The Traveling Teacher

Today, I thought I was subbing for a 6th grade class, but I found out this morning that I needed to first go help proctor a state test for 2nd graders (21) from 8--9:40.

Before the 2nd graders took their state test, the teacher was walking around the class checking homework. There were a lot of things that happened during the homework check.

First, the teacher caught a student by the sink picking out a pencil out of a pencil can. The teacher told her that she didn't have permission to do so and for her to sit down and get one out of her pencil box. The teacher then went over to the student's desk to look for the student's pencil. The teacher got mad because she saw how messy the student's desk was: pencils and crayons outside of the pencil box and 2 crumbled paper inside her desk. The teacher placed the crumble paper onto the floor so the student would have to pick them up and throw them away.

Second, she caught a student not doing his homework. The homework was done, however he didn't do it...his mother or someone else with nice and neat handwriting did it. That particular student missed his morning recess to complete another homework packet. She also told him, "I don't want this CRAP anymore"!

Third, the teacher told a little girl that she will be missing an entire day of recess. The teacher asked her why and the girl said she didn't follow directions given by another teacher the previous day.

Before the students came into the class, the teacher told me that during my stay, I would be the one walking around the room making sure the students were bubbling in the answers correctly, making sure no pencil marks are on the test, and making sure no one is cheating. While walking around the room, I caught a male student talking to another student. I gave him a warning by giving him an angry look. When I caught him doing it again to another student, I notified the teacher.

She yanked the student by his shirt, pulled him from his chair, and told him to stand outside of class. She changed her mind and placed him in the back table with 2 other students and pulled her chair and baby sat the 3 students during the test.

After checking all the homework packet, she threw all of them in the trash! Why? I don't know. Maybe she just needs to check who did it and have students get in trouble if they didn't do it or she doesn't want to check it because it takes to long?

After my primary grade recess duty, I went to the office so they could assign me to a 6th grade class.

When I came into the 6th grade class (73), I started to remember that I've been in here before. The last time I was there was when I was roving from class to class so the teachers could have their SST meetings. I think the students remembered me to because I heard student whispering about me.

The teacher said that the rest of my day would be easy and to be strict with them regarding their behaviors: a female student chewed gum and a male student ripped his outer shirt shooting 2 of his buttons across the room.

LEARNING SOMETHING NEW:

1. Fire Alarms
    (a) What = 8 Short Rings, Pause, Repeat
    (b) Do = Exit Room with Red Backpack, Close Door, Go to the Fields
2. Earthquake Alarms
    (a) What = 1 Continuous Ring, Pause, Repeat
    (b) Do = Get under desk, Exit Room, & Leave Door Open

3. Students on the Playground should report to their line spot

I couldn't get a full day assignment, so I decided to take a half day one instead--at least it's something! Even though starting this week (continuing until May 30th), the schools at my district has state testing, I have an almost full day assignments. I hope I get more full day assignments next week. Currently, I have only 1, on Wednesday at KES. I will be working with 5th graders.

I went to HES (not he's) to work with 1st graders. Some students were talkative, but everything was fine. 

Yesterday, I got requested to work with 7th graders at VDMS. Apparently, the students and the aide liked me last Thursday, so the teacher requested me for today.

Today was very easy and the daily schedule was off. Today was another day that the entire school had to take their state test. The first 3 hours, period 3 took their state test in language arts. All I had to do was to proctor with another teacher and a classroom aide. When the students finished an hour earlier, I lend them some of my 3-D puzzles to the students. This time, on a scratch paper, I kept track of who received and who gave back my puzzles. NOTE TO SELF: Next time, I need to prepare a better tracking sheet (with tables) of who received which colored puzzles and who gave them back. Note to Self AGAIN: I still need to NOT allow any students to trade without permission and NOT allow them to ask to for a puzzle to play with and to give only 2 chances to follow this direction.

After the 3 hours was over, the students had a 4 minute break and then they came back for their 4th period. We read a novel that the students were reading. Next, the students had their 30 minute lunch break. A student stayed to do his 3-D rectangular prism while the door was opened and other students looking in.

After lunch was period 5. The students were rowdy when I was taking attendance. After writing 4 students' names on the board, they quiet down. We read a chapter in their novel (similar to period 4). We only read a chapter because the students didn't want to read anymore. They had enough with reading because of their tests that morning. I gave them a word search to do for 15 minutes. Then they had a 4-minute break. When the same students came back, it became 6th period, so the students continued working on their word search. 3/4th of the class worked on their word search, while the other 1/4th talked.

I took away a students' IPOD who borrowed it from another student. The owner kept asking it back to no avail. I wrote a note to the teacher and placed the IPOD in her desk.

Today, I subbed for an 8th grade class at DAMS. I hate going here! I took this assignment because there was no other. Period 1 was okay...some students were cussing and chewing gum. Period 2 was better, even though they were the same class. I placed a talkative student "kinder style" on the floor. When he didn't follow directions his teacher gave him a choice, follow directions or be sent out...he sat on the floor for the rest of the period. A student had her cell phone ring until I made her turn it off. I caught 2 students copying from other students. Period 3 was the best class and they all received raffle tickets. Period 4 was my prep time. I read a magazine. Period 5, a student chewed gum and I sent out 2 students for a timeout: 1 in a class next door and another was sent to the office. I didn't send the student using a discipline referral form. Should I have? I don't know.

It has been 2 years since I had seen some students from SES. The only classes I would like to be back would be the RSP classes. At least for those classes, there would be a maximum of 8-10 students.

A teacher was fired over a bikini picture! (May 9, 2008, MomLogic.Com) What? This is another hysteria incident.

Tiffany Shepherd, the single mother of three boys, ages 9, 6, and 2, never suspected that a second job she took on a fishing boat would cause her to lose her teaching job. Shepherd, who taught science for four years at a high school in Port St. Lucie, Florida, says she decided to take a second job on-board a fishing boat where she wore a bikini while assisting customers.

However, Tiffany says when school administrators mistakenly believed she was working on a topless charter boat, she lost her job. While school officials claim they let her go due to excessive tardiness and absences, Tiffany is convinced her bikini moonlighting gig had something to do with her firing.

I understand that this and many stories like it suggest that society today is more concerned about appearances rather than privacy of individuals.

However, there is a just concern for this, especially those who work with children or the public. I don't mean why is America so conservative compared to the Europeans? What I am saying is that anyone who works or who wants to work in the public sector, they need to try to be role models for the younger generations? By "in the public sector", I mean school personnel, city personnel, and government personnel, etc.

In terms of school personnel, no one is allowed to dress provocatively in their work setting as well as their recreational setting. Situation 1: When I was subbing for a middle school, I saw a blonde teacher with some nice curves. She wore a tight white blouse that showed the curvature of her bra and tight jeans that show the curvature of her butt. Boys are curious and when they watch movies/porn, they could picture what they want to imagine). Situation 2: If a child has a hot mom (who is sometimes considered a MILF), what then?

Sometimes a women cannot control how she looks. I think it was at the beginning of '08 or towards the end of '07 that a teen boy taped a teacher on a school stage. He was pointing at her, zoomed in from to bottom, and zoomed in her ass and posted it on Youtube.

While Tiffany Shepperd who has big breasts could wear a bikini at the beach, in a pool, etc in her own recreational atmosphere is fine, but if someone takes her picture or videotapes and posts them on a website, then there is no way to take them down and people's reaction would be...DAMN, you're hot and my son is getting horny over you or DAMN, you're hot and my daughter is jealous or DAMN, you're hotter than my wife and I will be ogling you for a long time.

Today, I was placed into 2 1st grade class for 45 minutes each. In the first class, the students remembered me from last year when they were in kindergarten (and not from last December '07). It was great seeing them again and it was great being back at HwES. Last year, I subbed at HwES more than I did this year.

After subbing for the last class, I helped the outreach consultant with some book inventory and after lunch, I helped the reading coach with counting reading booklets for the kindergarten class.

When I was waiting in the staff lounge until it was time to go to my first class, I saw L (excluding name for their protection) again. The last time I saw L was at DNES. During the day she gave me some advice about applying to and working at the PUSD. She told me that working at the POSD was different than working at this district in many ways.

First, in this district, to apply, a prospect would need 1 reference letter, a bachelor's degree (or a minimum of 90 credits in a university), and his/her CBEST passing score card.

She said that to apply for POSD, a prospect wouldn't need a credential and may need up to 3 letter of reference from anyone. What she said was different than what was posted on Edjoin.com.

Second, in this district, the interviewing process was easy. There would be 1 interviewer asking 5 to 6 questions.

She said that in the interview process for the POSD, there would be 3 interviewers, one after another and each interviewer would ask some questions from managing a classroom to coming to a school in the morning.

Third, in this district, if the time read 7:15 to start, then a sub would check in at 7:15 and they would have 20-30 minutes to find the class and read through the lesson plans.

She told me that at the POSD, if the time read 7:15 to start, I would have 10 to 15 minutes to check in at the office, find the class and read through the lesson plans. So I would need to arrive 15 to 20 minutes earlier before the time I was supposed to be there.

Fourth, in this district, every time a sub would go to a school, the office manager/clerk would give you a time card to fill out and at the end of the day, they would send it to the district office.

She said that I would need to carry my time card to every school, have the office manager/clerk sign it (or initial it), and for me to turn it in to the district office at the end of the pay period.

Excluding yesterday, I declared that I wouldn't leave my business card that contains my sub number and cell phone number at the end of the day anymore. I will just leave my sub report with my name and sub number instead.

I finally got a job yesterday night at 11pm.

The entire yesterday at work and when I had the chance, I constantly called the sub-finder for a full day job. I think I called every 15 minutes. I really needed work because since Sunday, I thought I had only 2 work days this week.

Yesterday, I rejected 2 positions: one for a half day at an elementary school and the other was a full day at SMS. Of course I didn't want to work for 1/2 day. I didn't want to work at SMS for 3 reasons. First, since I've been subbing for 3 years, I have never been there. I wouldn't know where things are. Second there had been rumors about a lot of fights breaking out. Finally, there are 7th graders I wouldn't want to deal with, especially since I knew them when they were 6th graders (from MorES).

Today I had an an okay and easy assignment. When I saw the lesson plans, I thought...that's it? For first period, the lesson plan said another teacher would teach in that class. Second period was my prep time and I had to prepare materials for periods 3-6.

When the bell rang, I waited outside and welcomed the students coming in. A teacher was walking to her class turned around and cautioned me about my 3rd and 4th period. She said those students have behavior issues and I needed to be STRICT with them.

First period, I prepared all the materials. During second period, I ate some snacks and read a magazine and of course called the sub-finder. The students from 3rd-4th period were somewhat talkative. There was an lady aide to help me control these 2 periods. The students calmed down a bit because they wanted to play with the 3-D puzzles. I didn't tell them to read a book after they finished the last class assignment (as the lesson plan said to do). The reason I did this was because I didn't see a book for them to read, except a "High Point" language arts book and a social studies book.
3 students stayed in the class for lunch because they were into the 3-D puzzles. Before the bell rang to go to fifth period, more students came in to check out the puzzles.

5th and 6th period was somewhat better than 3rd and 4th period. The students behaved because they didn't want to receive 30 minutes detention with me that afternoon. When we finished all the classwork, the students got agitated and I allowed them to work on the puzzles.

NOTE TO SELF: DO NOT allow them to ask to for a puzzle to play with and to give only 1 chance to follow this direction.

NOTE TO SELF: KEEP TRACK of all puzzles given to students. DO NOT allow students to trade without permission.

Today I roved at MarES. From 7:45-11am, I had 1st graders and from 11-2:30, I had 5th graders.

I like to work with first graders. Most first graders like to please their teachers. Most like to receive individual points, table pointsin order to win prizes or be put on the "good list". Once in awhile some students would get in trouble for talking a lot and/or not paying attention by doing something else. These students would lose their recess as a result. Most of the first graders that I worked with today were excellent. The rest, around 6 were on the "bad list".

I am okay working with fifth and sixth graders only when I had worked with them before (to get to know them). I would take a job working with fifth through eighth only if I needed a job for that day or if it is to work for more than 1 day. The last time I worked with these fifth graders at MarES was earlier this year. During that time, I had them for the entire day. I had trouble managing the students and therefore, DID NOT leave my sub number. This time, even though I was there for 1/2 day, the students behaved. After warning the students several times to do their work and to do it quietly, the students behaved. Plus, my 3-D puzzles were great incentives.

Today, I subbed for a 4th grade class. I took this job that was posted yesterday at 11pm. I don't remember the last time I was in this class, but I do remember I was in there for half a day.

Since the teacher decided not to come to work, he didn't prepare any lessons. That didn't surprise me at all. I remember a 3rd grade teacher at that school had told me that none of the 4th grade teachers except 1 had ever written a lesson plan. Another 4th grade teacher wrote some things down on the board, so I winged the day.

So the last time I was there, the students behaved well. Today, however, 6 of the students that I had thought were great, weren't. I didn't know why neither did they. They said they had "changed"...I thought "that fast"?. I made 4 students write standards: 1 students wrote 100 standards and 3 students wrote 200 standards. This happened before lunch. The behaved students.

I DID NOT leave my number not because the kids misbehaved, but because I never get called back by the teachers at MES. It is probably because they believe I don't know how to manage their class, I don't know how to carry out their lesson plans correctly, or teach a class well enough.

Today, I took a 6th grade class. Luckily, I came 15 minutes earlier because I had to check the teacher's mailbox, carefully read through the lesson plans, photocopy the materials for math (not provided by the teacher), and put the class rules and expectations on the board. I knew I had to be ready and strict with these students because they were "6th graders".

The lesson plan also provided how to be strict with these students. It said to remind them about the rules they suggested for the classroom at the beginning of the school year. It also said to give them 1 warning and after several warnings to send them out to another class for a timeout, and after 2 timeouts, send them to the office.

For language arts, some students switched class. All the students were excellent in this class. For math, the students started to misbehave. I sent 1 student for timeout twice.

At around 3:20 and before class ended, I allowed the students to have free play time. I had 6-10 students stand by the wall because during the day, they misbehaved. When one of the misbehaved students was playing with another misbehaved/timed out student's football, I took it away. I told the owner of the football that he was not getting back until the following Monday. The student started to cuss to himself.

I DID NOT leave my sub number. Who would want to go to a classroom like that?...NOT ME!