Free Computer Time

Last Monday, I did not expect to get a call. Last school year, I had most Mondays off. But I was not about to turn down the assignment. Even if it was economics.

(I'm fairly comfortable with most high school subjects. Economics is not one of those.)

I got to class, and the teacher had left me nothing. As panic set in, I reminded myself of my own advice. I know of this teacher, and he was not the type to leave a sub hanging. The lesson plans were going to show up.

(I'm writing a book on subbing. I figured, why not? And my advice on finding no lesson plans is to not panic as most of the time the teacher will find a way to get the plans to the sub.)

Then the phone rang.

Turns out, the students were finishing up their stocks project. They were making charts, and they had time booked in the computer lab. Score! Easy day for me.

I know enough about computers to fake it most of the time. And the teacher told me that detailed instructions were on his website. I figured I had enough information for the day. The biggest concern was to make sure the students weren't goofing off online. The teacher said that any students who finished their project could do his online homework, so they should have had plenty to do.

Of course, some managed to finish everything and have time to spare.

I expected them to get onto inappropriate websites. Instead, several checked their grades (the school has an online system for grades now). A couple found video of the last varsity football game (I assume they were football players). The rest ended up on college websites.

It's November. They're seniors. It's college application time. And they're feeling the crunch.

Some worked on online applications. Some checked out various programs at the colleges. Some logged off the computers and worked on other homework.

I had nothing to complain about.