Fifth period. I was covering the special ed teacher (Ms. A) of a co-taught seventh grade math class.
The bell rang. The general ed teacher, Ms. M, gave instructions. The students logged into Quizizz where they had questions to answer.
Nash rolled in. Ms. A's first period was seventh grade English which also had Nash as a student. The first period general ed English teacher warned me about Nash, and I spent much of first period hovering over him, trying to get him to do some work. (I failed.)
So, I knew where I was going to be. I had to tell Nash three times to get a computer for the assignment. Then I waited while he took his time logging into the Quizizz. (He was late to class. The other students were already on task.)
Then the class' phone rang. I was on the other side of the room, so Ms. M picked up the phone.
It was for me. The secretary was pulling me from the class and sending me to cover a different class entirely.
Classes that are co-taught have the two teachers so that the special ed students can get the help they need while they are in a general ed class. I'm there for extra support. I'm actually covering for a teacher. But when there's a class with no teacher...
I grabbed my stuff and headed out. I found the class standing outside, waiting. Security arrived at about the same time, and he unlocked the door and let us in.
It was an intensive ELD (English language development) class. They had bookwork which they got right to. This was all pretty impressive considering that they were a middle school group that had been stuck outside for several minutes waiting for someone to arrive.
I wondered what had happened. Had the teacher suddenly taken ill?
We got through class. It went well.
Then it was time for me to check out for the day, and I learned why they had to scramble for coverage.
What the schools are doing now is giving the teachers a spreadsheet of the periods they need coverage for. The teachers sign up to cover those extra periods. (They get paid extra for it.)
The class actually had had another teacher sign up to cover, but that teacher had to cancel at the last minute.
I am no stranger to last minute changes. It is kind of part of the job.
Oh yes, you always have to be flexible in school. The ability to adapt is vital. It's nice how ELD class got right to work, especially given the age group.
ReplyDeleteYou just have to roll with it.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I'm well aware.
DeleteSchool is so incredibly different now than what it was from when I attended. I wonder why they (the people in charge) felt like they needed to make so many changes. Around here, charter schools and private schools are sucking away all of the money from public schools. And they brand themselves so that they can disguise their true mission: to teach whatever agenda they want to push as opposed to teaching people things that everyone should know. In my state, religion rules everything, so they are pushing a lot of religion and religious thought and using a religious filter for everything in these "private" schools.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what state you live in, but in any I've lived Charter schools are public schools. They have a charter with the state, but still have the same standards to meet, and testing requirements. They do have public school funding. Private schools are something different, and do not use public funds. The ones in states I am aware of can teach whatever they want. So, they are taking money from public schools in that the students aren't attending public schools. Then, there are the states that register home schools as private schools.
DeleteMichael's in Utah.
DeleteWouldn't it be nice if teachers didn't need to sign up for extra pay? It sounds like your second assignment turned out easier on you.
ReplyDeleteIt's kind of overtime for teachers. They need coverage for those classes. They don't have enough subs to cover them. (We get paid extra too, but on this day it was not an extra period, so I didn't get the extra hour. That's okay as I got to go home early.)
Delete"Last minute changes" does seem like it's on the first line of a sub's job description.
ReplyDeleteSounds like an "upgrade" from the class you had been on with Nash.
ReplyDeleteAJ Blythe ... hopefully I'll start remembering I have to sign in every time soon
DeleteIt was so much easier than dealing with Nash.
DeleteLittle extra never hurts
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on and stay safe
Bouncing around at the last min would drive me nuts.
ReplyDeleteIt's the job. I would have found something else long ago if things like this bothered me.
DeleteI would not like bouncing from. One class to another. At least this class liked to do the work
ReplyDeleteIt's part of the job. I rather like doing different things.
DeleteYou are very flexible and must have a lot of kid skills to navigate all those young personalities.
ReplyDeleteOh, I don't know about that. I blunder about most days.
DeleteVariety is good, for sure. Not many jobs offer that.
ReplyDeleteIt's one of the perks.
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