Thank Goodness for Third Grade: Part II

I had the same group of third graders today (from Monday) and it made my day interesting in a few ways.  First, the kids remembered me because I had just been in the classroom (their teacher had been with them in the intervening day).  I guess she was really sick and needed another day off.  So they were surprised to see me but apparently happy that I was their sub again.  I tried to keep those happy feelings going by reminding them of the day on Monday and how good their behavior had been (although it really wasn't great on Monday, but I felt like saying something like that might help).  I do think that having a fairly positive day on Monday made today's position easier.

Second, because I was just in this classroom on Monday I remembered the problem kids and what they were like.  I could build on whatever strategy I had started to develop a few days ago.  I also had a leg up on names and I remembered quite a few.  This is always helpful because telling a kid to be quiet and telling "David" to be quiet are two very different things.  I think part of the reason students can take advantage of substitutes is because we subs can't learn names that quickly.  If I can't directly address a misbehaving student they aren't likely to fix their behavior, but if I can name the kid then they start listening.

I don't keep track of the school schedule and was pleasantly surprised to find out that today was an early release day (we got out of school an hour early).  It impacts the elementary school by taking away recess and some classroom time.  I love recess because it gives the kids a chance to get out their "wigglies".  The good thing about today is that recess was replaced by a movie, National Treasure, that they got to finish after gym.  So they got to play some games in gym and then watch a movie - the perfect day!  We barely had a chance to finish half the math work assigned.

I did feel bad that I didn't get through much of the work but I don't think it was necessarily my fault.  The class didn't settle down very quickly after gym or lunch and we watched 30 minutes of the movie.  I think she may have left a lot of work just in case, but I still wish I had gotten the kids through more of the math.  There's always tomorrow!