Time to Take Stock

Time to Take Stock

The school year is nearly over -- it is time to take stock of how you think things went. The way I like to do that is to review my teaching journal. In my daily journal, I put information that will be helpful for me later when picking up assignments. I usually rate the schools by five factors: safety of neighborhood, ease of access (whether by car or public transportation), administration (how I am treated by the front office), professionalism of teachers and staff, and finally the students. I do not necessarily run away from challenges, but, when the pros outweigh the cons, I do seriously reconsider returning to a school.

I substituted at a school that always wanted to assign me to the worse class in the school, even when that was not my assignment. I remember one particular day I was assigned to an either grade class. They were quietly working and watching me set up (the administrations are almost always showing up just as school starts and I cannot go the class until they arrive). So by the time I got there, school had already started. Then they come to the room minutes later to say (with a smile) oh no, you are in room ______. They decide since I am there, to put with the class were there are fights and suspensions on a regular basis. No, it does not happen when they are with me. I guess that is there point. I suppose I should consider it a compliment.

So now I only go there if there is no other assignment I am interested in. It is low on my list. Another school very low on my list is one in a dangerous neighborhood. I took public transportation and a gentlemen looked at me like "what are you doing here?" And, I wondered the same thing. I had about 30 children who had not seen their homeroom teacher in weeks and as a result, the classroom was in a state of anarchy. In addition, the support teacher like to play games, she was quite insecure and it amazed me that she would even have any interest in me at all since I was just passing through. Hmm... I have not returned to the school since.  I also avoid schools where students roam the halls and there are reports of violence. I check the ratings of prospective assignments using Google.

Another thing I consider when deciding to return to a school is if I should change my approach. Maybe it is not them, it is me. I need to be more prepared or adjust my attitude. At the end of the day, I am there to help the students. I have returned to schools where I felt I had a difficult time. While my impression of the administration did not improve, it was a learning experience. I think about how I can be more effective next year. Read up on classroom management techniques and materials on substitute teaching. Below is an example of a web site that has great ideas and resources for substitute teachers.

http://stedi.org/subs/

Take Good Care of Yourself

Be Proactive in Planning for Self Care as a Substitute Teacher

It is important to be very deliberate in your planning to make sure your personal needs are met while you prepare for and go to your assignments. I do have lists and checklists that I use to make sure I cover the bases. I have addressed many of these items in a previous post but it bears repeating. You do not want to report to an assignment rushing and flustered. You do not want to go through the day hungry and/or tired. So, this is what I recommend:

1. Chart your course - this includes figuring out how you are getting there, whether by car or public transportation. I use google maps.
2. Survey your area - I have used google maps to get a visual of the school and surrounding area if it is available. 
3. Arrive early so you can finalize your logistics. One great advantage you arrive early is that you will have time to acclimate yourself and ask questions. Where do you sign in? Where is the bathroom? Where do you pick up the students? If the classroom is locked, who will let you in? Can you buy food at the school cafeteria?
4. If you like to carry lunch, then you need to find a fridge if there is not one in the room. I prefer to carry containers that I do not have to bring home if I do not want to. That way, if I leave my lunch bag by accident, there is no problem. That is also why I use a brown paper or plastic bag. The only accept is a school that I visit often or if there is a long term assignment.
5. I lay out my clothes and pack my briefcase the night before as well as my lunch. I try to get a good night's sleep and eat a low sugar breakfast. I usually have emergency food in my briefcase in the event I forget or am unable to buy lunch.
6. I make sure I look nice and at least wear lip stick or a nice lip gloss. I dress business casual in clothes that are comfortable yet stylish. If the teacher's wear jeans, I dress down a little, but make sure I look nice. I do not wear blue jeans to work under any circumstances. I may wear black or gray colored jeans that fit nicely and sure I am wearing a very attractive top with an accent scarf.
7. I do not tolerate disrespect from staff members and avoid assignments where the administration or other teachers are disrespectful. This is a part of self care. I also let the students know I do not tolerate disrespect and let them know that am prepared to send a note home or call a parent. I model the behaviors I expect from students and staff.
8. I do not return to schools where I feel unsafe or mistreated. I continue to look for schools and assignments where I am appreciated and that there is a swift response to violent or abuse behavior by the staff and security.

Have a wonderful day.

Students Need to Know You Care

Letting Students Know You Care

Teaching can be a frustrating business. Time is always limited, and much effort can be spent on classroom management, which takes away from instruction time. The challenge of any teacher is to manage the classroom, engaging the students and using time efficiently, among other things. As a substitute, generally not much is expected by many administrators or teachers. If you can manage to get through the day without incident, that is considered an accomplishment. However, is that all there really is to substitute teaching, glorified babysitting?

Even though a substitute teacher is there for a day, he or she can still communicate that they care about the student's learning. While you must be in alignment with the teacher's lesson plans, you can also do activities that are fun and engaging and include technology if it is available. You can help students struggling with their work. You can encourage cooperative learning and peer teaching. Students can tell that you care by the way you look at them, talk to them and the tone in your voice. Do not forget to let the students know that, even if you are there for a day, you still care. You never know, you may have an opportunity to come back....

Informal Assessments Through Educational Games

Educational Games

Educational games are great informal skill assessments, serves as an engaging form of reinforcement and drilling exercise. The games should be suited for various learning styles. Boys particularly seem to enjoy kinesthetic activities. While playing the game, math for example, I have many teachable moments as I encourage students to do mental math. For younger students, I encourage them to use their fingers to count up or down. I combine the educational game with other games "silent ball" as a reward. Once the word "game" is used with any classroom activity, of course the students are in. They are learning, practicing as you teach, reinforce and assess. It is a win, win!

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/all-games-a-z

A Beach Ball in the Classroom

Math Activities Using a Beach Ball

I have always liked using the soft squishy balls from the dollar tree in my classrooms. Sometimes, I would give it to a student to work off nervous energy. Other times, students would be rewarded for their hard work by a rousing game of -- silent ball! Today, I bought a beach ball to a classroom of boys who were listless, argumentative and seemingly always a second away from being off task. We did counting games and as we did, I noted which students counted with ease, which students struggled, which student needed verbal cues and which students chose not to count at all. It was a very instructive period, I learned a lot of about the students. Educational games is a great way to get to know students and to informally assess their abilities. So teachers, get those beach balls ready!

"Why Are You Raising Your Voice?"

Using Your Voice in the Classroom

"Why are you raising your voice?" I asked a student this question as he responded to directions I was giving during an activity. He was very loud and my question disarmed him. I asked him this question very calmly, emphasizing the word "Why" and I did not raise my voice, in fact, I lowered my voice. Knowing how to use your voice is important as a teacher. Yes, body language is a very large part of communication. Tone follows second. Watching your tone of voice is important. Knowing when to put that irritating note in your voice is important. Knowing when to raise your voice is important. I generally do not raise my voice except in cases of emergency. I can go for weeks without raising my voice, depending on the students I am working with. So when I do raise my voice (not scream) it startles the students (mission accomplished).

Hopefully this has you thinking about ways you can effectively use (and save) one of your most important instruments as a teacher -- your voice.

Choose Your Battles Carefully

Getting Through the Day

I have have had the opportunity to observe a number of teachers in their classrooms. One thing I notice is that some teachers spend a significant amount of the day correcting behavior. I remember going to a seminar for Special Education Teachers. One of the things they wanted us to practice was ignoring students who attempt to derail the lesson with outbursts and so forth. I am a firm believer in consequences and repercussions. I am also a firm believer in positive reinforcement and rewards.

I let the students know this and make it explicit as I can that the choice is up to them. At the same time, I am not a petty dictator, seeking to correct every little misstep a student makes. Teachers have choices to make too. One person does something wrong and the whole class has to miss out on a game or activity? That is not fair. The offensive student dealing with the consequences of their actions is fair. As a substitute teacher, you do have a responsibility to uphold the classroom rules and school culture. However, choose your battles carefully.

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Ms-Powerpoint-Queen