Spanish Week

I tend to avoid covering Spanish classes. I took French. But sometimes I don't have much of a choice.

January tends to be a slow month, subbing wise. Last week, I had prescheduled assignments for Monday and Friday. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday's assignments only popped up in the evening the night before. These assignments came so late that I was figuring I might not work those days. (Although, there was still the possibility that I'd get something in the middle of the night.) 

This is why I took the Spanish classes. Two different classes. Two different schools. Two days in a row.

(I have covered both teachers in the past. Tuesday's. Wednesday's.) 

Sometimes, I go through themes. I may hit a bunch of tenth grade classes. I might get a cluster of days at the continuation high school. I might go on an English bender. 

Because both teachers called out last minute, they hadn't prepared the usual detailed lesson plans. All they left in the scheduling app was a brief, "The work is in Google Classroom," message.

That's generally sufficient. The students know how to log in as they normally have assignments there. While I don't know what they're doing specifically, if the class is trustworthy enough, they'll get the work done without my hovering over them. 

And, for the most part, things went well. One class needed textbooks, which they got up and got off the bookshelves. One class had to take a Scantron "test", and they told me where those forms were located. 

But then there was fourth period on the first Spanish day. I told them their assignment was in Google Classroom...

"We don't have a Google Classroom..." 

Uh... 

We are in the third week of the second semester. The teachers created a new class in Google Classroom for the spring semester, closing down the fall semester Google Classroom. 

I would have doubted the kiddos were telling the truth, but this was a Spanish 5 class, which is also AP and filled with seniors. They had no reason to lie. 

I mean, I can see how the teacher might have not gotten around to creating a new Google Classroom for them. 

I asked if the teacher had any other way of communicating with them. I wondered if she had created a Google Classroom knowing she'd be out. (They checked. They didn't have a new one pop up.) 

So, what to do with a class with no lesson plans? 

This was the sort of class populated with academically-minded kiddos. So, I told them they had the period to complete any work they needed to complete for any other classes. This does not work in a middle school class or a core class filled with the general school population. They take it as "free time" and play. But AP classes actually make use of the time.

I saw one student pull out a calculator. A couple of them were clearly working on some project, probably social studies. A couple of them pulled out books to read. 

A couple of them played games on their phones, but the majority actually used the time to do other work. 

Not ideal, but there was no way I was going to figure out something else for them to do on such short notice in a subject I know very little about.

Read What You Like

Monday. Lunch time...

The previous period the assignment was SSR or silent sustained reading. It was ninth grade English (many of the English teachers on campus have their students read on Mondays). Because sub, Ms. B had them write up a log of what they read. I gave them fifteen minutes (as per instructions) to complete it, but a couple of them needed more time. I didn't have the heart to kick them out.

As those kiddos finished up, a student from the next period walked in. While I normally don't have students in the classroom during lunch, I figured I might as well let him stay.

William asked what the assignment was going to be. I told him. He was disappointed; he had finished his book over the weekend. As it was lunch, I told him he could go and check something else out of the library. He said they didn't currently have the sequel, so he'd wait.

What he was reading came up. The Selection by Kiera Cass. I can't remember who, but one of you fine bloggers reviewed this book on your blog, so I had a vague idea what it's about.

When I mentioned being familiar with the title, William explained how it was a little embarrassing to admit he reads this type of novel (read: girly romance), but it's what he likes...

Frankly, that had not even occurred to me. I was just happy I had some familiarity with the title.

I never book shame.

I like sci fi and fantasy, but I also like romance. There is a stigma to reading romance, however. A lot of readers turn their nose up or sneer at romance. Which is silly, especially considering how it is probably one of the most successful genres. Most romance readers inhale books, and one can make a lot of money writing it.

I wonder how much of that snootiness is misogyny. It's a genre primarily aimed at women, and unlike most literary types of writing, the novels end with a happily ever after. I've read some excellently written stories, and I've learned loads about writing the feels better.

Anyway, girls are actively discouraged from liking these books. So, of course boys shouldn't even consider them.

And William was telling me how when he presents (the students have projects to go with the books they choose) he'd rather be working with a book he enjoys even if others question his reading material.

I went into a bit about how disliking romance is misogynistic, but mostly I said that he should read what he likes. It's hard enough to get students reading. Many won't pick up a book again after they graduate high school. I will not shame someone for finding books they enjoy.

Do you read romance novels? Do you read a genre you're embarrassed to admit you like? I promise, I will not novel shame you. I probably read "worse" novels than you do.

Just a Few More Minutes

Integrated math 1 (what used to be algebra) for eighth graders. (They expect them to take this class in ninth grade, so these are the advanced math kiddos.) They were solving systems of equations.

After I got class started, I noticed a bunch of yellow passes on their desks. That's when I remembered something that had happened on Wednesday, the last time I had been on this campus.

A stack of yellow passes had been delivered during second period. The co-teacher was the one to receive them, so she passed them out. One of the recipients happened to be absent, so I had a chance to look at it.

They were perfect attendance awards. As a reward, the kiddos were to be released ten minutes early from second period on Friday.

So, there would be a few dismissed early from the group in front of me. I was glad I had seen the pass on Wednesday or I would have been completely blindsided.

At the appointed time, I dismissed the pass holders.

"I need a couple more minutes."

Nine of the pass holders left. But the tenth was still working on the assignment.

It was one of those assignments where whatever they hadn't completed in class became homework. So there was no penalty for not finishing. The students could just go.

But the boy wanted to finish before he left.

This is unusual. Most of the time, when an assignment can be completed for homework, I struggle to keep them on task. They'd rather play in class and "do it for homework".

The early dismissal was a reward. I'm not going to "enforce" a reward.

The boy spent about five more minutes working quickly. Then he packed up and left.

See, some of them do truly care about their work. Not all of them are slackers. (It's just that the slackers make much better stories.)