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.

A Band Director

I recently subbed for a band director.  I had both middle school and high school classes.

The middle school band got to watch a movie.  The picked The Land Before Time.  A large number of them (mostly boys) laughed loudly when Littlefoot's Mother died.  I know they were just trying to show off how "tough" they are, but it was still disturbing.

One high school "Music Appreciation" class picked Star Wars: Return of the Jedi over the other Star Wars movies.  This isn't a choice that I can understand.


I started this blog in March 2011.  Just recently I passed 10,000 hits.  I think that's pretty good for just shy of two years.

Thank you all!

A Music Teacher

Sorry that I haven't updated in a while.

A couple weeks ago I subbed for a music teacher.  I had classes ranging from 4th grade all the way to high school concert band.

It was supposed to be an easy day.  Classes either consisted of videos or study hall.  The down side was that a school play was being performed right next to the band room during the class period I was supposed to show a movie.  By "right next to," what I mean is, the band room shared a wall with the stage; a removable wall designed so that it could be opened up, making the band room part of the stage.  The wall was closed, but it was by no means sound proof.  Luckily, this class was only 6 kids because the seniors had already left for the year.  We watched the movie very quietly.

The concert band study hall was a joke,  there were 60 kids and every single one of them swore up and down that they didn't have homework.

I did overhear something fun during the 7th grade band study hall.  It made me both laugh and die a little all at the same time.  If you don't know anything about the history of computers or video games, you probably won't understand why it's funny.

7th Grade Boy: Oregon Settlers was one of the first games ever made.  It was on the first computer, called the "Lisa," made by Microsoft.  At first it was all text until later they made graphics.  Eventually they put it on iPod and stuff.

And, before I forget, I've been accepted to teach summer school again this year at the same school as last year.

An Elementary Music Teacher

I subbed today for an elementary music teacher.

I was in a building for the first time today.  They actually gave me the code to get into the staff restroom.  I've never felt so welcome.  No, seriously.  This is a big deal.

Also, I got to watch The King and I, nearly all the way through.  It was surprisingly good.

A Middle School Band Teacher

I subbed today for a middle school band teacher, but only for half a day.

All three of the classes watched the same video production of a live concert put on by the Marsalis Brothers.  I'm pretty sure I enjoyed it way more than the kids.

I had the volume up pretty high, and some of the bass notes were slightly vibrating the walls in the back of the classroom.  There are a couple storage rooms in the back, one of which holds all the percussion instruments.  I wasn't sure what it was at first, but between classes I discovered that there were a couple snare drums up against a well.  The vibrations from the TV were making snares vibrate, so at times while the kids were watching the concert, it sounded like someone was in the back room playing the drums.  Maybe I shouldn't have told the kids that it was just a ghost getting some rehearsal time in.  They didn't REALLY believe me, but some of them were clearly uncomfortable keeping their backs to the room.

A Secondary Band Teacher

I subbed today for a band teacher.

Today was a good ole fashioned movie day.  I got to see an hour of each of the following, The Nutcracker ballet, That Thing You Do, and Remember the Titans.  On top of all that, I got to see the middle 40 minutes of Tarzan, three times and the middle 40 minutes of The Little Rascals.
I guess you could say that today was a very easy day.

A Secondary Music Teacher

I subbed today for a middle/high school music teacher.

My first two class period consisted of administering a state-wide standardized test to a small group of students with accommodations.  It was nice.  I got some solid reading done.

This teacher always has two lesson plans for ever class, those for a "music sub," and those for a "non-music sub."  I fall squarely into the second group.
We watched Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, or at least the first hour of it.  The kids were funny, during the scene where Charlie opens his chocolate bar and discovers his ticket they all burst into applause.  Later, they fell into a dead silence during the scene in which Wonka is slowly walking down the path to the gate.

A Band Teacher

I subbed today for a MS/HS band teacher.

The high school concert band went outside for marching practice.  I, of course, know nothing at all about it, so she left a note leaving two students in charge of practice.  They did a GREAT job, I was really impressed, and told them so.  The band did a really good job too, once they got focused.  They were so good, in fact, that I'd almost be willing to pay and see a varsity football game, just to watch their half-time show.  But then I think, "I got paid to see it today.  Twice.  That's good enough."

I got to watch the first 50 minutes of UP during all the middle school classes.  That movie really has a sad beginning.

Another Band Teacher

I subbed today for another band teacher, at a different school.
I haven't been subbing at this particular school much these days, especially since I picked up a whole other county a few months back.  However, whenever I am there, I am often mistaken for a different sub.  I don't know WHO he is, but he must be much cooler than me.  For example...
Student: Hey!  You're the guy who let us play softball in here last time!  Can we do it again?
Mr. C.:  Hah...ah, no.  You've got me mistaken for someone else.  That is so not going to happen.

A Band Teacher

I subbed today for a secondary band teacher.
It was pretty great, two of my classes were gone on field trips, which meant two extra hours to read.  I wonder if the Fates aren't trying to make up for the horrible classes I'd been having recently.

Also, how is it that a student can loudly shout out, while watching a movie, " raise you hand if you're still a virgin!" and still be able to pretend to not understand why they're getting in trouble?

An Elementary Music Teacher

I subbed today for an elementary music teacher.

The following conversation took place after a third grade girl saw the book I'm currently reading, Dearly Devoted Dexter, sitting on a table.

Girl: Oh, is that like the TV show?
Mr. C.: Yeah... I don't think you're old enough to know about that show.  It'll give you nightmares.
Girl: It's okay, I watch it all the time.  I also watch NCIS.  This one episode, this dead guy had his eyes hanging out and everything and even that didn't give me nightmares.
Mr. C.:  Uh huh... alright then...

A Band/Digital Media Teacher

I subbed today for a band/digital media teacher.  I was split between two buildings, middle and high school.

My first class of the day was simply, "Guitar."  The first part of the lesson involved putting on a CD, and the kids had to play along to the music.  It took about 10 extra minutes to get started, because the teacher had removed the usual speakers to the sound system and I had to sort through a mess of wires to route the CD player to other speakers.
One of the songs on the CD was Johnny B. Goode.  Just before I started the song I said, "alright guys, pretend you're Michael J. Fox and the year is 1955."  Not only did no one laugh, no one seemed to even get the reference.

Also, schools, if you decided that your students can not handle having doors (or even full walls) on the bathroom stalls, please don't make it so you need a key to get into the staff restrooms.  This makes things pretty awkward for "temporary staff."

A Band Director

I subbed today for a middle and high school band teacher.

The woman had a student teacher.  I've subbed in rooms with student teachers before, but this time she was really good and on the ball.  She ran all the classes, and I just sat to the side and collected the paycheck for being the "certified teacher in the room."  I feel bad for her.  I didn't need to be there, and she should have been able to get paid for subbing for her own Master Teacher.

A Band/PE Teacher

I subbed for band/PE teacher today.  Am I the only one who thinks that is an odd combination?

The directions for my first two classes (high school band and choir) just said, "Free/study day.  They can work on other homework or talk amongst themselves.  They can also play on the Wii."  That's right, this guy had a Wii in his classroom. Sadly, though, he only had WiiSports and WiiMusic.  I tried out the latter on my prep.... and it was REALLY boring.

We also had "free play" during gym class.  I got to toss around a frisbee with a few middle schoolers.  Good times.

An Elementary Music Teacher

This actually happend several weeks ago, but I had it typed up and on my Facebook page.  I figured it should probably go here too. 

I subbed in an elementary music class today. Over all it was pretty easy. The kids sang along with pre-recorded songs and/or we watched a movie.
One class, however, was just horrible. They fall, easily, into my top 10 worst classes. When their teacher came to pick them up, I told him about this. A little bit later, the principal came by and asked about my day. I told her about them too.
About a half hour before the end of the day, while watching Barbie's Nutcracker with a group of 3rd graders, a 4th grade girl timidly comes into the room and hands me a stack of apology letters. This is the 3rd or 4th stack I've ever gotten, but I still don't really know how to react to them. As I read through them, one really stood out. It is kinda disrespectful, in that the boy who wrote it clearly wasn't taking the situation seriously... but it is just too funny.
I have re-written it here exactly as he wrote it.

Dear Mr. [Misspelling of my last name],
Sorry dude we were acting like monkeys didnt mean to ruin your bread and butter if you know what I mean dude.  Weeee were very unMatchure and broke the Vase of rules Whith the bat of not listing  Dude sorry.

p.s  your da man!

from
[Student name]

Below this was a picture of what might be an evil pear with angry-looking sharp teeth