Very long couple of days

It has been been a very long couple of days.

The teacher that I am working with has been out at a training yesterday and today and will be out again tomorrow. Plus she was out on Monday, sick. No big deal.

The principal and she decided that since I am a certified teacher that yesterday I could be on my own.

Cool, rock on.

The thing about subbing, especially in the lower grades is that routines and such are the lifeblood of primary classrooms. You do the same thing day after day, in the same order and you have success. As the students get older, they are more adaptable to changes in routine (with exceptions of course). Little changes throw off the primary aged kids, just like a change of schedule upsets most babies and toddlers.

It was a LONG day, but we got through it. They pushed the buttons that they thought they could push, since I only have two hands and can not say 18 names at once. The only real problem was that a couple of them took it and misbehaved in the media center, and got into trouble there. So I got the fun and excitement of telling parents that. The one little boy was crying as he told his mom she had to wait so they could talk to me (at least he told her), I explained what had happened in class, and what happened in the media center, and told her that his behavior in class was not the best but it was to be expected since I was on my own. But his behavior in the media center was horrible. He told me today that he got a spanking, and no tv/toys last night (today he was an angel).

Today and tomorrow we get a sub to help out.

Which is great!

Right?

Wrong!

The sub is 8 1/2 months pregnant, which would be ok, but she has no patience, so it was a LONG day. I pretty much taught everything there was to teach and ran it all, while she sat in the rocking chair and watched, and chewed out the kids for being kids.

Yes, they were talkative, but it was another new body, another new face, and it in my mind was expected, since they are creatures of habit, and having this new person changed the routine for them.

Every time I left the room another student had turned a card (lost a privilege).

I went up to take my break and came back and there were 4 students next door in think time (time out).

They came in from break (recess) and two more had to turn cards (two that NEVER get in trouble), for pushing. I was inside with the ones that had already lost their breaks. The one's mom works at the school, and when I came in from taking the car riders out to their rides, she was waiting for me. He was in her room bawling! The first thing out of my mouth was I wasn't there, I don't know what happened, I just wrote what I was told happened. (yes, the mom scares me!)

Tomorrow it is more of same. Part of me hopes that since she was having really strong contractions off and on all day today that she calls in for tomorrow and that I end up on my own again. Mrs. C and Mrs. D (the teacher and parapro next door) have both said they would help out if it happens (and I believe them since they helped both yesterday and Monday).

I really hope that Mrs. A (the head teacher in the room) doesn't stop by the school tonight after her training, since I didn't take the time to turn the cards back, or to finish up a couple of things. I was frustrated and flustered, so I left, and I will go in early and finish up what I didn't do today. (Of course I am not sure I should since I am only getting paid para-pro sub pay and am doing the teacher sub work, but deep breath I am hoping that this all pays off with a job for the fall!)


Speaking of creatures of habit, and disruptions of routines making little ones behave differently...

The change of living situation, change of preschool, and parental stress is really affecting DJ. :(

He is acting up at school and not listening to his teachers, plus he cries every day at drop off, which he cried in Florida, don't get me wrong, but this is EVERY DAY, which down there it was once a week when he was over tired.

I am not sure how much of it is that he is used to a smaller classroom situation, or just the personality of his teachers, and how much of it is that he is feeding off the stress that Jerry and I are feeling with the money situation right now.


Then you add in the fact that I am never home, or if I am home I am working on the computer. He told me on the way home tonight that he wanted to go to bed and cuddle when we got home, and I had to come home and get on the computer to teach all night (from 5-11) cry....

Sigh... I need a full time teaching job...

Or heck a full time job that pays decent money and has benefits would be nice...