Caught Out

Thursday. Tenth grade English, honors. Fourth period. They had a test on Act Five of Macbeth. 

We're right up on the end of the school year now. The day this post goes live is our last day of school. So, I was kind of surprised when one of the kiddos was absent. But whatever. 

About halfway through the period, Andrea arrived. At that point, only one student was still working on the test. I told Andrea that there was a test and that she could get started. She questioned if she had enough time to finish it. I figured she did. (Logically, if she still had half the period and the class was done, the test should only take her half the period, which was the time she had left.) Besides, when was she going to have time to make it up? Best to get it done. 

She sat down, but then she came back to me. She said that she usually takes her tests in her counselor's office, so could she go and take the test there? So, I let her go. 

I thought nothing of this. Some students have various accomodations, and my philosophy is trust. But verify. 

The next day I ran into Ms. S (the teacher). She stopped me to ask a question. Because, it turns out that Andrea has never taken her English tests in her counselor's office. 

Uh oh. 

(Because, yeah, I made a note of it. I always make a note of it.) 

Ms. S was not pleased. She wasn't upset with me. She said that Andrea had been trying to get around things all school year. 

But I was able to put Ms. S's mind at ease about a couple things. First, Andrea had left her cell phone in the classroom. (Ms. S had required all the kiddos to turn in their phones before the test. Andrea had as well.) Second, when Andrea left the room, she left her belongings behind. 

Could she have cheated? Of course. Ms. S knows who her counselor is, so she can verify if Andrea went there for the test. Odd that she'd try this on this last test. But whatever. 

There is a reason I keep detailed notes. It's so the teachers can catch the kiddos out when they pull this stuff with subs. 

Paper Deficit

Monday. My last day in the English class. 

As is my habit, the first thing I did was to get out my computer(s) and log on. Very quickly I discovered that there was no internet. I soon learned that the internet was out for the entire district. 

Not only was this a "transition day" where I was going to give the next sub access to the Google Classroom, lesson plans, and slideshows she would need to teach the class for the week, I also had grading to finish up from my tenure in the class (all done online along with the online gradebook). 

Oh, and the classes had a quiz. That was online. 

After I panicked, I began to contemplate how I was going to approach the day. Luckily, I had a prep period first, so I had some time to adjust. I thought about how I had seen the paper copy of the quiz in the digital file of quizzes for the class, and how I wished I had internet access to print out said paper. And that's about the time I remembered that Ms. A had a file cabinet, and wouldn't it be cool if there was a copy of that quiz somewhere in those files? 

There was a copy on paper of that quiz in Ms. A's filing cabinet. It took me not all that long to locate it. 

The copy machines are not dependent upon the internet. 

I decided to make an answer sheet to go along with the quizzes. (I had time. That lovely prep period.) I was in process when the sub who was taking over for me arrived, so I got a little sidetracked explaining what she was going to need to continue teaching the class. But eventually I got the answer sheet completed, and we headed to the copy room to make the copies we would need for the day. 

It was interesting to do the quizzes on paper. The kiddos were not used to this sort of thing. I had to explain how it worked. It wasn't all that long ago when no explanation would have been necessary. How quickly we adapt to new technologies. 

The online quiz and the paper quiz were pretty much the same. The only difference was the format. And yet, the kiddos who took the paper quiz didn't do as well as the classes that took the online quiz the previous Friday. (There was a 20% difference in average scores.) 

This makes me wonder. Was it the technology? Or were the kiddos who got to take the quiz online cheating somehow? (The quiz was "locked down", so the kiddos couldn't access another tab while taking the quiz. And I monitored them for cell phone use.) 

This is not the first time we've had an internet outage. (There was this time and this time that happened fairly recently.) I'm sure it won't be the last. 

Three Weeks Notice

Friday. Eleventh grade English, eighth period. 

The kiddos had a quiz on The Great Gatsby chapters four through seven. As they walked in and asked what the plan for the day was, I told them this. Some of them were surprised. 

Emmitt: "You are required to give us three weeks notice before you give a quiz." 

Now, normally I'd push back on this. Say something snarky. Point out that pop quizzes were a thing. But I didn't have to. 

"I kind of actually did," I said. 

Another student: "She told us about it the first day she was here." 

Now, that was a bit of an exaggeration. I wouldn't say I mentioned it the first day. When we began the book, I outlined the plan. Quiz after chapter 3, quiz after chapter 7. Final on whole book (after I was out of the class). 

I can list all the times I mentioned that they had a quiz coming, but that might be a bit of overkill. Suffice it to say that I mentioned it a lot. 

And yet still, some of them were surprised. Well, I can only do what I can do.

Unexpected Sixth

Wednesday. Sixth period. And the class showed up... 

Sixth period is ELD. The English language development class. One of the major things that they had to do during my tenure in the class was to take the ELPAC. I couldn't give it, but I got questions from the students and from the counselors as to when the class would take it. 

Last week the assistant principal got back to me about it. He scheduled it for this week. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. He told me he would get back to me with more information, but he never did. He informed me that they would call the kiddos out of class, and there was nothing for me to do. Okay, then... 

Tuesday, I had four students in fifth period. (A few of them didn't have to take the test.) This was fine as I was expecting no class. I hadn't planned for them to do anything. (I had moved the plans for the day as ELPAC was to take priority.) 

But Wednesday, the kiddos showed up. They had been called out of class the previous day and had finished their test. 

Uh... 

Well, the actual lesson plan for the day was study hall. That's what Ms. A had originally scheduled. It was a "buffer day". She had put in an extra day just in case I got behind on Of Mice and Men. I hadn't. 

I had the next day's plan ready to go, though, too. So, I gave the kiddos the option. They could get the study hall day on Friday. They picked Wednesday. Fine by me. 

It would have been nice, though, if the assistant principal would have let me know that all the students would be tested on Tuesday. You know, so I could plan ahead. 

At least it's done. And as I get ready to leave this long-term assignment (when this post goes live, I'll have already left), it's good to know this major component did get completed. Even if I didn't have to do any of the actual work involved. 

Sideways

Tuesday. 

You ever have one of those days? Nothing wrong, exactly. It's not a bad day. But things just kinda feel off. 

First off, I was running late. (I ran late all week. Just tired. Even though I'd been sleeping.) When I got home and looked in the mirror, I realized I had forgotten to apply makeup before leaving for school. And I didn't even notice all day. Sigh. 

I start my day with the daily Wordle. I do this as I log into the computers (for this gig, I've been using three, daily... well, four if you count the in-class TV screen). And... Hole in one:

And you know my first reaction? "Damn it! Now I have to find a new starter word." (It's now "tenor". In case you're interested.) 

Just as I was coming to terms with that (and while I was eating a muffin), the assistant principal dropped in. (It was my prep period. I was kind of trying to sort of prep.) I did need to see him. 

I have two ELD classes. They have to take a test yearly called the ELPAC. A few of them really need to take it so they can reclassify. (They'd be considered "fluent" in English, so they would no longer need to take an ELD class.) I can't give it because sub, so I have to coordinate with another teacher to get it done. 

The assistant principal came by to discuss when we'd get this done. He proposed doing it Wednesday/Thursday. But, long story short, that fell through as the teacher who would have done it then was actually out on Tuesday, so he couldn't coordinate anything. Naturally. 

I went back to getting prepped for the day. I looked over the next quiz the eleventh graders would take on The Great Gatsby. And as I read through it, I discovered that there are questions on it that I have not covered. Stuff like symbolism. And... Yeah, probably should mention some of this stuff so the quiz doesn't take them by surprise. 

It's always something. I suppose I should have realized that things were going too smoothly. I had to be missing something. Hopefully I found most of the issues. 

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. 

Slow It Down

Monday. Third period world history. It was standardized test day. 

I just went on a search to find where I'd explained this particular test, and it appears I have yet to do so. Even though I've administered this thing many, many times. Basically, it's designed to figure out where the kiddos are in relation to their grade level. So, do they read at grade level, above, or below? Same with math. And then they test them twice a year to see if they've improved and if so by how much. 

I had warned the kiddos that we'd be doing the test, so they weren't surprised. I informed the class that I would be giving them extra credit points if they did not incur the wrath of the slow-down sloth. 

In an effort to reduce rapid guessing (thereby making the test results worthless), if the students go too fast at any point, their test gets paused and they get a screen with a sloth that says "slow down". It is then my job to remind the kiddos that they aren't to just guess, they should actually try to figure out the answers, and then I release the test again so they can finish. 

I logged in from my end and gave the kiddos their test credentials. (The test is online.) 

I was still confirming students when Jalen announced that I might as well give him the release code for the slow-down sloth. We weren't more than two minutes in, and Jalen had already gotten flagged for rapid guessing.

Deep sigh. 

If Jalen thought he could just rapid guess his way through the test...

Me: "If you get the slow-down sloth three times, your test is then stopped and you have to do the whole thing over." 

Every time before that I've had to warn students of this, I felt bad. Apologetic. This time? I would have enjoyed making Jalen start all the way over. 

Jalen did not see the slow-down sloth again. 

Getting It Done

As I started this class at the beginning of the semester, I was not in danger of having grades due. So, of course I would have to do some standardized testing. 

All in all, it went pretty well. For first period. 

For third period, I had absent students and the slow walkers. There are some students who need more time to do tests, and I get that. That's fine. But some students just kind of stare into space and/or sleep rather than getting the thing done. 

Day one I had planned on only testing that day. On day two, I hoped to get the stragglers and the absent students done. And that worked perfectly for period one. 

For third period, I had two students absent. Again. (One had been suspended, so that was going to be unavoidable.) And I had one student who took his time, so he did not finish. 

Which meant that on Wednesday, period three again had to work on the test. 

(This is a very, very long time for seventh graders. The students who were finished had other work to do, but I couldn't change things up a bit until all the tests were complete.) 

I had two students who were just starting the test, and I had two students who had started but were only half way done. 

The two students who were just starting? Yeah, they were playing the slow walking game. And I was not going to have it. 

I started hovering. 

As the test proctor, I had access to what question they were on, but I couldn't see anything else. (The test was online.) So, when the boy was on question 12 for a very long time, I went over and gently asked if the software was stuck. It wasn't. He got going again. 

When the girl was stuck on question 15, I went over to her. She was staring into space. I urged her to get back on task. 

One of the boys who had already started finished. Then the other boy finished. Woo-hoo! 

I went and hovered over the other two again. 

Then the girl finished. 

We had a half hour left of class. Then twenty minutes. Then fifteen...

The boy finished.

And it was all I could do to not throw my arms up in the air and shout "Woo-hoo!". 

I celebrated by putting a video on for the kiddos. One we had started before the testing. 

And then I closed out the software and deleted all the emails about the testing. Because I was done. 

Whew. 

The Retest

The prior week the kiddos had their first test. And it went rather well.  

One of the things the seventh grade science teachers have been doing, though, is offering a retest. Any kiddo who wants to gets the opportunity to redo the test, keeping the higher of the two scores. 

There's a catch. They have to do a review paper before they can take the test. 

Wednesday, first period. I had five students (out of a class of thirty), turn in the review. 

When I mentioned the review, several students who probably should have attempted a retake decided not to. "Too much work." Okay, then.

One student who wanted a retake? She got nineteen on her first attempt. Out of twenty. 

She wanted that perfect score. 

And she got it. 

(I had a few perfect scores. Many nineteens. And eighteens. Like I said, the test went rather well.) 

Fifth period. I had two students who had been absent on the day of the test, and four students who wanted a retake. 

Then, at the end of the period, a boy approached. He wanted to know what he could do to raise his grade. He had a C. His mom had threatened him with consequences if he didn't get his grade up to an A.

(One of the consequences was giving away his dog to his aunt. Which seems a bit harsh.)

His grades weren't bad. He had a few assignments where he didn't get full points. He had gotten a C on the test. (The test was 40% of their grade. This will dilute a bit once they've had more tests.) 

I guess I'm a soft touch. I said he could retake the test even though he hadn't done the review. 

And? He scored two points lower than his initial attempt. 

Ah well. He tried. (And he kept the higher score, so he didn't lose anything.) 

Of the retesters, about half gained a point or two. The other half lost a point or two. 

The New Cell Phone Rules

Because cell phones are an ongoing problem, at the end of the last school year the teachers at the middle school got together to come up with a school-wide policy. 

When I started this long-term assignment, I was filled in on the policy, and I've been enforcing it since the beginning. 

Basically, the students must leave their cell phones in their backpacks. (In the science class, the rule has been that the students leave their backpacks in the back of the room during class.) If I see the phone, I can take it. Depending upon how many infractions the student has, they can get it back at the end of class, or they must retrieve it from the main office. 

(I hear the 8th graders have really hated this policy, but the 7th graders don't know it was ever different.) 

I have not had to confiscate many phones. I remind the kiddos to keep them in their backpacks, and most have complied.

Thursday. Sixth period.

It was test day. We did a review Kahoot! I decided to award the winners prizes. Second place winner came up to get her prize... with her cell phone in her hand. Deep sigh.

It was her first offense, so she got the phone back at the end of the period. On the one hand I felt bad. She got punished for getting a prize. But then again, her phone wasn't where it was supposed to be.

A bit later, another student was called to the main office. The rest of the class was taking the test. When the student returned, I went over to her to let her know what she needed to do with the test. That's when I spied her cell phone sitting on her chair...

So, I got to confiscate another cell phone from another girl who hadn't given me any issues. Another deep sigh.

I guess I have to remind them daily to put their cell phones away in their backpacks. (I do actually announce it as the students arrive in class daily.) At least they're not using them in class, but it's a matter of time.

Because, they're not "forgetting" to put them away. They're sneaking them. They want the phones on them "for emergencies". And I understand. But I also know they don't have the maturity to leave them alone, so they really need to keep them away during class.

While the class was taking their test, I walked the room. I heard music. It was a phone ringing. From a backpack. 

I left that one alone. The phone was where it needed to be. And the ringing stopped after just a bit.

Bad Timing

Monday. I arrived early to get some stuff done. That's when I saw the email about the "social media threats". It was non-specific, and I really didn't want to know any more. We were assured that administration was dealing with the issue.

But, "threats". 

I wasn't terribly surprised when first period arrived and a third of the kiddos were missing.

And now I had a dilemma. The next class session they were to have a test. And while I had hinted at this test the prior week, I hadn't officially announced it. 

Luckily, they do have a Google Classroom.

So, I posted the study guide assignment in Google Classroom for the missing students, and we went on with our day.

(From what I've been able to pick up, the threats were directed at another school, but then picked up on social media towards other schools. Law enforcement was notified. Nothing happened at school that day.) 

When test day rolled around, some of the students who had missed were a bit surprised by the test. But, when I started the class back in August, I read through the syllabus with them, and I explained that it was the responsibility of the student to find out what they missed if they were out of school. 

I reminded them of this, and then I told them, "A good place to start is to see if I've put anything into Google Classroom." 

(I keep a list of the daily agendas in Google Classroom. I have since week two. I showed them all this.)

When I went to collect their study guides, I got a surprise. A couple students who had been absent actually had papers to turn in. They were a bit worried about having done it on paper (rather than the worksheets I had passed out that they didn't get because they were absent), but I assured them that paper was perfect. 

Some of them are paying attention. And some of them are trying. (Actually, more than some.) 

When I went to check, some of the absent students had actually done the assignment digitally. (Which was fine.) 

I mean, there are a whole bunch of students who didn't do it. But I was pleased how many had figured out how to take care of what they needed to do. (And as I accept late work, those that missed out can still turn it in.) 

This is excellent for seventh graders. I'm rather pleased.

And as for the test, it went rather well. The grades were pretty good on average.

Class Swapper

Last week was state testing. In the spring, the schools are all mandated to do these official tests that the state then uses to classify schools and check progress and that sort of thing. 

As a sub (even a long-term one), I was not required to proctor the testing. But I was required to be on campus. "My" classroom was being used to administer the test. So, I borrowed the desk of the class' co-teacher as she has a desk in the special ed learning center. 

The testing block was the first two hours of the day. You might think having to be on campus was a bad thing, but I had actual work to complete. The computer science classes had turned in their resumes, so I had to grade them. Then once I got those done, it was again time for progress reports, so I had school time to input grades.

Oh, and I also got the math classes' test and study guide for that test finalized. That took longer than expected as I forgot to include one of the problem types on the study guide. And there was one problem on the test that would not format no matter what I did.

(Every time I tried to move this triangle to the spot it should appear on the test, it vanished from the test. I won't go into how many times I tried things to get this to work. In the end, I had to just leave it where it was and modify the other questions to work around it.)

Just when I was back in the classroom...

The math teacher next door was also a coder at one time, so he's familiar with computer science. Mr. J had asked him to explain something to the computer science classes. But Dr. K had his own classes. Of course.

Well, there was a simple solution. We traded classes. Dr. K explained what the kiddos needed to know. And I watched Dr. K's kiddos take a test. I got the easy part.

Make Ups

Remember Jordan?

Jordan is in Mr. J's second period sophomore math class. She pretty much took the month of February off. And much of March. And April. She merited a blog mention when she was surprised her grade had dropped because of a missing test (that I didn't just cancel for her). 

Since I last mentioned her, we had another test in the math class. That put her two tests behind. 

Just after we took the second test (with me), Jordan managed to come to class and... gasp... make up that first test. And she did pretty well on it. (She didn't get an A, but she didn't fail it, either.) 

Tuesday. Jordan showed up to class. And she asked if she could make up that second test.

Well, of course she could.

While I was teaching the last lesson in our current unit, Jordan finally got caught up on her missing test. 

At the end of the period, Jordan turned in her test. And then she asked me, "Will this be in the gradebook right away?"

Ahem. 

Before she left, I restated something just for her that I had told the whole class. Thursday we'd do a study guide for a test that would happen on the following Monday. (By the time you see this post, that test will have happened.) 

Will she show up on Monday and stay up-to-date? I'm doubtful. But we'll see. 

(If you ask me in the comments, I'll be able to tell you whether she was there or not.) 

Oblivious Student and the Test

Second period integrated math 2. (Sophomore math. It used to be geometry before they changed the sequencing.) This is the one period that isn't co-taught, so it's just me and the 22 students. (It's a small group.)

Malakhi sits right up front. He's frequently late if he shows up at all. He asks to use the restroom and then is gone for twenty minutes. (The restroom is just around the corner, about two rooms away.) While I'm teaching, he is usually on his phone. Or asleep. And when they have time to practice the problems, he is again on his phone or asleep.

On Thursday the class had a test. On Tuesday I went over a study guide with basically all the same problems that were going to be on the test. 

On Tuesday, I emphasized the point: "Now's the time for any questions. If there's anything you don't understand..."

Malakhi spoke up. So, I re-explained the question I had just done. I solicited more questions. No one asked.

Thursday. They had had the test for maybe ten minutes when Malakhi asked to use the restroom. He was gone his usual twenty minutes. 

He returned. And then he slept. 

The students finished the test and turned it in. We were in the last five minutes. Malakhi still had his test. It was time to collect it, as he was the only one still with a test. 

Malakhi: "I don't know how to do this." 

His test was blank.

Deep sigh.

If I had not been available for questions, that would be one thing. (I discovered the secret of getting questions from the students--find the ones who are struggling and offer my help. It's kept me busy.) And the rest of the class has gotten better about actually asking for help. (Me: "Don't sit there stuck. Ask. This is literally my job.")

But Malakhi? Even when I hover, he doesn't ask. That's mostly because he isn't attempting the problems.

It's no wonder he doesn't know what to do.

But I can't do it for him.

(He expressed the same sentiment after the last test. I had not been in class to teach those lessons, though.)

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

The Wrong Answer

I started the long-term math class right at the end of a unit on solving quadratic equations. All that was left was a study guide (that I went over with them) and the test.

The test...

(See yesterday's post for the explanation for why they didn't really learn anything about solving quadratic equations.) 

Grading the test, I saw how much they really didn't know. Deep sigh. If only I'd gotten to them sooner...

One boy clearly did not read the directions as he attempted to solve the equation using a different method than instructed. (He was supposed to use the formula, which was given on the test, but didn't.) His answer wasn't even close.

Then the next paper I graded... It was the exact same "solution" without using the formula. I went back and double checked. Sure enough, this whole paper was pretty much exactly like the first boy's. 

Then there was a third paper. Identical.

If the answers had been right, I wouldn't have noticed. But all of the wrong answers were the exact same wrong answers.

I graded a few more tests. Then I found a fourth paper identical to the other three.

*rolls eyes*

I mean, if you're going to cheat, you might as well cheat off of someone who knows what they're doing.

But no one in this group knew what they were doing. 

The worst part? I watched them. I stood in front of the class (and the four boys sat at the front of the room) and watched them take the test. I did not see them sharing answers. 

The Cheater

Thursday. Fifth period integrated math 2 (read: math for sophomores). They had a test.

Ms. L, the co-teacher, warned me about Adriel a couple days prior.

As Ms. L was going over the study guide for the test, I had noted that Adriel wasn't doing much of anything. I prompted him to get on task, which he ignored. I moved on to helping other students who had questions over what they'd be tested on.

Ms. L said that Adriel didn't do much in class besides watch his phone. And then she'd find that his computerized class assignments had him getting 100% after working on the problems for five minutes. (It should take a bit longer than that.) Clearly, he had found a way to game the system.

And, apparently, he had attempted to cheat on a test previously this school year.

On test day, Ms. L took her special ed students to test in a different room while I monitored those that weren't special ed identified. Mostly, kiddos don't attempt to cheat on tests, but this time I knew to watch Adriel. 

I didn't intend to make it obvious. However, Adriel was also watching me. 

All the other kiddos were focused on their tests. Occasionally they'd look up. Adriel? He wasn't looking at his test paper at all.

I didn't watch Adriel. But I kept an eye on him (as well as the others in class). I did not catch him on his phone. I did not catch him with anything he should not have. 

But that doesn't mean he didn't sneak something by me. I hope he did not. We'll see...

At least I know where to focus my attention. Although, any student who is watching me when they have something to work on is someone who I need to pay attention to anyway.

Handled?

Back in October, I did a co-teaching day in a math class. I covered for the special ed teacher. The general ed teacher, Mr. J, talked of leave he'd be taking in March for the birth of his second child. I agreed to cover his class. 

But, in late January his wife was hospitalized with complications, so his leave had to start early. Alas, I had promised another teacher I'd cover her classes at the end of February. 

They found another sub to cover the classes until I could start. I started last Monday.

They gave us a transition day. 

The co-teacher was around, but of the block schedule days, this was the day she did not co-teach. When she popped in, I had one major question for her:

"When are grades due?"

Because, they have to be. I'm starting a long term assignment, so grades are due. Last year I got slapped in the face with this. Now it's on my radar.

Ms. L, the co-teacher, wasn't sure, but we figured out that the end of the quarter was the next week (read: this week). So, I had some time to get situated before I'd have to submit grades.

As Ms. L discussed what we'd be doing in class, she mentioned some testing that was due. We'd have to do it next week (again read: this week). And I laughed. Because I got hit with that one in the vacant English class I started this school year in. 

At least I have all the things I need for that one. (Getting my log in credentials reinstated for this test ended up being an issue, so I have periodically checked to make sure I still have access since then.) 

I am not going to do anything stupid and say something about being all set. Because I'm not. Something else is going to appear out of the blue that I'll have to scramble to deal with.

But, for the moment, my begin-the-long-term scramble seems to be handled. For now. 

Mr. J is scheduled to return in early May. This should be an interesting two months.

Playing Cards

Monday Mr. P and I switched jobs. I took over his special ed co-teaching assignment while he returned to the English classes he'd been in since January to finish up the state testing the students needed to do.

So, what was the eighth grade English class that I was co-teaching doing? State testing. Naturally. 

When I arrived, Ms. R (who I subbed for when she was on maternity leave back during hybrid learning in 2021) greeted me with, "Welcome to watching paint dry."

Ms. R was done. She was not in the mood for any of their shenanigans. Only a few of the students were still testing, so the rest were to have brought something silent to do. 

As she was explaining the rules (which they knew, but with eighth graders, you have to repeat and repeat and repeat, and they still will not have heard), I noticed one girl nodding along as if answering yes to the question of having brought something silent to do.

The girl had a coloring book, a jigsaw puzzle. And a deck of Uno cards.

Ahem.

They got started. Ms. R was busy at her computer, making sure the students were "let in" to the testing session. I took over monitoring the kiddos. 

The kiddos needed things. One wanted to move out of his seat and sit on the couch. There was already a kiddo on the couch. (Yes, this teacher has a couch. It's a reward for the students.) Another student asked for something that Ms. R had told him to wait for.

Once the excitement of getting started had settled, we just had the usual fidgeting to deal with. But things were quiet, so all was well.

And then Ms. R saw the girl with the Uno cards. Well, she saw two girls with Uno cards. The game had started...

I mean, how can anyone think playing a game is going to go silently? And Uno? Seriously? Part of the point is yelling out "Uno!" when you have that last card.

Ms. R just gave them a look. She motioned for them to put the cards away. They did. But the look on their faces was something. They thought they could play quietly? Really?

Eighth graders are different creatures. From now on, Ms. R will for sure be telling classes not to bring games for silent days. And students will wonder why she would make such a warning. 

X-change

Yup, I'm cheating a bit with the title. It's X day. We all cheat on X day.

Friday. It was the end of my first week in Ms. A's classes. It was snack time, and I was sitting, waiting. Dr. T walked in. 

Dr. T is one of the assistant principals, and he makes me feel really old. How old? I remember when Dr. T was a student at this school. I subbed for him when he was a teacher there. In the room where he took the history class that he then taught. 

Anyway...

Dr. T had a question about the state testing. Of course, I wasn't present for the state testing, Mr. P was. Which Dr. T knew. As Mr. P was covering a new long term on campus, Dr. T could go to him directly to find out the answer to his question. Which is what he did.

But then Dr. T came to find me again during fourth period. (At which point I was on the other side of campus as that was the leadership class, and they were making posters for a lunch time activity.) 

It turns out that Mr. P hadn't quite finished all the testing the eleventh graders needed to do. Rather than trying to get me up to speed by Monday, they came up with a better solution. I could exchange places with Mr. P for the classes that needed to be tested. As long as I agreed. 

Why wouldn't I agree? 

(Technically, Mr. P shouldn't be in the class as he's reached his maximum number of days, but in this instance he's proctoring a test, not teaching per se, so it's probably allowed. Just don't tell anyone, okay?) 

So, my whole plan for the following week (including a quiz on The Great Gatsby), out the window. Sigh.

On the plus side, the plans for the week just got pushed back, so that's two fewer days of lessons I have to figure out for the kiddos. 

It's the variety that I enjoy in subbing. This sort of thing is totally in my wheelhouse. Should make for an interesting week. (I'll tell you all about it next week. Probably.)

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

Define Ray

Eighth grade math. 

I was covering for the special ed teacher of a co-taught class. (He's at home with Covid.) These are generally pretty easy days. The general ed teacher does all the heavy lifting, while all I have to do is help out as needed. 

But it turned out to be a testing day. 

Over the last two years, I have administered this test four times. Three of those times it was just me doing it. I am fully trained. 

This time, all I had to do was assist. Yay! 

So, I made sure to answer as many of the students' questions as possible. 

A girl called me over. 

"What is a ray?" 

I looked at her question. That was the question on the test, and it gave her four possible diagrams to choose from. 

"That's what the question is asking," I informed her. 

She argued the point. She couldn't possibly answer the question since she didn't know what a ray was. 

This particular test is geared towards figuring out at what "level" the students are at. Each question they get right triggers a next question that's a bit harder. Each question they get wrong triggers an easier question next. So, if they don't know something, they should get it wrong so the test doesn't rate them as having more knowledge than they do. 

She needed to get that question wrong. 

She was not happy about this. I left her to "guess". 

She raised her hand again. The general ed teacher went over to answer her question. 

And... he gave her the same answer I did. 

I mean, I wasn't being cruel. I know eighth graders haven't learned about rays yet. (If memory serves, that's the first week of geometry. For me that was tenth grade.) 

That age. They hate being wrong. But in this case, she really needed to be.