Here's what our house looked like last Friday morning...
About $8,000 later, we had a new roof, flashing over our gutters, and a new flat roof over our entrance.
This was just the beginning of the madness.
Ray's been out of town the past few days as he is having meetings in Colorado. I've been subbing every single day in middle school. While I enjoy the age of the students (grades 5-8), I haven't enjoyed the lesson plans all that much. I haven't taught a single thing! I give tests, police as students work on presentations, show movies, and play silly games. I just crave the chance to actually teach a lesson; a real one. While I don't blame the teachers (lesson plans are way easier when tests/projects are involved and they don't know who they are getting to sub), I struggle to stay awake half the time. It's also nice having 2 free planning periods and lunch. However, I have nothing to do during this time of solitude. Perhaps I can bring a book-- but I feel as though I should be working while I'm being paid. I've never known a school to have no additional preparations, copies, or grading that needed to be done... except this one! Today I spent my FIVE free periods in the library sorting books and helping students with homework. I nearly grabbed a mop-- I was that bored.
I also struggle with this issue of over qualification. I am continually humbled. I am a credentialed teacher in two states and I can teach K-9. I just passed both tests that Illinois required (with flying colors, yay!) to officially transfer my credential to permanent status, and I have experience. I have graduate school under my belt and I'm even teaching a graduate course in education! Needless to say, substitute teaching has been a bit of a struggle. The great part of this experience, however, is getting to meet all of these educators and create connections. I am a sub in 3 districts (though I have only actually worked for 2 despite having been called by all 3) and I have met lots of great people-- and some notsogreat. I have created a great relationship with the sub caller in one of the districts and she has kept me busy! The primary elementary school I sub at are incredibly welcoming and other teachers have even referred to me as "awesome" when finding out I'll be covering for them. So, that does feel good. But I tell you... nothing would feel better than to actually teach a whole, brand new lesson from start to finish. I sure miss that.
On another note... I went for a run this afternoon in the rain and saw a ton of animals! It appears that they come out when all the humans go inside from rain. I saw 7 bunnies, 2 Cardinals, and about 10 baby geese with their mom. It was really serene and beautiful.
My final Pièce de résistance today was this:
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2 comments:
I totally know what you mean about subbing. I have an actual position, yet I am not the "real" teacher, so I also find myself with lots of free time (sometimes 4 45-minute periods in a day!). I am so looking forward to getting back into planning and really teaching next year.
It surprises me that so many teachers leave such crappy plans. I always left actual work when I was out. For certain periods, I might leave something like a Scholastic News instead of a complicated lesson, but I always had my subs to my full on reading and math and regular schedule. I find most subs do feel it's super boring to have movies/games/etc. and often those plans don't take up the full amount of time anyway. It's almost as if teachers expect to have an unqualified sub that won't be able to swing real lessons.
Ya, it's lame to sub when all you have are boring plans. I had that situation today. It was a SUPER easy day but I had a whole hour with literally nothing to teach, then after recess another whole hour of nothing while the kids did busy work. FINALLY after lunch I taught a lesson and it was GREAT!!! I wasn't instructed to do as much as I did but I was on a roll!!!
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