A Smooth Transition 13

It was one of those weeks...

Well, yeah, I do mean that, but really what I'm talking about is work--the substitute teaching of it all. And luckily, it wasn't a bad week, which I kind of needed with the state of the U.S. and all.

It was one of those weeks where I don't really have any good stories for the blog. This is good for my mental health, but not so much for the blog. Which makes it a good time to do a Thursday 13. (The "smooth transition" is number nine.)

1. "Puppies with hormones." That's how my fellow sub co-teacher referred to seventh graders, and I find the description apt.

2. That was Tuesday. It was a co-taught eighth grade English class where both teachers were out. (It was "collaborative scoring" which meant all the eighth grade teachers in the district were at the district office reading student essays. It's the best time of year for subs as we have plenty of work those days.)

3. Tuesday's classes were challenging. But we had an easy lesson plan. They were watching The Birds. Yes, the Alfred Hitchcock film. The class has a unit on suspense where they read excerpts from Cujo and they had just finished reading "The Tell-Tale Heart". 

4. Wednesday I was at a different middle school but I again had eighth grade English. Same reason. And I again, I was in co-taught classes with another sub. Alas, this sub wasn't as helpful as the co-teacher I had the previous day.

5. At least the classes weren't terrible. (Not that Tuesday's classes were "terrible". Just "challenging".) I'll talk a bit more about Ms. N tomorrow.

6. Thursday I ended up in a Spanish class. The teacher was chaperoning a field trip that was supposed to take place the previous week. But it got postponed due to the Dodgers. 

The field trip was to a Day of the Dead celebration in L.A. But when the Dodgers won the World Series, they got a parade and celebration in the city. That fell on the Day of the Dead celebration. So, the Day of the Dead celebration got postponed. 

7. The Spanish classroom was opposite the classroom where I covered that seventh grade science class at the beginning of the school year. (So, if the science classroom had been room 101, the Spanish classroom was in room 102.) I could wave to Mr. H from the door (and, in fact, I did). 

8. And between those classes (in the equivalent of room 122) was the history classroom I had covered a couple weeks back. Which also had a sub covering. Who I know. It was a big sub day. 

9. The students were so excited when someone mentioned seeing Ms. S over in the science classroom. Because, this happened to be the day of transition. Mr. H had finished his thirty days as the long-term sub, and the next one was due to begin. 

Before I left that gig, Ms. W had lined up the third sub for the class, and it was an English teacher who had retired at the end of the last school year. So, when the students were ready to descend on the class, I let them know that Ms. S would be there for the next six weeks (thirty school days), and they could say hi at any time. 

10. I had subbed for Ms. S several times, and in fact, a couple times last semester. 

11. Friday I had a ninth grade English class. For another teacher I have subbed for in the past (but had not this school year until then). 

12. Fourth period was really happy to see a sub. Although, they won't be so happy when she returns, as several of them wasted the period, and I left names. 

13. What was their lesson plan? They were prepping to write their essay. (That is, they were reading the articles that they would use as their sources for the essay they would write the next week.) This would be the essay that the ninth grade English teachers will then all score at the district office at some time after. And we subs will again all have a day of work covering those classes. The cycle begins again.