"Special" Day

I subbed for an elementary school computer teacher today.  I think "computers" is considered a special class because students come through for only 45 minutes each day.  They cycle through art, music, computers, and gym.  The coordinator seemed concerned that I'd be subbing for a "computers" instructor because the material is off the beaten track.  Umm, I'm pretty sure I can handle elementary school level computer instruction!  The highest age group that I saw today had to create a three paragraph word document including one picture, one clip art, and one word art.  Pretty sure I've got that under control.

It was interesting to have the younger kids for only 45 minutes.  This teacher's schedule gives her zero down time between classes so I was frantically writing instructions on the board as students were filing in.  On the positive side, her day starts 15 minutes after the first bell and 30 minutes before the last bell.  So I was in and out in a jiff!

The moment the first 5th graders walked in the room they started telling me that today is always game day.  Uh huh.  Right.  So I had them sit first and listen to the assignment and then find a computer.  For the most part they were fine, a few questions and some prompting for the kids who looked through clip art for 10 minutes.  Apparently the moment you tell them to focus on the work you get labeled as a mean substitute.  What is that?  I think they probably had it really easy today!  I let them chat and help their neighbors.  I let them sit wherever they wanted.  How could it possibly be a better period for them?  I am certainly not mean, that is for sure.  I just want to say to them, "I'm a really nice person when people follow instructions and just take care of business".  But of course I maintain composure and try to follow through with warnings, etc.  The regular teacher always gives the class 1000 points to start the period and adds or takes away throughout so it was easy to threaten points and get better behavior.

The other grades were fine.  Some of the assignments the teacher left were either too hard or too easy for some kids so I always had one kid asking for help and another kid asking to play games on the Disney channel website.

Don't get worried - tomorrow is Veteran's Day (no school) and Friday I'll be working the day at my old job.  I hope to be back Monday but as a sub I guess I'll never know.