A School Is a Small World

When I arrived at school on Wednesday, Allie, the secretary I check in with, was assigning the sub in front of me an extra period. So, when it was my turn, I asked if she needed me to cover a class for my prep that day. She did. She assigned me to the AP Environmental Science class. 

My prep period that day was the class after snack. At snack I first headed for the restroom. While I waited, another teacher arrived. Ms. K. The teacher I was scheduled to cover the next day. Before I could say something, Ms. K noticed the restroom line and decided to go and find another restroom. 

Allie had said to call her at the end of snack so she could call security to open the classroom door for me, but the classroom I was going to be in was in the STEAM building. I had covered a couple classes over the last month or so in there, and I had noticed that the building has its own security staff. I figured I'd find him and if I couldn't, then I'd call. 

On my way to the STEAM building, I passed Mr. T, the teacher I was going to be subbing for. I was going to say something, but he was talking to two students and heading the opposite direction. I decided against, and I headed inside. 

I found security talking to a group of students. When he spotted me, he asked me if I needed something. I explained that I was period subbing, and I asked if he could let me in the classroom. He did. And I had a couple minutes before the end of snack to eat the muffin I had brought with me.

The bell rang. I opened the door to start letting kiddos in the room. Who was outside? Mr. T. 

The students questioned why there was a sub and the teacher. Mr. T told them he had a doctor's appointment. Mr. T briefly went over the lesson plan (which wasn't necessary as he had left written lesson plans on his desk), and he asked if I would do a task that he had only just gotten an email about. 

The AP test was to start the next week. (As you read this, the AP tests have started and will continue through next week.) They asked that the students each fill out an index card with their name, student ID number, College Board username and password. Because apparently students don't all remember it, and rather than having to look it up for them (as they have in previous years), they'll have it available. 

Mr. T left. Class started. I passed out the index cards and explained. They had done this last year, so the students knew what to do. I collected the cards back, and then they started on the lesson for the day (studying for the AP test). 

Realizing that I now I didn't have to call roll, I alphabetized the cards, and then I compared them to the roll. I called the name of the missing student. Somehow he had not gotten an index card. Sigh. 

(I passed out the cards and then asked out loud if I missed anyone. Grrrr.) 

Mr. T had printed out the email, so I saw that the cards needed to be returned to Allie. Who is the secretary who checks in us subs. And checks us out. Who I would have to see when I left for the day anyway. I left this info in the note I left for Mr. T. 

At the end of class, I grabbed my stuff and was almost out the door when I came across two students waiting to get in for the next period. I knew the next class would also be period subbed. Because the school is on a two-lunch schedule, and my lunch was next, I had time to let the kiddos in while I waited for the next sub. So, I did. 

The bell rang to start class. No period sub. Before I had a chance to ponder that, the next period's sub arrived, just a touch after the bell. Ms. K. The teacher I was covering the next day. 

(She was grateful I was there as she would have had to find security to let her in. While the class waited outside. After the bell.) 

Again, I didn't have a chance to mention I'd be subbing for her as class had started and the room was full. I told her the lesson plans were on the teacher's desk, that the biology class had a test, and I headed out to my lunch. 

I passed the main office on my way to the classroom I would be in for the rest of the day. Or, I could go through the office... 

I went to Allie's desk. I gave her the index cards. She deposited them into whatever basket she had for that purpose. And then I headed to the teacher's lounge to eat my lunch. 

I've been around long enough to know the various teachers and where things are and how things work. Sometimes I can even make use of that knowledge. 

Downwind

Friday. Sophomore math. Second period. (Yup, them again.) 

Mr. Y was going over the day's notes (this day's discussion was about parallel lines cut by a transversal) when a terrible smell drifted in the room. 

Teenagers and terrible smells don't go well together. They react. Strongly. And complain. Loudly. 

When I am the only teacher in the room, this situation can devolve quickly. But luckily, this class was co-taught with a teacher they like. And still, the kiddos acted as if they were being poisoned. 

One of the boys opined that it smelled like someone had set off a fart bomb. Then the boys accused each other of doing that deed. Mr. Y and I both attested that no one in that room had set off any sort of stink bomb. 

There are days when things are chaotic enough that someone could sneak something like that by. This class at that point in the period? No. The class was way too calm. We would have noticed. 

Mr. Y continued on with his lesson even while a bunch of students made a lot of noise in the halls outside. Even while the kiddos in class whined and complained. I mean, the smell was bad, but not unbearable. And I'm pretty sensitive to smell. 

One of the custodians walked by. He set up a big fan outside. Then, Ms. P (another math teacher who I have subbed for a few times in the past) popped her head in. Her classroom was above ours. 

The smell was so bad in Ms. P's classroom that she had removed her class to work elsewhere. The custodian returned, and he confirmed what the boys had guessed. Someone had set off a stink bomb in the building. 

Eventually, Mr. Y finished with the notes portion of the class. Then it was time for the students to practice. I passed out the worksheet, and then I commented to Mr. Y that perhaps now was a good time to go outside. While he was giving notes, we needed the screen so the kiddos could see the examples. But now they had the notes, and they were just going to be working independently. 

Mr. Y agreed. 

It was a fairly nice day. The sun was out, but it cool. (It was around 9 AM.) My weather app said it was 60°. 

Most of the class got the worksheet done. The boys took advantage of being outside and did things that they don't generally try in the classroom. (Read: mock wrestling.) 

The students had left their backpacks in the classroom, so we returned for the last five minutes of class. The smell had dispersed. Luckily. 

Later that day, I got confirmation that the long term English assignment I knew was coming was going to start on April 1st. (I write about my previous week here, so this all took place on March 28th.) Which meant that this was my last even day in Mr. R's class. 

Quite the way to go out. Although, considering the second period, not all that surprising. 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

Bigger

Wednesday. Second period sophomore math (again). 

Why is it always second period? Anyway...

Mr. Y had an IEP meeting, so it was just me and them. But no worries, as the topic was geometry, and I felt quite comfortable teaching it. 

Just after 9 AM, Alonzo left class. He had cleared it with me ahead of time as the band had a performance. I had seen the email, so I knew it was legit. But the boys were offended that he had gotten up and gone. (Before Alonzo left, he caught my eye and reminded me he was going. I nodded to indicate that was fine.) It was as if they were in charge, or something. 

I explained that Alonzo had left with permission, and it wasn't anything that the boys needed to be concerned with. Alonzo would be performing for the assembly for the sixth graders.

Sixth graders? 

Okay, so all the sixth graders from the local feeder elementary schools were going to be on campus for a kind of preview day. (The middle school is kind of attached to the high school. Long story.) They've only been doing this for a couple years, so it's a relatively new thing. Anyway, the high school band, color guard, cheerleaders, and choir were performing along with their middle school counterparts. 

The boys seemed to think that meant an assembly for the high schoolers. Yeah, no. Class was as normal for those not involved in specific activities. 

I continued on discussing how two adjacent angles could be added together. 

And then, the sixth graders appeared. 

This classroom is on the bottom floor of the STEAM building, and it has great big windows. 

We can see everyone who passes by. Mr. Y is fond of the view as he can see his students, especially those who arrive late. (I kind of feel like we're in a fishbowl, but I'm only there for a couple weeks.) 

So, of course we could also see the classes of sixth graders arriving and making their way through campus. 

I pointed this out to the class. They looked over. 

Some of the sixth graders waved. A few of the students waved back. 

(I had more time than material to cover, and I thought it was fun.) 

The students' main comment: "Why are they so small?"

Funnily enough, this is not the first time I've heard this comment. I assured the students that the sixth graders were normal sized for their age. They were just bigger now.

They weren't quite sure I was right. It just seems wrong to them, somehow. I'm not sure why. 

The sixth graders had passed us, so I went back to reminding them that all the angles in a triangle add up to 180°. 

And just like that, it's April. The only thing that changes around here is my titling. My personal game is to make my usual posts fit the letter of the day. Sometimes they just fall into place, like today. Other days I have to work a bit harder at it. 

Today's A to Z Challenge post brought to you by the letter

The Boys

Sophomore math. Second period. Monday.

Second period is the class. Every teacher has one. The difficult group. 

This class is made difficult by four boys. They all sit over in one corner of the room, and they spend the period goofing off. Although, they held it together for their test. But during working time...

The previous class period (Wednesday, the day we found out), had been the test. So, on Monday they were starting a new unit on geometry. They had a "what do you remember?" worksheet. And while most of the class was busy trying to remember things (or looking them up on their phones--this was permitted), the boys were playing around. 

They were eating in class even after being asked specifically not to. (Ximenez: "But it's fruit.") They were discussing some new album that some rapper had released. They were talking about gambling. (Jasper to Ximenez: "You keep all but $10 of your winnings, and then bet the $10. You don't bet all of your winnings...") 

If I had been alone and writing this incident in my note to the teacher, I would have said the boys "were having way too much fun". It's not that they shouldn't have fun, but they were clearly not on task. 

But that rap album was too hard to resist. One boy had to play it out. (They have headphones/earbuds. They can listen to music on their own and not blast it for the whole class to hear.) 

Mr. Y warned them to turn it off. And they did, for a time.

But then they played it out again. And again. And again. 

I warned them that it was time to take their phones if they couldn't be trusted to not play music in class. (Me: "I don't want to hear anything coming from your phones.")

But, of course...

This time, Mr. Y went over there and took the phones from two of the boys. Who both claimed that they were not the ones playing the music. 

And yet, the music stopped after that. 

I doubt the boys got any of the work completed. The period finished, and everyone left. Everyone, except the two boys whose phones Mr. Y still had. 

Mr. Y looked at them. I pointed out he still had their phones. 

The boys: "We'll tell you who was playing the music..."

No one knew when class was in session, but after... Yeah. Getting their phones back was a great motivator. 

Not that Mr. Y was going to keep their phones. (He could turn them in to the main office, but considering the situation, it was way more trouble than it was worth. This is a minor cell phone infraction, really.) 

Once the boys left (with their phones), Mr. Y expressed his frustration with the class. Yup, I understood. So, because the boys had been getting on his last nerve, Mr. Y decided it was time to break the group up. New seats for them all.

They did not like this. It helped settle them enough so Mr. Y could teach the class the next period. But after, when they were doing independent work, the boys continued their conversation... across the room. Sigh. 

The Get-Out-of-the-Test-Free Card

Thursday. Sophomore math. Third period.

I had been in the class since Tuesday as the teacher had some foot injury that meant he couldn't put any weight on it. I was supposed to start Monday, but I stayed home with a cold. 

On Tuesday, the students got the study guide for Thursday's test. (Block schedule. The classes meet every other day.) They had some time to work on it, and then Mr. Y, the co-teacher, went over the problems so the students knew how to do them. (They were studying solving quadratic equations.) 

Then Wednesday happened. (If you haven't seen yesterday's post, you might want to check it out.) 

As first period ended and third period began, I was not surprised at the arrival of the principal, an assistant principal, and three counselors. Because, you see, the student had been in this class, and their passing would be very noticeable. 

(The student sat in the back of the room, so maybe some of them wouldn't have noticed. But one tends to at least have a passing acquaintance with the students in one's classes.)

I mean, this is when it would hit you, if you didn't have the student in another class before this. And three girls huddled in the middle of the room, one bawling while two others held her. Mr. Y found the tissue and made sure to distribute it. 

The principal talked about where the students could go for support. There's a whole system in place currently. The others said a few words. And then, when none of the students had anything to say, they left. 

Test time? Nah. Mr. Y wasn't going to make them take a test. Not now. 

While some of the students weren't close with the student who was now gone, some were. And, it just wasn't the day for it. 

Many of the students spent the period on their phones. Some talked. Some cried. I assume some were avoiding thinking about it. I understand. 

After class, Mr. Y wondered about when he'd give the test. I advocated for just cancelling it for them. (All the other classes took it.) Giving it the next week would throw third period off the same schedule as the rest of the classes. They'd be a day behind. 

(And, it was hard for Mr. Y as well. The previous class he sat with the student and talked to them for a bit. Later, before I left school on Tuesday, Mr. Y told me the student seemed off that day.)

Ultimately, Mr. Y will discuss this with Mr. R (the teacher I was subbing for), and they'll make that decision. (It'll hit Mr. R hard, too. All the teachers who had that student are feeling this.) 

It's such a weird time. I think missing one test won't make all that much difference in the grand scheme of things. 

The Stranger

Tuesday. Sophomore math, period five. 

I had been scheduled to cover the full week, but I called out sick on Monday. I wasn't feeling 100% on Tuesday, but I was feeling a whole lot better. (And if I don't work, I don't get paid, so...)

It was a co-taught math class, and they were due to have a test the next class period (block schedule, so that was Thursday), so they were working on a study guide. I started off by passing out the study guide. 

This is a pretty simple procedure. At the front of each row, I hand the student enough copies for them and the students behind them. They pass them back. The only thing that complicates the procedure is when a kiddo at the front of a row is not paying attention. 

At the fourth row, a kiddo wasn't paying attention. Joaquin. He was completely turned around, talking to someone cattycorner to him. 

I waved the papers. Nothing. I said something to get his attention. He turned... 

"I don't talk to strangers." 

Um...

As I explained that he didn't need to talk to me to take the assignment from me, his neighbors pointed out that he needed to take the papers so they could get their work. 

Sigh. Some kiddos...

Joaquin was on stage, and the rest of the class was his audience. Or so he thought. 

And me, a stranger? Well, yeah, sort of. 

But, considering the situation, not so much. I was clearly the substitute teacher. At this point in his schooling career, this cannot be the first time he's encountered one of us. And his usual co-teacher was there, not doing anything to get rid of me. 

Too logical, I suppose. The other students had no issue with me. (Many of them knew me from previous classes.) 

(Joaquin was absent the following Thursday for the test. The rest of the class seemed rather happy about this. His audience? Not as entertained as he thinks they are.) 

Day in the Life of a Sub

Last Friday was a day...

As I drove to school, the sun was shining. And the rain was falling.

The rain wasn't supposed to be falling. The weather report had said we were done with rain (for a bit). 

Once I parked, I double checked the weather app on my phone (to determine which umbrella I'd bring from my car) to discover that the sub desk had called me. I called her back, and she let me know that my job for the day had been cancelled. 

But, they were going to switch my gig to another teacher whose scheduled sub had cancelled the evening before. As it was at the same school (two doors down from the teacher I was expecting to cover), it wasn't a major issue.

The teacher I was now covering was leaving on a field trip for a flag football tournament. These are the moderate to severe special ed classes, and the districts in the area have begun a "unified" thing where some special ed kiddos and some general ed kiddos play on various teams and compete against different schools. 

This, of course, meant that the classes would be light some students. I also gained a couple students (Zena...) due to them remaining behind while their teacher didn't get a sub. 

Once the dust settled, the first class went pretty smoothly. Then, instead of getting a prep period, I was asked to cover a class over in the new STEAM building. 

I found someone to open the door for me (they don't give me keys when I'm covering an extra period), and he had trouble finding the room. (I do not know my way around the STEAM building as it's new this year. I've subbed in there a few times, but every time I have to consult a map to figure out where I need to go. In a couple years, after I've been in the building several more times, I'll be an old pro.) 

What class was I covering? It was called BioAnimaker. Apparently, they're eventually going to learn how to make lifelike robots or something. The students explained that at the moment the class was more playing with 3D printers. (The new building has spaces for things that the school hasn't quite instituted yet. It's coming, though.) 

This is how I learn about some of these things. I cover the class.

After that class, it was time for art.

Ms. A co-teaches an art class with a general ed art teacher (who I've subbed for a couple times this school year). It's a mixed class--some of Ms. A's special ed kiddos along with Ms. G's general ed kiddos. (It's more of the unified stuff. They integrate the special ed kiddos into the general population, and they expose the general ed kiddos to students who are different.) 

As luck would have it, the art class was also in the STEAM building. I didn't have far to go at all.

After art was lunchtime. I got to sit and eat. I was enjoying the moment of not traipsing all over campus when... EARTHQUAKE. 

An instructional assistant was in the room with me (supervising her one-to-one student), but she didn't feel it. I immediately consulted my earthquake app to learn it was a 4.7 on the Richter scale. (I heard it was downgraded to a 4.6 later.) The epicenter was roughly 45 miles away. 

The earthquake was about ten minutes before the end of lunch. I had three students in the next class. And then I had two when one of them got called into speech. (A speech therapist has half hour classes with some of the kiddos from time to time.) 

Then the field trippers returned. (They got first place in the tournament.) Some remained in class while others went off to different classes. And Ms. A returned, although she was in and out finishing up things from her day off campus.

After all that, I needed the weekend. Although, some days are like this. I go all over the place and do various things. It helps that a lot of this was stuff I was accustomed to, so I just rolled with it. That's the gig.

Can't Beat the View

Last Tuesday (the same day as yesterday's post) I was asked to cover a seventh period for intro to health careers. 

This is known as period subbing, and it happens all the time. In this case, the teacher had a training going on during the class period, so I covered his class.

When I got there, Mr. I was there. He explained to the class what they had to do before he left.

We had a few minutes (during the passing period) to chat. They had moved the class into the new STEAM building (I've mentioned the new building before), so I commented on the new digs. The room it's now in is much smaller than the room it used to be in. (I've covered this class a few times.) 

Mr. I said it felt like the students were on top of one another. But, on the positive side, you couldn't beat the view.

The room was on the second floor, over in a corner. If you enlarge the picture up top, you can see the windows at the back. There are windows on the side too.

It was a great view.

I could see the lunch area. The library. I could practically see out to the athletic fields. 

The class was kind of working on their modules. It was the last day of the rotation, so many were finished. (They spend a couple weeks in different health care fields, getting an intro to them. Then they switch and try out another. It's things like optometry, veterinary, EMT, dental, mental health, nursing, etc.)

So, I didn't have much to do with them. I just occasionally reminded them to get back to work. 

Mostly, I looked out the windows. 

Some days it's nice to have a great view.