Wednesday. The lesson was "Using Active Listening". Of which they were not.
The day was chaotic. I had students throwing things at each other. I had students talking over me while I tried to go over the lesson. As soon as the parts of the slideshow with videos in them would start, they would pull out their phones and ignore the screen.
I put on slides what I wanted them to write down in their notebooks. Many of them weren't bothering.
I was happy to get to the end of the lesson.
It was the end of fourth period. The bell rang, and students were leaving.
That's when Martin found her airpods missing.
Uh...
There was nothing I could do. I would have had to call security while making sure no students left the room. And with these students, that would have meant me standing in front of the door as some would have just left even if I told them to stay. (The phone was on the other side of the room.)
Martin, understandably, was upset. She hadn't left her desk at all, and the airpods had been sitting next to her.
This is why chaotic classes are bad news.
But I couldn't stop. I had to prepare for the incoming sixth period, which was a worse class than fourth. (We're on a block schedule.)
I was completely powerless to do anything.
It's not a good feeling.
Sixth period, as expected, was way worse than fourth. (Although, no belongings went missing.) I got a call part way into the period.
Martin never made it to her sixth period class. (Nor did she make it to school on Friday.)
Deep sigh. Days like these remind me why I don't do long term assignments. It's time to go back to just day-to-day subbing.
Ugh, I hope you don't have too many of these nightmarish days as long as you are at this assignment.
ReplyDeleteI'm out. This assignment ended last Friday.
DeleteSounds like hell.
ReplyDeleteIt was a long four weeks.
DeleteI would be taking all their cell phones away unless needed for an assignment. They would get it back when class ended. I would hate doing your job.
ReplyDeleteAnd they generally don't need their cell phones for the assignments. If I had my own classroom (and I definitely don't want my own classroom), there would be a no cell phone rule. There are pocket thingies that they could leave the phones in. I would have one of those.
DeleteBut, when I'm covering another teacher's class, I have to make do with what routines they have in place. For this class, starting a cell phone collection policy would have been too hard to implement.
Being in school is like being in prison. Always keep an eye on your belongings.
ReplyDeleteHi Liz - I hope you can get back to day-to-day subbing, so eliminating some of the hassle - a nightmare ... have a good weekend - cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteAt my daughters’ school the students were not permitted to use their phones. The phones had to remain in pocket or purse.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter was in an assembly and was looking at her best friend’s brand new phone when the assistant principal walked by.
The top drawer of his secretary’s desk was almost completely filled with confiscated phones. I had to retrieve the friend’s phone from the AP and was amazed by what was in that desk.
I feel for you, Liz.
ReplyDelete