Friday, November 14, 2014

A Roving Day, Part 2


I tend to pick and choose amongst my days, highlighting the "best" incidents from my week. Subbing is a very variable gig, and today I thought I'd show a not-so-typical-but-kind-of-indicative day--my one day roving to different classes all day. Because this has gotten rather long, I've broken it up into two parts.

Yesterday I left off with my not looking forward to 4th period. Because it was PE.

I don't voluntarily take PE gigs.

They're not really bad days, or so I'm told. But I avoid them because
  • They take place outside
  • In the sun
  • Where I have a tendency to burn (I have very fair skin)
  • And I'm never sure where to go, what to do, etc...
I do get sent to cover the occasional extra period outside, though.

The teacher was there to give me the rundown before he left. He even gave me a student to act as my "assistant coach". But the class was on sub behavior, and another student attempted to take over (when I indicated my "assistant coach" was to do the warm up, he still tried to lead it).

Somehow we got to their activity. They were to run around the baseball field, do 5 sit ups and 5 push ups, and then give me their numbers so I could record it. Then they'd repeat. In all, their goal was 5 laps, 25 sit ups, and 25 push ups.

My assistant was great, making sure no one neglected their push ups or sit ups while I got bogged down recording numbers as students passed. (I learned later that this student had certain issues which was why the teacher singled her out to help me. It kept her involved in the class.)

The student who tried to take over? He noticed I had circled his number on the tally sheet, and he kept asking why (while I took down a dozen numbers as the students passed. I was not about to stop and explain and make the others wait, but he kept pestering until he finally got me at a lull between rushes).

I was sweaty and pink by 5th period. And looking forward to sitting in a cool classroom. For 5th period was a math class. Special ed, but RSP special ed, so more like a regular algebra 1 class, only with fewer students.

Only I get to class to have the teacher explain that they were doing an outside activity.

Internal groan. (I plastered a pleasant expression on my face, though.)

It was a good day for it, though. Yes, it's November, but our high was in the 80s (Fahrenheit), and it was sunny and nice out. (The nights have been cool.)

I remained in the shade while the class took five two-footed jumps apiece and wrote down how far they'd flown. Later they'd take this data and construct graphs from it. Mr. L explained that this good group could do this assignment with a sub. His other classes wouldn't have been able to handle it. And he was right, they did very well, and they took down their data easily.

Then I had one more period to go. I arrived to 6th period a little early only to surprise the teacher. I explained that I'd been roving, and he told me he hadn't been notified, his email was down, and he couldn't be out of class as they had a test the next day.

Okay, then.

I went to the office to explain the situation. Phone calls were exchanged. Ten minutes later I was sent back...

Roving days. Always an adventure.

13 comments:

  1. PE is nothing but child abuse. My body aches just reading that.

    Funny that the teacher didn't know he was having a sub.

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  2. I live in the dry tropics. Humidity is 80% in Summer and the average temp is 31 C, that's 90 degrees Fahrenheit in U.S. speak. Even doing a lunchtime duty on the oval at 1:00pm for 30 minutes kills me. You have my sympathy on the sport thing Liz :) I hate it!

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    Replies
    1. We weren't quite that hot, nor do we generally have such high humidity (although lately we've had some days where we were whining due to higher than normal humidity, but not that day), but I thank you for your sympathy all the same.

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  3. Oh it was snowing here yesterday:) Today it is a balmy -2C and I cleaned & had the windows open to bring in the fresh air. I remember those days, having to run and do those sit-ups and push-ups and hated it! I know now why I could never do it well but back then-no idea. Weird that the teacher didn't know..I agree with J E Oneil

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  4. PE was never my favorite class when I was in high school. I always dreaded that period of time. Not spots inclined here, LOL :)

    At least your roving day had you staying at the same school, right?

    betty

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  5. Oh, I wouldn't like that at all. Here in So. Cal. is very warm as well, and PE is, sometimes, just an excuse for the kids to get wild. To drive the poor teacher crazy. You are braver and stronger than I'll ever be.

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    1. I'm in SoCal, too. So, you know what weather I'm talking about...

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  6. Sounds like a day that flew by quickly, at least. I would probably want to avoid PE, as well. I didn't even like it when I was in school!!! I don't like sweating unless I can take a shower afterward.

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    Replies
    1. Yep, PE was not my favorite class in school. Which is why I did marching band...

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  7. I wish we had 80 degree weather here. It got down to 16 degrees last night, and the place I'm visiting next week (my parents for Thanksgiving) got down to 4 degrees! That's too cold.

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  8. Yup it's 19°F here but that's actually easier for me to handle than 80°F since I have heat sensitivity from MS... I've always burned very easily so I don't leave the house without sunscreen. PE was my absolutely least favorite class in school. This sounds like a horrible day!

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