a shuttlecock, then laughed at him once she realized he hadn't lost any vision.
The second day was a much smaller gym class, and the students were playing Pickle Ball, and I also joined in on a game the last 10 minutes of class. Despite all appearances it was much more difficult than badminton. It was good that the group I was playing with weren't really keeping score. In fact they were not all that interested in the competitive aspect of the game period.
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