The Swap

I arrived to school on Friday, and the co-teacher began by asking if I wouldn't mind... 

Eighth grade math. They were to have a test the following week, but both the general ed and the special ed teacher had been out the previous class (for a meeting for the whole math department), and things hadn't gone so well with that sub. Although, as soon as she asked it, I remembered her asking me the same thing the last time I covered the class, last school year. 

Ms. W asked if we could swap. She'd teach Ms. S's classes (the classes that weren't co-taught but were doing the exact same thing as the co-taught ones), and I'd cover her classes. (One period of learning center, and one period of success.) 

I've always been rather flexible with work. I've had days where I came in expecting to sub for one teacher but was switched to another class for reasons. The previous week the secretary had emailed me asking if I was willing to swap gigs. Sometimes it turns out I'm covering one teacher for half a day and another teacher for the other half. My job is to fill in for absent teachers, and I'm perfectly okay with going where they need me to fill in. 

And besides, this was a way easier day than the one I'd been expecting. 

Although, it meant I didn't have a "home base" at all. Four different rooms. (Well, three, but I was also asked to cover an extra period that day.) 

But that's a minor issue when I can go where I'll do the most good that day. It's way better to have the teacher who knows the material and is familiar with the test making sure the kiddos are ready rather than insisting on following the classes I was assigned for the day. 

It's one reason why I enjoy subbing. The variety. 

Switcheroo

Thursday, and I had taken a gig at the alternative education center. This time I had the math and science classes. The day was going about how I expected with them sort of doing the work. 

Third period. Business math. We were getting started, but things were going sideways. I was getting ready to go over how to do simple interest with them (and probably do the assignment with them) when the door opened and the principal arrived.

Mrs. V shooed the kiddos out of the room. Then she turned to me.

The alternative education center and the adult transition center both share facilities. They are technically different schools with different hours, but they are right next to each other. Mrs. V oversees both.

Ms. J at the adult transition center was throwing up and needed to go home. They had called for another sub, but at this point in the day, they weren't going to get anyone else. 

They needed to switch me to the other school.

Well, one must be flexible when one is a substitute teacher...

So, not quite halfway through my day, I switched campuses entirely. Kind of.

(This is not the first time I had to go to a different campus midday, but it wasn't really a different campus.) 

And my day went considerably easier than it looked like it was going to go at the beginning of third period. I had Sydney and Logan who I had had last school year in Ms. S's class. I knew the other students just from them being around last school year. 

The rest of the day was pretty mellow.

While I felt a bit bad for abandoning Mr. O's class (the class I agreed to), it wasn't like I had chosen to make this switch. It was thrust upon me.

Switched Again

Thursday. I was scheduled to cover Ms. D, middle school English. When I arrived, I was handed the keys for Ms. A, also middle school English.

Again?

I may have mentioned before that this school year I've been hit with a lot of these. That is, I've arrived at the site expecting one kind of class only to end up covering a different one.

I'm not complaining. It's way better than showing up to discover that I have no assignment at all. And sometimes the change has been for the better. Although, on this day, it was more of a lateral move.

For a change, I learned why the switch.

When I got to class, Ms. A was hurriedly putting together lesson plans. Then another teacher walked in, and they got to talking. I was able to glean the whole situation.

There was a field trip. The eighth graders were going to the closest community college (the one that most of the students at the local high school end up at, the one that is offering two years free to graduates). Ms. D was supposed to chaperone, but she had woken up sick. They asked Ms. A if she wanted to take the spot, and she jumped at the chance. (The other teacher was telling Ms. A that she thought she'd say no, and Ms. A explained that she loved going on field trips.)

One mystery solved.

However, Ms. D was sick, so she was out that day anyway. So, um, why did they call in a different sub to cover her class? I mean, I was already scheduled to be there for her.

Sometimes school logic eludes me.

Another Unexpected Day

It was Thursday. I was expecting to cover a math class. When I checked in for the day, the secretary handed me the folder for an English class.

Again?

It happens from time to time. I was told I was covering one class only to show up to a different assignment. Sometimes the teacher cancels. Sometimes they need to shift subs to fill the classes. And I don't generally mind.

But it's happened four times in the last couple weeks. That's a lot.

Not that I'm complaining anywhere but here. Because the other option is for me to show up only to have my assignment disappear. (That doesn't happen as often as it did when I started out subbing.)

And sometimes it actually works out better.

On Monday I though I was covering a co-teacher who travels. (Doable, but on my gimpy ankle, not ideal.) I was switched to a very nice seventh grade science class.

On Thursday, the English class I got switched into... Well, the teacher took two of her classes with her on some field trip or other. So, instead of covering a full day, I only had three classes to sub. And I still got paid for the full day.

So, not complaining. Nope. Not at all.