Year Two Begins

Controlled chaos, the phrase I use to explain my subbing days during my first year. I definitely use this word without hesitation during my first four weeks of the 2009-2010 school year.

Friday to Friday, September 4 to September 11

I do not ask much from the teacher that I am guest teaching for, except for a good lesson plan or basic idea of what happens in the classroom and good classroom management already enforced. However, when I walk into rooms with no lesson plan and do not have any classroom management from their teacher, I learned quickly that it would be either a great day or a very bad day. I can tell what a classroom will be like within 10 seconds after the bell rings, if they are going to respect or at least listen to me, or they could care less.

Subbing for the first day was easy, shortened class periods due to an assembly and it was Friday. I had a somewhat useful lesson plan from the previous sub. This teacher has been out since Wednesday, and the students have seen more subs than their actual teacher, not a good sign. Friday was okay, one government and four world history classes. Nevertheless, Friday afternoon, a few hours after school was over, I get a call asking to come to the following Tuesday and Wednesday.

Make a very stressful week story short. I found out Tuesday I will going to be there the whole week. By Wednesday morning, I found out I would staying for the following two weeks and canceled my few already acquired subbing jobs. Someone from the District came in to help me plan lessons for the 2.5 weeks I was planning to be here Wednesday afternoon. I started filling out paperwork to get log in and an email address. I was really stress, I would come home stare at the lesson plans and just sleep. No matter how much information I read on Chinese Dynasties I could not comprehend what I should be teaching.

To be honest, I was not getting very good support from the school I was subbing at because of just the uncertainty of the situation. Granted the Principal and the school did not know what was going on and it changed day by day. I still needed textbooks from two of my world histories classrooms. By Thursday night, I get a call that I was no longer needed after the next day. The school decided to hire a different long-term sub who has worked in the social studies. I chatted with her and at least she is getting a classroom with better understanding than how I received it. I was disappointed because I was just starting to get my footing in this hole I was getting out of mess, and I wanted to prove myself. I was also grateful, because I was exhausted from the week.

All I want is to prove that I can teach. All I want to do is prove that I am a capable teacher.

Tuesday to Friday, September 15 to September 18

The school district I work for claimed that they did not lay anyone off but they did not renew many of the first year contracts. For some reason this district also had more students then they realized. Therefore, this week I subbed for classes that currently did not have teachers, because they just reshuffled students and classes and were in the process in looking for long-term or new teacher to cover the newly formed classes.

I covered Computer Skills and 6^th grade Science.

Computer Skills, it was easy. The students worked on typing skills the whole week.

6^th Grade Science was another story. One thing I forgot from student teaching 6^th graders in the Fall is that they still think like elementary school students, not middle school students. I dislike elementary school students. Another thing was this class was ahead of all the other 6^th students and they did not want to start science experiments with them, so it was really babysitting. We watched a Nova movie and discussed categories of life.

I survived but I never want to do four days in the science classroom.

Monday, September 21

Alternative High School, Spanish.

I like subbing at the alternative or the last chance middle and high school. They have smaller classes and half the time half the class decides not to show up. Once I had no showed up until ten minutes into class once. I also get more respect from the students.

I subbed for a teacher I have subbed before. Granted she had more Spanish classes than history this time around. However, she wanted me to sub because I subbed for her before. It was easy. Granted not much Spanish actually happened. But you can only do so much Spanish in 90 minutes before the brain shuts down on the subject. I left a note telling her what happened. She will understand that half the classes ended up being a study hall.

I also chatted with another teacher I usually sub for to let her know I was still a sub. She was happy and sad because she can use me as a sub, but sad because I should have my own classroom.

It was good day.

Tuesday, September 22

Middle School, Resource Room

Special Education Resource Room – is a catchall phrase. Usually it means teaching practical foundation classes on all subjects like math, English and social studies or study hall like support classes to help students catch up or understand. The students are all over the place in terms of issues, behavioral, emotional, physical, mental or just lazy (in some cases – yes).

It was one of those days when you are subbing and the only thing you can really do is sit there and watch the chaos play out. Let me just say, I never seen so many middle school kids in one class that actually verbally displayed dislike to their classmates. I am seeing detentions in their future, based on the note I left the teacher.

Last Full Day of School

Wow. I have made it. I never thought that I would sub for an entire year and still be alive to write and tell people about it. I finally starting to hit my grove in January and it has been almost non-stop since then. I have had good days, bad days, excellent days, and the more horrible than hell days of subbing. But I survived.

I am an happier person, since I have started subbing. It is my degree and profession, so that burden of actually using the degree is off my shoulders. I have normal hours and weekends free to hang with friends, which is very important. I still believe that I would be a good, if not great, teacher if I am ever blessed with an full-time teaching gig (take that the person who said I should not be a teacher).

Today is the last "normal" full school day, either seniors are done today, or everyone else as finals next week. I subbed at the alternative high school for a teacher that I have subbed before. As the story goes, they do not like their normal teacher because (according to them) she treats them like they are in second grade. I have met her and she is nice. Today went okay. When it is the last full day of school, students have checked out before they even step foot onto the campus, so I knew I was not going to get anything productive out of them. It was true. The teacher, bless her heart, wanted them to work on a review for the final (that is on next Monday) for the entire 60 minutes, plus 30 minutes to work on a paper that is also due Monday. It really didn't happen, most of the kids were either already prepared (they get to use all their notes for the final) or are already failing and having to retake, so why even bother. I knew I was not going to win the battle. Instead we watched TBS/CNN and chatted. A few students in each class worked, so it wasn't a total loss. It would also be nice for a class of 9 students, for all of them to show up. It throws me off to have only 6 students in class. According to another teacher, this behavior is normal, and the teacher I am subbing for will not be shock with my notes.

I also finally had a decent and productive conversation with a teacher that I have subbed for a half of a dozen times since January, she was thrilled to finally met me and likewise. She is really cool and her name is also the same as mine. She told me that if I was still subbing in the Fall, I would be the first sub on her list. I thanked her.

Another class comes in. For some reason at the Alternative school, all the female students are trying to hook me up with the two single male teachers that are on campus. I have met one, not bad looking and he teaches English. We chatted once and he wrote my name down to sub (I was so flustered, I forgot to give him my sub info business card it has my email address on it).

After school I was invited to have a beer with the teachers from the school. I turned them down, because I am poor, moving and had not eaten anything the entire day. It would have been cool to hang out with the teachers. I promised myself, the next time I will say yes. It is all about connections, and this was a year that I made them. I have a handful of teachers that call me first, an office manager that loves me, and a social studies department that has me high on their list of "recommended subs."

I can do this. I will make it. I will survive.

WITH An Emphasis on Special Education

I sub for the behavioral intervention program again today that the district has at certain schools. For some apparent reason, I get these calls a lot, because not many subs will walk into these classrooms, because everything is so up in the air. It can be a great day, or a day from hell with nervous breakdowns and students in isolation rooms, freaking out (I have never experience it, but I have heard stories). To be honest, as a substitute teacher in these classrooms, I rarely do anything because the amazing Para-Educators know more about the students and how the day goes, so usually I am just there as a legal requirement, but a legal requirement that gets paid (a license teacher must be present...). I am suppose to be in charge over Para-Educators that are usually my mom's age or very nice young single guys. So, I let them take the lead and do whatever they would like me to do. Today, I worked one on one with students that ended help with their reading and make up work.

I can read what a classroom will be like within 5 seconds of the bell. I knew today was going to be easy. I am not one who barks orders, especially at behavioral trouble students, that is not the answer and as a sub you need any kernel of respect you can get within the first 5 minutes. I usually take the first five minutes to chat and hang out while I am going the attendance and talking to the Para's and the Para's totally do not seem to mind, at least I have the students attention because that is usually half the battle.

Today was fine. I work with a 16-year-old girl who is in 8th grade still, she was cool. We chatted about life and she told me about her boyfriend who is 23 (her mother knows). This was going to be her last day attending this school. I could tell she has had a hard life, she has a parole officer (or something similar) because she complained about it for a while. I didn't ask her much about brought her to this place. But I was able to get her to work on her reading. She is far behind, but I know she likes learning and believes it is important. I just hope the pieces fall into place.

I also worked with a student who doesn't really talk much, he was a sweet kid. I got him to work on stuff to. He was pretty funny and thought I was cool.

Before I left, one of the Para-Educators demanded that I give her one of my calling cards with my sub info on them. She was going to tell the teacher that I was subbing for that she should always try to get me because I am good with the students. Because I give off a good vibe, I do not bark orders and I just let the kids be (sort of, I did barter with the students today to get some work done) and I am able to a get them to work, which I guess is unusual.

This is not the first time Para-Educators tell me I am good with their students. For some apparent reason, I can get emotional and behavioral kids to stay on task and rarely lash out when I am around. For some reason they like me. I think it is that I do not walk in with all the answers, I let them breathe and try to find something we all can relate to, and then I ease into the day. Some of the Para-Educators have even ask if I would consider getting an endorsement in Special Education or Master's because they can see me doing it. Plus they are always hiring Special Education Teachers, the lifespan is not that long. I have considered it, but I can do it for a day, but can I commit my year and life working with these emotional and behavioral students? I do not know the answer.

I am realizing that I am not a stereotypical teacher, I believe that gaining respect from the students is far more beneficial than barking orders withing the first 5 minutes. It is even harder for subs to get respect. I have learned that sometimes a little conversation and not getting everything completed makes for a easier day than being a task master. But I have been a task master on occasion, I didn't like it, but it had to be done.

Calm BUT No Work Completed.

I subbed for the same teacher that I subbed for last Friday, the same day as the lock down. Today there was actual work to be done, but getting these students to do work without a full-blown yelling match that is one-sided (theirs) is tricky. I tend to pick my battles very wisely, iPods are okay; however dancing on the desk, is not okay. Looking at yearbooks fine, but designing shoes on the web not okay. I know that I do not have the "real" authority to take away year books and it is the end of the year, so I do not usually try any clout that I might have as a substitute teacher, it is a battle that is not worth much. If the student is concern about their grade and the class, they will work. If they do not care by the last two weeks of school it is a lost cause.

For some reason, okay for the most part was a calm day. Students are there, not at all focus but calm (unusual). I would encourage work to be done, but did not force it. When I emailed the teacher about the day and was honest about the lack of work completed, she responded that she understood and would have a calm day over actual work completed too.

When a teacher agrees on the lack of progress, but is glad that there was no major full-blown attitude issues, you know that I am subbing for one of the most difficult classes. I still do not know why I put myself through is torture. Then again, the teacher was the one that requested me for today, perhaps at least a familiar face is better in a classroom like this, at least I know what I am getting into.

When I do tell stories about working in the Special Education system, I mostly end up working with behavioral and learning disabilities, not physical disabilities. I learned really quickly not to push students who do not want to work if they have behavior issues, which usually come out more when there is a substitute present. I tread lightly with these students and I am honest with the teachers. But it is usually the teachers that write in their notes, do not push or force the students to work, much rather have them sit there and do nothing than have a bad day. So, I let them sit there, listen their iPods and hope that one day they realize they need to get their act together in order to survive in the real world. All I can do is smile, be nice and say a quick prayer under my breathe for the students who need it the most.

Lock Down

I am realizing from last week's fire and today's lock down, that substitute teachers are ill prepared for disasters and emergencies. The information that schools are suppose to provide is never in the folder, the classroom or on the teacher's desk. The bucket with class lists and other important things is never where you can get at it, usually lock in a cupboard for which you do not have a key. It is hard because every school is different, and trying to know everything about every school is impossible. I improv security, something the United States Secret Service doesn't even improv, they go through drills that they hope they never have to implement.

Today was my first actual REAL lock down, meaning that there was someone/something in the surrounding the perimeter that was suspicious and the cops were called. I guess according from what I heard, a man dressed in black with a gun across the street. It lasted for an hour.

To make matters far more interesting, I was subbing for a teacher in the Special Education Department, who teaches Foundations of World History (or US History, I forgot which one) and Practical Math, which means students who are grades below where they should be. Most of them have other issues too, mostly attitude. This is the same school that a female student threaten me (same class actually, the more I think about it... I do not think she was here today, another story for another day.) Luckily when the school announce over the PA system for the lock down, I had to Para Educators in my room (at least they knew what to do), so we all spent quality time together.

High school students fail to take things like this seriously. To be honest, I wasn't that nervous about it, cops were checking the school within minutes unlocking the lock classroom doors popping in and re-locking. But sitting in the dark and trying to keep high school students quiet with is impossible. Luckily, nothing happened.

I did not sign up to have to experience lock downs, worrying about the safety of my students and myself. Schools are suppose to be safe place, but ever since Columbine and the awareness of sexual predators rose in the 1990s, schools have to prepare for everything and everyone.

Since the Columbine shooting, I have had this recurring dream and the only thing I remember is the following: I am walking down this large hallway, lockers and classrooms are flanking either side of the me and I am running down the hall and there is a shot. I wake up. That did cross my mind today. Being an Educator is not for the weary, or the faint because the greater the chaos in the world, the greater responsibility for the teacher in the classroom protecting, educating and inspiring the students they are responsible for.

Yet, I still sub.

xen

I have come up with a title, all I need are the Stories...

I have finally decided on a good title for the time being for my blogger blog. The only problem is that the year is pretty much over and my subbing stories are in my head with nowhere to go. So I am going to share them here, out of order, but I will place in order later. So, I will post a stories throughout the summer and hopefully be on task the coming fall or whenever I stand infront of students again. Enjoy!

C-Momma, Power Outages & Fires: Part 1

Substitute Teachers want subbing jobs that are more than 1 or 2 days, because the longer they are subbing for the same teacher the more money you make, the likelihood that you will actually get to teach something instead of handing out tests, packets or monitoring computer lab time and it looks good on paper or whatever the list of the school district has on each sub (I am assuming there is one). I also like having the same job more than one day, because it means I will not get woken up in the morning with 30 minutes to get to the school when in reality I need at least 45 minutes.

I had eight days with the same teacher at my favorite local high school. It is my favorite because I have subbed for pretty much every single history teacher, and good portion of the math teachers (against my better judgement, sometimes money before knowledge comes into play) and a handful of other subjects. I sort of live at this school, because the Office Manager loves me and Teachers and support staff say hi to me when they see me. I also finally have a parking permit for that school (I dislike getting parking tickets, not my fault).

AP World History and AP Economics were the subjects for the next 8 days. But for those of you who took AP classes, know that after you take the AP test in early May the rest of the school year in those classes are pretty easy and lax, filled with movies and projects. So, my students mostly were working on projects that were finals and watched documentaries.

The second day (June 1), I received a nickname from my fourth period AP World History: C-Momma. It came out because I said was okay to call me by my first name, which they thought was cool. I really dislike my last name, and students always screw it up. So now I have a nickname that got passed around all the AP World History classes and when I walk the halls of this high school, you will hear "Hi, C-Momma." It will not die, and deep down inside I like it.