Subbing Adventures in Pictures

I was going through my cell phone and I realized I had some pictures from my subbing adventures on it and decided I would put them in a blog.

This was in a AP World History Room at International High School. I was there for a week and starring out of those huge windows was a distraction for me and the students, because it was sunny during that week. However, staring out those windows reminded of something Dr. Kress said about when you look out windows you are thinking about sex.

I remember this classroom at Bellevue High School. The teacher was an English teacher and she had "It's Good to be Queen" crap allover the place and honestly the messiest female teacher desk I ever saw. I have OCD/CleanFreak issues, so it takes a lot for me not to want to clean other teacher's desks sometimes.

This is a white-board from a classroom I sub very often at Sammamish High School. The class is Special Ed - Resource Room (mostly Study Skills and Practical English). We tend to have a little too much fun when I am in that room.

This is taken at Robinswood High School. It is the "alternative school," and I sub there quite frequently. This is in Kristn's History classroom. Yes, we have the same name and personality, which scared the students the first time I was in there. Unfortuantely, they are closing Robinswood at the end of this year and all the teachers are moving to other schools in the district. I know that Robinswood has gotten a bad rap and I always stand up for it in other schools, but it was the place that would take students where there was not where else to go. I am going to miss this place.

This is the classroom and desk I sat in at the beginning of the year, I started subbing the fourth day in and I was the third sub that week. The teacher did not leave any lesson plans and the students didn't have any World History textbooks. It was a rocky start because the Principal and the District was sure what was going on because the teacher would call in every morning. For a good 48 hours I was going to become the long-term sub and then they decided to switch to someone who has long-termed subbed before. I think they wanted to start over with the class with a new sub that was prepared, because I got thrown in the hell hole and almost made it out when they decided to let me go. FYI: After I left they still have about 6 more subs after me. They finally got a long-term sub towards the end of Fall Semester. Students when they see me, tell me I was still their favorite sub and the nicest out of them all.

This is from the 2008-2009 school year, when I subbed a week and a half for AP World History and AP Economics. 6th period christened me with "C-Momma." You can still hear students yell it, when they see me in the hallway.

Another History classroom at Robinswood High School. I am here a lot, too.

This Male Middle School Math teacher had the audacity to expect me to correct 5 classes of math assignments during his prep periods. His sub plans were underlined with expectations that I would correct all this math. I did, in spite. But I never did sub for that teacher again.

I just remembered. I was only suppose to sub for the morning and when I got there to sub the office asked if I could stay the whole day because the teacher "just" called in. Punk.

Middle School students are funny sometimes.

This was the classroom I did my full-time student teaching at Northshore Christian Academy with Ms. Mary Kay Schuller (who is the bomb!). I do miss those 6th graders, who are now in high school. Now, I feel old.

A Thank You (email) Note

This is one of the reasons I like subbing. This past week I subbed for the same teacher for three days. I was only suppose to be there for one, but I convinced the district to let me stay until she returns because it was not fair to the students to have a different substitute teacher everyday. Plus, it got me out of subbing middle school math and science subbing gigs I had already accepted but not really wanting to do. An added bonus was that she had AP Government Seniors, which are always fun a week before they graduate from high school.


Anyway, this is the email note I got when I came home from subbing at a different school today. Let me just say, it made my already great day - better.
______________________________________________________________________________________________


Hi Christen,

Thank you SO much for your help this week in my AP Government classes.

I had a sub scheduled for all 7 days. We had met for lunch and gone
through all of the plans, etc. and then - she fell very ill.

I couldn't do much from Kentucky, but you were WONDERFUL! You saved the
day. I very much appreciate the detailed notes and organized paper work
you left more me.

Thank you again. I sincerely mean that you helped make the best of a
tough situation. Best to you,

Amber Graeber, M.Ed, NBCT
Social Studies Teacher
ASB Advisor
Bellevue High School, Bellevue, Washington


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The more nicknames you have, the more "street cred" you have...

My nicknames that my students have given me in the last two years and yes, I do response when they call me these:

1). "Ms. G!" - You have to say it in a "Middle-School-White Boy" sort of way, that it is really wrong for a scrawny white kid trying to be all hip and gangster-like.

2). "C-Momma!" - This came from a class last year that I was with for a week and a half and let call me by my first name because they were Juniors in High School. It is endearing. When I sub there, you will hear this name be yelled down the hall, if students see me.

3). "G-Money!" - Freshman this year gave me this one. I think it sounds like a really bad stripper name. But you know Freshmen, once they set their mind to something, it sticks - no matter what.

4). "Velma" - Yes, the chick from Scooby Doo. I have an Aunt (for real) that looks like her, so I was not to surprised then a Middle School student call me this. It did not help that I was wearing a orange sweater that day, and my hair was going a little 1970s crazy...

Weird last name attempts that students have called me: Gandolf, Ghandi and Grendel...

One of the Many "Fan Mail" I get as a sub

This even includes which Anime I should watch...

The 8th Grade Boys Inappropriate Mad-Lib....(Rated R)

 Funny story. Originally I took the Mad Lib book away from a group of 8th grade boys because they were not working at all on the Closed Readings on "A Midsummer Night's Dream." I know, you are thinking, "closed readings" in Middle School, seriously. Anyway, I took and looked at the one they did, it was your typical bathroom boy humor, nothing to offending. I walk back to the teacher's disk and start flipping though the Mad-Lib book. As I am flipping, one of the boys realizes there is a really, really inappropriate Mad-Lib in it and dashes towards the desk and begs for the book back. I say no. They plead, and I ignore them. They go back to work and I start looking for the horrid Mad-Lib. While I am doing this, the rest of the class is looking at me, waiting to see my facial expression. To be honest, the Mad-Lib did not shock me. I tore it out and placed it in my pocket. I did not tell the teacher, because they was a by-product and did not happen in my class (as far as I know). I told the boys I would not rat them out, but it does make a good story for my friends.