Card

I've been subbing with the same team for a while now. I spent the first school week of this year, two weeks at the end of February, and last Thursday and Friday subbing for three different teachers in a four teacher team. I can't describe how great it is to spend so much time with the same students as well as the other teachers on the team. Friday was my birthday, which I mentioned to one of the teachers when I came in.

Soon, all of the students knew. They were poking their heads in my door, wishing me happy birthday. My first class requested an entire class restroom break but a few didn't want to go. I opened the connecting door to ask my neighbor to keep an ear out for the students saying behind which turned into a dual classroom concert of Happy Birthday. After first period I received this from the neighboring classroom.

If you look on the bottom right you will see a little drawing of me, bangs and glasses included, from one of the students. All of the students signed the card. Very sweet!

Here is the back of the card. The teacher from that cass is Ms. Love.



Things Are Looking Up

I got great news today when the substitute coordinator stopped by my classroom to let me know that I was chosen for the long term sub position. Finally, something is going my way! The position is available because the teacher is expecting. Her due date is March 12th, so barring an early delivery I will take up the position on or near that date.



Because I am subbing all week at the school already (as well as next Monday and Friday!), I was able to sit in on her class today to get an idea of the class. I was lucky in that it is the first day of a 9 weeks period. This means that students are beginning new connections classes and I was able to see how she handles the first day of the class. This was a great opportunity as I should have the opportunity to teach an entire 9 weeks group of my own from start to finish.



I am very excited about this opportunity. I hope that it will provide me with more "real" classroom experience which schools are looking for when they are hiring. When interviewing I will be able to better answer questions about behavior management and motivation as well as administrative aspects of teaching such as time management, parent interaction, and working with other teachers.

Long Term

I am interviewing Tuesday morning for a long term, middle school substitute teaching job. Unfortunately, it is not for a Social Studies class, but a Family and Consumer Sciences class. This is a Connections (elective) class which eighth, seventh, and sixth graders may take. I am interviewing for it because few people are certified for this class. If it were a standard subject, they would have plenty of certified applicants available. The sub coordinator has suggested myself and another sub for the position. I assume that the other sub is interviewing as well. I am not sure if there are any other candidates besides the two of us.

This is a great opportunity to make connections within the middle school. Due to the job market finding a teaching position is about who you know (more so than ever); this would be a great way to make myself known in the school. Taking this position would mean missing an opportunity with the high school that I sub for, proctoring the Advance Placement tests at the end of the school year. This is something I did last year, and enjoyed doing. However, the long term sub job provides guaranteed daily work from the middle of March to the end of the school year. The AP testing is a three week job with varying hours.



The class seems easy enough. Here is a breakdown of some of the topics I would be teaching if I get the position.

• Careers- résumé creation (on the computer), job application basics, mock interviews (done with parent/teacher/business volunteers serving as the interviewers)
• Textiles- basic handstitching and button sewing put together to create a product; laundry HW assignment; laundry HW assignment
• Personal Finance- financial planning, income vs. expenses, budgeting, financial literacy
• Food and Nutrition- safety and sanitation, measurement basics, eating disorders, fad diets, recipe math and cooking labs
• Child Development- original game creation, ages and stages of development
• Housing and Interiors- reasons to keep a home clean and neat, home safety, elements of design