When I arrived at school on Friday, I noticed that there weren't very many students waiting to be let in. And I knew.
I had not been on this campus all week, but the other schools were doing state testing. So, what followed wasn't a surprise.
I checked in at the office. Yup, state testing. Yup, the first two hours of the school day were the testing block. And I'd just replace the teacher I was covering. What was Mr. D covering? He was "supervising" a wing of the school, making sure kiddos didn't roam the halls.
Basically what I did on Tuesday (see Wednesday's post), just in a different location. Okay, then...
As you can see from the above photo, I didn't have a lot to do. I had time to take photos of what I was watching.
The first photo was looking to my right. The above photo was looking to my left.
I headed to the location to get the lay of the land. And, as I did on Tuesday, I kept my stuff with me, so I had a computer to keep me entertained. Because I knew.
As I have subbed for most of the teachers in this wing, several of them asked if I needed anything while I was hovering. I explained what I was told, and some nodded in recognition. They had seen Mr. D around. (A couple flat out asked if I was Mr. D's sub.)
Ms. B, whose door is the second door past the trash can, offered me a chair and table. Which I happily took.
That was the view ahead of me. And the window to the classroom where Ms. B, math teacher, was. (The Ms. B who gave me the chair is an English teacher.) We talked for a bit. She was bored, as her class only had three students. This Friday was the makeup day for the students who missed the rest of the week. So, not only were we just down to the students that were testing (not all the grades), we were down to the students who hadn't been in at some point during the week.
The above corridor leads to the bathrooms. A student here, a student there, would walk along occasionally. But they did not need a hall monitor. Not on this day.
Notice that the shadow is kind of faint. The sun did come out, and I was right in it, so about halfway through the testing block, I moved. To that corner of the building. And then my view became...
Now you can see the corner of the building where I was.
People did stroll through. Teachers. Security came by on their golf carts several times. Students to and from the bathroom. Late students. The assistant principal even passed through at one point. But my presence really wasn't needed.
If I commented on your blog last Friday (O-day) between 8:30 and 10:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time, this is where I was.
Some days are like that. But hey, I got paid for it.
Now, how am I going to make this fit U? You already know, but I don't. Yet. Hmm...
Does this sound like your dream job or your worst nightmare? Did I comment on your blog while I was out there?
Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter...
Not my dream job because I would get wicked bored if this was the entirety of my days. But, occasionally? Yeah, give me some of that.
ReplyDeleteI have to say, I would much rather be busy than hovering in a hallway for two hours. Between the faint sun and the occasional golf cart passing by, it is impressive you managed to stay focused enough to leave comments on blogs. Getting paid to "dilly dally" with your laptop sounds like a dream until about the forty-five-minute mark, when the silence starts to feel a bit heavy. I am curious, did you ever find a way to make that day fit the letter U for the challenge?
ReplyDeleteYou are invited to visit the latest update on the blog at https://www.melodyjacob.com/
Yeah, this post has a U title.
DeleteI'm not good at these kinds of duties--where I'm not really occupied and also not really free. Makes me antsy. But it's good to focus on the positives. @samanthabwriter from
ReplyDeleteBalancing Act
Nice to have an easy day from time to time, especially if you have your laptop to keep you occupied. But I don't like to have too many days like this.
ReplyDeleteAgree that once in a while it’s nice to have a light day, but generally I feel better when I get stuff done!
ReplyDeleteYes, you commented on my blog on "O" day and now I know the long story you were alluding to. I don't deal well with work boredom, maybe because I've entered the "life is too short for X" phase of life.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I was happy it's April.
DeleteI am surprised it's such a dismal looking place! No sign of greenery or planters. I suppose the job would be find once in a while, but not daily. It must be like being security for an abandoned location, or at night when one is closed.
ReplyDeleteThat spot is pretty dismal. This was an add on area when they had more students than classrooms. Not to worry, go more towards the center of campus and things perk up.
DeleteNo offense, but that is one ugly school. Looks like a prison barracks.
ReplyDeleteMy thoughts exactly. lol I half expected to see a guard tower, though it's probably the next step in school security. And perhaps not a bad idea, sad to say. Be well!
DeleteYeah, that wing is pretty barren. That's a small sliver of the campus, though.
DeleteSort of look like the our old middle school, in my community.
ReplyDeleteSchools look a lot alike.
DeleteSuch a quiet first part of the day for you, eh? Mrs. B., the chair and table-giver, is a peach.
ReplyDeleteShe is. I've subbed for many of those teachers, and funnily enough, I subbed for the math Ms. B on Thursday (although, this won't make the blog as it was a dull day indeed).
DeleteI remember taking those tests. They'd be all about the importance of breakfast and hydration. Then, once everyone had eaten and drank lots of water... test time, and no bathroom break! Oh yeah, that was great. There was a whole crisis where an actual State Trooper was called in (lights and sirens, because that's not distracting at all), because the class I was assigned to, a girl vomited. And the room had to be evacuated. And the State Trooper 👮had to make sure the tests were carried to the next room and the timer reset. There were a dozen other adults, too, all fretting about this.
ReplyDeleteYeah, be glad you got to just be slightly bored. 😅
So many schools look alike.
ReplyDeleteThat they do.
DeleteAn easy day isn’t a bad thing
ReplyDeleteNo, not bad at all.
Deletesounds like a nightmare. i can't stand being idle or bored. when i have slow days at work i think I'm insufferable to my co-workers.
ReplyDeleteThis is why I have my computer, and since it's April, I was able to get through all my visiting before the official school day began.
DeleteYou have visited me lots, so likely an "O" day. My worse temp job, the only one I got sent back home on was a job at a law firm. The person to show me the ropes wasn't there. "Sit at this desk. Don't touch anything." I wasn't allowed on the computer. I wasn't allowed to look at the desk. I wasn't allowed to familiarize myself with the area. I couldn't act as backup to the receptionist or help her. The person whose project I was to do would get there "any moment." This being a lawyer place, I couldn't read a book and this is pre-phone everything days. I couldn't even write because not allow to touch the pen and paper. I had to sit and do nothing - when I broke for lunch I said, "I've been here the required four hours once you bring in a temp. If the trainer isn't going to be here today, you could send me home and save yourselves money." ... I got a phone call from my firm during lunch saying that they didn't want me back and to send them someone with an actual work ethic. Now I had been with the company over two years, so they KNEW what I could do, that is why they sent me to the law firm in the first place so "what is the problem?" I described my morning - I also said "business casual" at that office (which was how I was told to dress) was a suit and tie. The firm thanked me for the information, sent someone else the next day and I got a different assignment. Like you, I am perfectly capable of entertaining myself, but there were absolutely no options. I had tried to open the pen drawer when I sat down and they specifically told me not.to.touch.anything.
ReplyDeleteOh man, that sucks. I would have gone out of my mind like that.
DeleteSounds like a nightmare for someone who can't sit still...
ReplyDeleteRonel at Ronel the Mythmaker
Well, actually, I was supposed to be "patrolling"... Pacing those halls for two hours, though? I preferred to sit, but I could have easily made it a two hour pacing workout.
Delete