Multiple Days

I was lucky in that one of my first subbing days was for a middle school teacher who requires a sub fairly frequently (2-3 times a month) due to training. She has her Doctorate and is out either for her training or to train others. I have subbed for her four times already, and have another four days scheduled through the end of January.

There are many benefits to subbing in the same classroom multiple times. I am beginning to know the students names and personalities, which helps with classroom management. The students also know me, which means that there is less disruption to their learning environment as well as a knowledge of what I deem acceptable behavior. Students always expect a free day or try to test the rules with a sub. Seeing the same sub multiple times ensures a smoother day for both myself and the students.

I was also given the opportunity to teach a few of my own lessons, as the teacher knows I am certified. Unfortunately, although I am certified in Language Arts (I wrote about having taken the L.A. GACE) I student taught in Social Studies and therefore have no prepared L.A. lessons and am less familiar with the curriculum as well as what they are studying at this time during the semester. Despite this, it was very thoughtful for the teacher to make this offer! I did let her know that I am very willing to teach a full lesson for her, especially if she could send it along in advance so that I could become familiar with it (rather than the less rigourous lessons usually left for subs).

Subbing repeatedly in the same classroom is ideal. You begin to know the students and they know you as well. The day runs smoother as the classroom rules become familiar and there is less disruption for the students.

5-4-3-2-1

I have started counting down to get the class settled. It is working really well.

I was having a hard time finding the right way for me to get the class to pay attention and get quiet. This has started working pretty much immediately. I am sure some of their teachers have used it in the past. It also tells them exactly when the behavior I want is expected to be complete.

So, yay!

Last Week

I haven't been posting as much lately. It's been pretty busy. Last week went pretty well.

Monday was a furlough day, so I got a day off. Yay! And, since I do not get paid to be at Sweetwater anyways, I didn't mind like the faculty and staff do.

Wednesday the students had a test. Again, most of them did not study. They even got an extra day because the test was supposed to be Tuesday and we did a review instead.

Thursday was a sub, so I was mostly in charge and they did some book work. I had to yell at one of the classes and they had to be silent for the half of the class after lunch. Mrs. Harris (another teacher on the team) congratulated me the next day for officially being a "mean teacher". Maybe they will start to listen more to me - I'm crossing my fingers.

Friday they did an activity which worked pretty well and the students had some fun.

Friday and Saturday I worked and today I am trying to catch up with school work. So, pretty normal.

Blame

Apparently at some point a student spray painted the side of the school. I am not sure about the details of where and when. The really interesting part about it is that when the parent was shown the video footage of her daughter vandalizing the school building, the first question she asked was, "Well, where were the teachers?"

What?!?! 

This seems to be a theme in education. Not just for the bigger issues such as vandalism, but also classroom disruption, bad grades, or other similar problems. Many of the parents immediately assume that the teachers are doing something wrong, or that they aren't doing enough.

Mixed Signals

The biggest point that my adviser noted on my observation was room presence. He mentioned in a few places on my review that I should not stay at the front of the room while getting the class' attention, but stand in the middle.

The reason I was moving towards the front of the room was so that those students sitting in the front could see me. I thought this would be the best way to get everyone's attention. I would also start by saying something like, "It's time to move on, you need to stop talking," in a raised voice, but not yelling. When that did not work (it never does), I said firmly and loudly, "Stop Talking - Now." Again, not yelling but rasing my voice and being very firm. He did not like that technique much either. Here are his comments:

"When they are talking and your want to get the class going on an activity, 

please don’t just yell “Stop Talking,” or “Get Quiet.” Try standing in the 

middle of the room and say, “When everyone is ready, we’ll get going!” 

That often works better without antagonism which only disrupts the class 

activity. Also, please stand in the middle of the class when you demand their 

attention."

and

"ask for quiet in a more diplomatic way, i.e. when my hand goes up, I need 

your attention. There really are better ways to get their attention than shouting 

for quiet."

I believe he is making a valid point - for someone with more control over the classroom than I currently have. If I stood in the center of the room and quietly asked for their attention they would just ignore me. I could stand there all day, but these students do not respond well to requests. They respect teachers when they fear getting in trouble. I am sure not all students are this way, and many would become quiet with a signal such as the teacher raising their hand. However, my students aren't going to. I have tried it. It doesn't work. When I told Mr. Dorray and the other teachers on our team about those comments they just laughed. I have received advice from the teachers at Sweetwater, they all say be firm and be mean until you have their respect. When I have my own classroom, I can try to "train" my students to become quiet if I raise my hand, or flicker the lights. Until then, I will try to stay consistent with the style of my mentor teacher.

Mr. Dorray "grilled" his homeroom class at the end of the day yesterday
about why they do not behave for me.  
The consensus was that I was "too nice".

Worn Out

Today was my observation. It didn't go as well as I would have liked.

The first two classes were great! They seemed to like my activity, and participated fairly well. Unfortunately, the third class did not go as well, and that was the one that was observed. The activity went well, it wasn't until after the activity that I had problems. The students didn't want to sit down at first. Then they just wouldn't stop talking. I had to ask them repeatedly to stop talking. I had to call students out by name. And, on top of talking too much, they were not participating in the discussion. So, it looked like they were bored or not understanding. Mr. Dorray wasn't in the room, and they don't have the same respect for me as they do for him.

I wasn't able to get feedback from my advisor because he was moving on to observe someone else, but he did say that the biggest thing that needed improvement was: "obviously discipline." The obviously part is discouraging.

I wanted to yell at the kids near the end of the class, to tell them that their behavior was affecting my grade. I am sure they didn't realize that the person in the back was going to grade me. But, it probably wouldn't have mattered to them anyways. Sigh. I was so frustrated when Mr. Dorray came back and asked me how it went.

These kids are pretty good when he is in the room, but it is entirely different when he leaves. So, I asked him to start stepping out of the room more often when I am teaching, so that I can get more practice with it.

Now I just want to take a nap.

****Update****

I received my observation form from my advisor. Everything was scored on a scale of 1-4, and I didn't manage to do better than a 3, even if he noted that something was "great". I got a 2 on my classroom management. Also, he didn't give any suggestions for anything other than classroom management. 

So, although I got 3/4 on all but one thing, there were no suggestions on how to improve. I got 38/52 points.

Silent Lunch II

So, I gave out my first silent lunch today. Students have received silent lunch when I noticed them doing something inappropriate and told Mr. Dorray about it, but I never gave the punishment. Today I did.

I was telling the student to stop talking to other students behind him and turn around. I'd told him a few times to focus on his work, but he just wasn't working. So, I told him to turn around, then to put his book on the table, and then to scoot his chair so that he was sitting at the desk. He did so, but grudgingly and then mumbled under his breath, "you're not even a teacher." I asked him to repeat himself, but he wouldn't. I didn't think I could let that slide, so I told him that I was a teacher and that he would have silent lunch tomorrow.

When I told Mr. Dorray about the incident he said that giving silent lunch for that situation was good, and that I did need to make sure they understand that they have to listen to me.

Stay in Line! Don't Talk!

One of the more interesting parts of middle school to me is that they still walk in line as a class to lunch. There is a lot of herding involved. They are expected to stay quiet, so that they don't disturb other classrooms. Every single day they have to be reminded to stay quiet, and more than once. Of course, they whisper amongst themselves and the real goal is to get them not to be too loud. Absolute silence is, I believe, impossible. At least for our class. Because Mr. Dorray isn't going to punish them for whispering.

Some classes do manage to stay nearly silent. A friend of mine who is student teaching in a 6th grade class is having a different experience than myself. Her mentor teacher gives silent lunch to those talking while walking to lunch.  A little harsh? Probably. More effective? Generally.

Silent Lunch

A common punishment for students who misbehave is silent lunch. They must sit with the teachers, away from their classmates. They are supposed to remain silent, however, many times they talk with the teachers. I am always interested in how they got silent lunch, and they are usually eager to tell me why they did not deserve silent lunch.

stock photo, not the SMS cafeteria

Substitute

Today the class had a substitute. I actually felt kind of bad for them. The atmosphere of the classroom is usually a kind of controlled chaos. They get to talk to each other as they work and he's not usually too worried about the noise level unless it get really loud. They do quiet down pretty quickly for him when he asks them to.

However, the substitute wanted them to be quiet. We went to the computer lab and she expected them to each work silently. It wasn't going to happen. They mostly stayed in their seats, but they wanted to talk to each other as well as help each other out. Of course, there were some quiet kids who did a great job.

Most people probably never get to see the students with the teacher as well as with the sub. It was interesting to see both styles and actually feel a little bad for the kids who were given higher standards to meet for a day. However, I did like the sub, she was very nice, and just wanted to kids to behave :)

I'm still having lots of fun!