Notes

Last night I was busy writing up my note for the teacher.  He'll be back tomorrow, and I'll be off to another assignment.  That's the way subbing goes. 

Since it was a seven-day assignment, I typed up my note on the computer.  I think better when I'm composing on a word processing program, probably because I get such awful writer's cramp when I use a pen.  This way, I also get to keep a copy of what I wrote (all but what I add at the end for what happened today). 

This is not usually the way I do notes to the teacher.  After some time subbing, I came up with a way to streamline the process. 

What I usually do is to "grade" the class.  I have my own system.  I made up a grid and a "grading rubric".  I found that it goes so much quicker to jot down a number and a couple notes rather than trying to compose a full on note every day. 

My grid has four columns.  In the first column I give the class three scores.  The first score is for behavior.  For example, a class that was silent and on task for the period gets my highest score (some teachers reward this).  A class where "some made better use of their time than others" gets a middling score. 

I use the second score to rank the classes best to worst (although some days I skip that one).  And the final score is the answer to a question: did they cooperate with me?  (That answer is usually "mostly" or "somewhat".  They are teenagers, after all.) 

As for the other three columns, I list who left the class for whatever reason (to office, to restroom), any names that I need to list (good or bad), and any miscellaneous stuff that isn't covered in any of the other columns. 

I found that my system cut down on the time it took to write a note.  I can usually have the period noted in about a minute. 

But when I work a class for longer than a day or two, I like to leave more detail.  So, while I didn't need to list a lot of misbehavior this time, I did want to give a sense of what the classes were like while the teacher was away.  I think I captured it nicely. 

Then again, tomorrow I'm only going to be a couple doors down from this class, so I could just tell him. 

The Final Project

Today the final project was due in the two periods of economics that the student teacher runs.  It was a video assignment.  The kiddos had a topic that they had to explore through interviews and other visual media.  They had to edit it and have it ready to go today.

They have had six weeks to complete the thing.

We only got to see a few of the projects today.  A couple were pretty good.  One was awful--they hadn't finished (or even started by the looks of it) editing it down to a workable version.  And a few of them hadn't finished.

Their teacher had told them that if they don't get it in today, they get a zero.  In some cases, that zero could keep them from graduating next week.  But they knew that today was the deadline for a while.  Their teacher had even reminded them of this several times last week.

Their teacher told them that they had until the end of the day.  But after his last group of seniors, he's out of the room.  He told them to bring their projects to the activities office.  He repeated this a couple times.

That's why I was surprised when a group came in looking for the student teacher.  Apparently, they had not heard him say where he would be.  Then another group came in.  And another.  One group came in and then returned later, expecting the student teacher to have come back.  I think I snapped at them.

I wonder about them.  They're graduating next week, and they're still not following directions.

(Whoa, just had an earthquake while I was writing this.  Well, at least I wasn't in the shower again.)

Alligator Scarf Finished

I promised.  So, here it is, finally finished:

And here's another view:

If you click on the photos, you will get a larger view.

Now I just need to figure out what to name the beast.  He needs a name.  Any ideas?

Free Hugs

I'm still on the seven day assignment.

Two of the classes (two economics classes) are being taught by a student teacher.  I like student teachers.  They make my day so much easier.

Generally, I get to find a nice place to sit while the student teacher takes care of the class.  This student teacher has been with the classes all semester, so basically they're his classes.  My job is to be the certificated body in the room.

It is almost the end of the year.  The student teacher wanted to do something different with his seniors.  He told them about Free Hugs.  He thought it would be a good thing to try at the school.  He introduced the idea early in the week and asked for their reaction.  The students were open to the idea.

Today they made signs.

The room was in controlled chaos mode.  I helped out by finding scissors (well, one of the students knew where the teacher kept the scissors) and offering advice.  By advice, I mean I said, "Yeah, that looks good".  Although, I wasn't lying--those that asked did have nice looking signs.

One student brought his sign to another student to protect while he went away to do something else.  The sign was only started.  It said, "Free Hugs...I'm Black," and that was it.  There was some blank space underneath, so something else was going to be added.

The student protecting the sign was not black, but held it up and posed for a picture.

The first student eventually retrieved his sign.  When he finished it, I had to find out what the rest of the message was.  "Free Hugs...I'm Black...I Really Need It."  Um, okay.

At the end of the period the class got together to take a group picture with all the signs.  As I was the odd-man out, I got to snap the picture.  I took three--just to make sure that one came out looking okay.

It'll be interesting to see how the campaign goes over.

Negotiation

On Tuesday, 3rd period was not pleased with the movie selection.  They said that they were going to email their teacher in hopes of convincing him to let them watch something else.  On Wednesday, one of the girls said that the teacher had okayed a movie change.  I asked for proof.

It wasn't that I thought she was lying.  I just wanted to verify her statement in some way.  I asked that she print out the email so I could see it.  (Also, that way I could see how amiable the teacher was to the change in movie.)

Today the student brought in the proof.  It turned out to be an IM chat.  There was a bit of negotiating going on between the student and teacher.  The teacher wanted to know what movie the girl wanted instead.  She started off with Mulan, which the teacher was fine with.

However, the teacher questioned that choice.  He wondered what else she might have in mind, so she upped the ante and asked for Little Miss Sunshine.  That's rated R, so that was a firm no.

Yesterday, the students decided to bring in movies for today.  There were only about four movies to choose from.  None were rated R, so we were safe.

What did the students choose to watch?  Mulan.

So, I got some peace today for one period.  None of the other classes thought to petition their teacher for a movie change, so they got to watch what was on the original lesson plan.

Resistance

It's day two of the seven-day assignment.  The teacher left me three videos for the time that he's out.  Today we continued watching The Mission.  

It's kind of an interesting movie.  I'd never heard of it.  Neither had they.  And they weren't much interested in expanding their knowledge.  

They whined that it was boring.  One class said that they were going to email the teacher to change the movie choice.  Fine.  But they were going to be quiet today.  

Fifth period, I kept having to shush a group of four boys.  They were constantly turning and saying things (inaudible to me) and laughing.  It's not a funny movie.  It took me a while before I figured out what it was they were doing.  

At the end of the period I called them on it.  "You need to stop with the Mystery Science Theater 3000," I told them.  They didn't get the reference.  

First I told them to look it up.  They are AP kids, but they're also 10th graders, and it's the end of the year.  They'd never look it up.  So, I explained.  They had never heard of MST3K.  

I thought it rather sad that they had never heard of the show.  I also felt a little old (not for the first time) for using the reference.  Sigh.  

(And just for kicks, Amazon has a bunch of these for sale here.)  

Easy Week

"Economics," the sub caller said.

It's not really my subject.  The only subject that is worse for me is Spanish (I took French).  But I had no qualms in taking the class, even for seven days.  I'm pretty good at winging it.

I had a bit of time to wonder about the class.  I talked to the sub caller about this job last week (we can call in ahead of time).  I knew that the teacher didn't only teach economics.  And it's the very end of the year.  I wondered how the seniors were going to be.

Today was day one.  Turns out the teacher is away grading AP tests.  This means he has AP classes, and those classes are done.  He also has a student teacher for two periods.  The lesson plan: videos.

It should be an interesting few days.