The Substitute

I'm really thinking about making an anonymous blog about my subbing adventures. But then again - I hardly keep this one up and if I am going to keep subbing will I have time for both?

Today was a crazy day subbing. First off I was asked to teach math. I know NOTHING about math. I said yes with the assumption that there would be lesson plans and that everything would be fine. WRONG! No plans. I was teaching remedial math and there were teachers aids in each of those classes. You would think this would be helpful but they didn't have any great ideas either. Fortunately one student in one class said something about a workbook. Ding ding ding - workbook it is. The next class the TA took over. Something about 3 adults sitting in the room while a 16 year old goes over a previous assignments and leads them in to completing the homework. The 4th class? We did NOTHING. The parapros said that is basically what they do everyday anyway. Really?

At the end of those classes the teacher came in and I let her know what we did with no plan. She argued that she had left them. She blamed the administration who, while teachers are taking pay cuts, are making all the money! What? You really can't tell me the substitute coordination secretary is making $$. I've seen district pay scales. She finally FOUND her lesson plans that she saved under the wrong name and admitted she sent ones from last week instead. We won't talk about the fact she was at a meeting the parapros all thought she should have opted out of when it was known that district wide we were low on subs. Oh well!

I ended the day with 2 Algebra2 classes. I barely made it through algebra so I was not much help but they all got their assignments.

The biggest thing of the day was the fact that I am SO thankful for friends who are willing to jump in and help out with my kids on a moments notice. Nothing like telling kids they can't have cell phones out while I'm texting and making calls to ensure my kid isn't stranded at school. Tomorrow - house keys will be made for the little latch key kids. ;)