Finally!

Not to knock anyone, but -- aw heck, no one I'm talking about will ever read this, so I'll knock and knock hard: there are some lousy, awful substitute teachers out there!  One of the reasons I got into this gig was the subs I saw (or didn't saw, many never bothered to show up for their assignments) at my sons' school. I thought Hey, I could do a better job than that!  I can hang out with kids, leave work in the afternoon, and have weekends and holidays off -- and no folding shirts!*

Not only could I do that, but I also knew I could teach those kids something, even if I had to make it up as I went along or simply read the text book with them, which was the reason they were there IN SCHOOL in the first place!  Some subs seem to think students never get to see movies at home or get to talk to their friends, poor things...

Anyway, the point of the post was to be "Finally" ...after volunteering, observations, college degree, waiting, pink slips and budget cuts, more volunteering and observations, I am finally able to be a Substitute at my sons' school.  It seems every district in the County had jobs for me but this one, and I was waaaaaaay down on the seniority list, but now I have had several jobs at various grade levels and should be able to work some on into July.

And my 3rd grader comes and eats lunch with me. : )


* I was a sales manager for Robinson's May/Macy's and have folded more shirts in a day than most people will in a lifetime... I am not proud of this fact, although I am a damn good shirt folder.

One of those days...

I know they're just 6th graders, but do they have to be such... 6th graders?!?!?

I was looking forward today too -- the boys' school, Science and English periods, figurative language  (onomatopoeia! alliteration!) -- but it's so hard to teach while repeatedly saying "Shhhh!"

B22

what not to think, or if the thought occurs, what not to say, when teaching:

How could you not get this?!?

I assume parents and administrators frown on that type of comment directed towards students...

It seems we have done several lessons twice, in part because the explanation was not clear (clearly made or clearly received?) or the students became totally off track (poor instruction or poor understanding?) -- make sure the vocabulary and examples of the lecture/lesson/class practice match the text/worksheet/homework... if I use certain phrases or strategies in the lesson it needs to transfer directly to student independent work, they shouldn't see anything new/different when doing the assignment

B22

Why does C. act the way he does?

from my lecture notes: "repeated behavior (classroom disruptions, attention seeking) has a motivation (find it!) and reinforcement (stop it!)"

So when I have a student like C* with repeated attention-seeking behaviors, I need to find his motivation -- why is he doing it, what is he getting out of it? What is he seeing, and where does he see it, that tells him his behavior is ok?

*side note re part of the problem: his Mom uses this phrase, 30 seconds after meeting me for the first time, regarding her son -- "spawn of satan" -- should I be worried? should I be extra careful not to piss off his Dad?