Well...I don't have mine yet either, but I can now officially say that I survived my first day (two days, actually) as a substitute teacher! Thursday and Friday of this week, I filled in for a 3rd grade teacher in Madison County. It's a great school - I've been there several times before, but never like this! I wish would've quit my day job a while ago and started subbing - I think it would've helped me get a lot more out of my classes (having something to immediately apply them to). But nevertheless, I'm learning a lot!
I taught subject and predicate, compound sentences, rocks and minerals, and a little math, but most of my day was spent trying to keep the class under control. I managed to make it out of the first day with only two [pencil] stabbings, five stomach aches, eight trips to the nurse, a couple of bumped heads, a few tears, a lot of whining, and a host of various other distractions. So I went home that night to think of ways to turn things around the next day...
As it turns out, all I needed was time fillers, lesson stretchers, and a few sets of directions for the board. It sounds pretty simple, but definitely comes with practice and experience. It worked like a charm! Day two was a definite improvement - I had a created a quieter, more obedient, happier classroom over night! Oh - and I complimented a student on his funky-fresh mohawk on Thursday, and then on Friday there were four! I guess they all wanted to be praised for their edgy hair stylings...I got a kick out of that.
The best part about it is I ended up scoring another sub gig there for four more days next week! That, and I even went home with some new refridgerator art:
2 comments:
YAY!!! So glad that you survived:) It will get easier and easier! Just remember, like dogs, kids smell fear:)
Your new artwork is so sweet. Good job, Lady ;)
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