substitute teaching

[marathoner452]

This week as a substitute teacher I spent one day in 3rd grade, 1/2 a day in high school gym (which if you knew me in high school is pretty funny), one day in 6th grade math, and one day in kindergarten. Kindergarten kids are so cute.

Next week I'll be in high school social studies, which is more my thing than, say, gym class, given that my degree is in history and all.

Then last week I spent one day as a one-on-one elementary assistant, 1/2 a day in 5th grade, and one day as an art teacher for severely handicapped kids. We made collages out of feathers and construction paper. It was quite an eye-opening experience.

By the end of my 3 hours in 5th grade the kids were fighting with paper swords and walking sticks and we had just about given up on actually getting any work done. Yesterday in 6th grade math all I had to do was give a 2-part test, but after most of the kids in last period were done I made the mistake of telling one of them that he could make a paper airplane as long as he didn't throw it at anyone. He interpreted that literally and flew it across the room-"but I wasn't throwing it at anyone." So no more airplanes in my classroom.

Being a substitute teacher is never boring. Remember how you treated substitute teachers?

~Bethany

Comments

[princessloxy.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a barrel of laughs!
I wonder what next week has in store for you?!
A food fight perhaps?
Haha

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I'm actually surprised that didn't happen in the 5th grade classroom. The only reason it didn't, probably, was because the kids didn't have any food to fight with.

Welcome to my journal. I don't post as often as I would like to and a lot of it is just a running log, but enjoy.

~Bethany

[checkout-bound.livejournal.com]

Oh my. That made me laugh. Yes...it wasn't too long ago for me, I hate to admit. I always felt bad for them.

It actually sounds really fun though, and I know I'm going to have to go through it too at some point.

Here's to teaching.

~Megan

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I loved it when the teacher didn't tell me anything about her discipline policy, then the good kids proceeded to tell me about several conflicting discipline policies. Something having to do with a jar of marbles. Except by that point I didn't even know who the good kids were anymore and just wanted to get home.

I've learned not to be too nice. Especially with 5th graders.

~Bethany

[bohemiangel.livejournal.com]

I completely admire you being a substitute teacher. I know how difficult the kids at my school make it for sub teachers.

I always try and make time to chat to the subs that come in to my school and make them a cup of tea if they need it because I really feel for them.

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

More teachers should do that. What's really tough is that it's not your classroom so you don't know how things are supposed to work. And the older kids are, the more they try to take advantage of you and play the system.

~Bethany

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

The one thing I've learned just from observing, watching, and listening both as a student and as a potential teacher/coach: stand your ground. And remember that a classroom isn't a democracy. :-)

~Adam

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

The 6th graders who wrote me notes would agree with you. I'm learning to be tougher and less nice each time I'm in charge of a classroom.

What I found amusing about those notes was that the kids must have been in several different classrooms at once-some said I was too loud, others too quiet. Some said I helped them just enough, some not enough (and that's why it's called a test, after all). They all seemed to agree that I'm too nice though. Next time, I start giving out detention.

Kindergarteners are much cuter. They don't try to throw paper airplanes.

~Bethany

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

The thing I liked about college was that our professors wanted regular feedback from us. They took criticism as part of the course, because they want to be able to work with the students as much as possible.

Detention Nazi! (I'm gonna start calling you that the next time you tell a story about giving detention.) :-)

Littles are still my favorites, though they're handfuls and hard to manage sometimes. I could do kindergarten.

~Adam

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking I could too. That or special education. So I think from here on out I'm going to try for younger grades or assistant positions.

~BEthany

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

And usually with little kids if you tell them not to do something they stop doing it. They're not savvy enough yet to try and play the system.

~Bethany

[roadwarrior220.livejournal.com]

As much as we both know that you love intelligent thought, I really see you as more of a motherly-type teacher, i.e. a kindergarten or elementary school teacher. You have that natural patience, compassion, enthusiasm, and joy that can only be contagious, and especially with the young ones. :-)

~Adam

[marathoner452.livejournal.com]

Yeah, like I keep saying I don't have enough of an evil eye for middle/high school.

Thanks.

~Bethany