I had known about today\u2019s gig for about a week.\u00a0 My teacher and friend Dawn asked if I would do placement tests for all her math classes.\u00a0 As a teacher, it\u2019s something she\u2019d rather not do.\u00a0 As a sub, it makes for a perfect day so it was a real win-win for us both.\u00a0 As was the case yesterday, the first three classes were great, and then the last two periods were progressively worse.\u00a0 Thing is, her last class was an \u201chonors\u201d class, so I had the expectation that they would behave better.\u00a0 Nope.\u00a0 They were so loud that we started this timed test about 10 minutes late.\u00a0 Their test was harder as well, so very few finished within the allotted time.\u00a0 All the earlier classes had taken a much easier test, and most of them were done about 10-20 minutes before class let out.<\/p>\n
During the various periods, I saw many students I recognized from art class or multimedia, two classes I had subbed for recently.\u00a0 They all recognized me as well.\u00a0 The art students were happy to see me; the multimedia students were not.\u00a0 The multimedia teacher told me today that her classes liked the other sub much better than me, to which she said: \u201cGood \u2013 I\u2019ll keep asking for you then because you made them work!\u201d (I also found out today that I might be subbing for the Art teacher again for maybe a week or two, since she has jury duty in December.\u00a0 She actually asked what I\u2019d like to teach if she wound up on a jury.\u00a0 We agreed on water color exercises.\u00a0 It\u2019s always so nice to be asked back!)<\/p>\n
During break, I talked to one of the history teachers about the possibility of being a student teacher in his class.\u00a0 Much to my surprise, he was very agreeable.\u00a0 I spent my prep period relaying this news to my college (after also getting permission to be a student teacher from the principal).\u00a0 My college told me that they didn\u2019t actually have any placements for me so far, so they asked if I could find a second teacher at this middle school so I could do my whole student teaching experience at the one school.\u00a0 To me, it would be ideal.\u00a0 The principal told me to get with the head of the history department and discuss this new strategy.\u00a0 I am so pleased that things seem to be working out!<\/p>\n
Every Friday at this middle school, the teachers try to outdo each other with \u201cbreak food.\u201d\u00a0 Subs like me LOVE teaching here on Fridays!\u00a0 Today on this rainy day, we had fully loaded potatoes, two kinds of salad, deviled eggs and a spinach dip with gourmet breads.\u00a0 After the break, my wife\u2019s class also made grilled cheese sandwiches and various kinds of tea.\u00a0 They then delivered sandwiches and tea to many of the teachers, including me.\u00a0 It was a little disruptive when the students came in right in the middle of a test, but the food was great.<\/p>\n
Today, we also had a new student arrive from Egypt.\u00a0 I had him for homeroom and 4th<\/sup> period.\u00a0 I really liked the kid and tried to make him feel welcome.\u00a0 He was a little wet by 4th<\/sup> period because it was raining and he didn\u2019t have an umbrella or a jacket.\u00a0 I guess he didn\u2019t need either in Cairo.\u00a0 Still, I hope he had a great first day.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I had known about today\u2019s gig for about a week.\u00a0 My teacher and friend Dawn asked if I would do placement tests for all her math classes.\u00a0 As a teacher, it\u2019s something she\u2019d rather not do.\u00a0 As a sub, it … Continue reading