Before I headed out to the classroom, I asked the secretary if the teacher had emailed her lesson plans. Some days I know that the teacher called out that morning. Like, when I get the call pretty late...
Nope, there were no emailed lesson plans. So, fingers crossed, I headed for the classroom.
(This teacher has been out quite a bit this year, and on a previous occasion I had encountered no lesson plans, so that's why I was cautious.)
And, sure enough, there were no lesson plans.
I looked everywhere first. Then, I called the secretary back. Nope, nothing since I was just there. Not that I really expected anything, but I had to try.
The secretary gave me the number for the department chair as she might know something. I figured it couldn't hurt, so I called her. The department chair said she'd contact the teacher to see what the teacher wanted her classes to do. So I waited...
Then class started.
Seniors. English. AP. I wasn't really worried about them. They'd taken their AP test recently, so I was totally down with them having a free day. (I was more worried about the 11th graders coming in the class after them.) But, it turns out I worried for nothing.
The first girl to walk in was looking at her phone. Her teacher had texted the entire class. (They have things like Remind 101 so the teacher can communicate with them.) With their assignment for the day.
Whew.
(Although, just a simple email to me, the sub, saying, "I texted them their assignment for the day," would have been nice...)
The department chair got back to me towards the end of the following period. (The teacher had just gotten back to her.) With the information that their assignment for the day was on the computers.
Uh huh. Great.
Perhaps I shouldn't have panicked. But, I have been in situations in which I had no lesson plans with classes that went a little wild while I was trying to find something for them to do. So, yeah.
I'm glad it all worked out. It turned out to be a very easy day. After the fright right after I got there.
It use to be in Idaho that if a sub have to do planning for class the pay rate was higher. Is it like that there?
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Nope. Subs only make more if it's a long term thing.
DeleteWow. Bad show on the teacher. It shouldn't be a trickle up situation like that.
ReplyDeleteIt usually isn't. Even when it's a computer thing, the teacher usually gives me a heads up.
DeleteFunny that the students all had the assignments, but the person in charge of the classes was left out of the loop. Glad it turned out to be an easy day, after all that!
ReplyDeleteSo funny with technology these days that the teacher would text the lessons to the class. Of course, obviously, it would have been nice for that information to be somehow given to you as the sub. But all in all, at least it did work out!
ReplyDeletebetty
Yeah, you would think the teacher would've let you know!
ReplyDeleteGlad it worked out. Trying to organise a class of kids with no preparation doesn't sound like fun!
ReplyDeleteYeah, glad the teacher gave them an assignment.
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend retired from his job as a special ed/ social studies teacher and he's now working as a permanent sub. One reason he retired was to avoid having paperwork, like lesson plans, IEP's and having to grade papers. Well, the laugh is on him -- one of the special ed teachers will be out for the rest of the year, and now he's teaching science in an inclusion class...he has to grade papers ...
Ah yes, the joys of the long-term assignment...
DeleteOh no! I'm so glad you didn't have to find something for them to do, but it would've been nice if you didn't have to find out what she'd done from the students!
ReplyDeleteYeah, it would have. At least they did have something to do.
DeleteHannah was AP English this year. They would not have dared not do something the teacher would approve of! They have reverence for this woman. Many of her teachers use texts to communicate with them. And her clubs also. A real shame no effort was made to let her sub in on the way things were to be handled. Loved your gifs!
ReplyDeleteFaith: #TheWordonWords at Life & Faith in Caneyhead.
I guess it's good that they got their assignment, but yeah, a heads up would have been courteous! :)
ReplyDeleteGlad it worked out but how frustrating!!
ReplyDeleteYeah, me too.
DeleteIt's only common courtesy for the teacher to inform you. I will give her the benefit of the doubt that she is ill and was unsure who would be subbing for her.
ReplyDelete(As this wasn't the first time...)
DeleteI would have panicked, for sure. I'm glad it worked out.
ReplyDeleteMe too.
Delete~hugs~
DeleteI would have been a mess myself but with that said, no lesson plan, let them have a free day.
ReplyDeleteOh no. I mean, it depends on the class. But usually "free day" means chaos.
DeleteImagine a loud class with kiddos getting into everything. There was even one time where I ended up having to call security because some girl's fundraising money got stolen. The entire class was late to their next period while we tracked down her money.
Yeah, free days are a no go. Very rare instances where those days don't end with a trashed room and frayed nerves.
Never, ever, allow a free day. All hell can and will break loose. Teacher came through, tho. Phew.
ReplyDeleteOh, I know the horrors of a free day. I had no problem with the AP kids having one (at this time of year, they need it), but the other classes... Absolutely not!
DeleteWith no lesson plans in sight "Silent Ball" was a great go to for me, at least for 15 minutes, depending on the age of course.
ReplyDeleteI thought that was an elementary game. How is it played?
Delete*hangs head*
ReplyDeleteHi Liz - it'd have been easier (and politer) to know ... but at least all was well ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDelete