Onward and forward

It has been too long since I last posted and...I think it is time to move on.  This blog just don't quite fit anymore so I started a new blog.

flowersandbunions.blogspot.com

It is wider in scope and will go beyond substituting.  It is the right and proper thing to do to continue to grow. 

Advice for Subsitutes

Now that I've been teaching as a regular classroom teacher who uses subs, I have two pieces of advice:

1.  Please, please, please write a note on how your day went, what you did, and any pertinent details.  It really helps to know if you were able to cover the whole sub plan and not only poor behavior, but good behavior in students as well.

2.  If you didn't do something on the sub plan, don't say you did especially if I ask for a deliverable like a poster and I don't see one when I come back in.  I will ask the kids and they will rat you out.

Thank you.  Your notes make a difference and those who write them are ones I ask to come back.

Kindergarten Stories

Me:  Kindergarteners, you will be working with reading and writing partners these next few months. 

Aspiring Cassanova:  (dragging Waif Girl with him)  I wanna girlfriend for my partner!

Me:  I can't help you with a girlfriend, but I can give you a reading partner.  You can have A--- for your partner.

Athletic Strong Boy (aka A---):  (Looms over Aspiring Canssanova and gave him a Don't Even Think About It Glare)

Aspiring Cassanova: (weakly) But I want a girl for my partner.

Me: (Taking advantage of AC's slackened grip to gently disengage Waif Girl and hand her off to Gentle Shy Boy)  You get A---.

Time flies when you are starting a new job

Has it been almost two months since I last wrote?  The days passed in a blur.  So much to do, so much to build, and so much to learn.

The half time was not just a full time job, it was a time and a half job these past two months.  I was expecting the full time but not the full time +.  Last night, I went downstairs to sit and hang out.  It felt incredibly strange to have nothing work related in the evening.  I wonder what my family thought of the past two months.  Then tonight?  Well, here I am with curriculum night tomorrow and I'm OK.  Am I finally settling down and getting into the groove?  Or is this the eye of the storm and my my back willl seize up in excruciating pain when I least expect it tommorrow?

An experienced half time teacher told me a few weeks ago that I need to seize the half time because it is not going to happen otherwise.  So, I'm seizing.  Except, I don't have anything to do now.

Magic Bullets? Secret Formula?

I applied to three times more jobs in my first year and didn't even get an interview.  However, in the last half of this school year, I got interviews for every application I sent.  After two years trying (and pretty vigilantly), how did I finally get the job?  I've been reflecting and wondering what were the key ingredients.

Getting the interview -  My applications where I got interviews were better tailored and reflected more risk taking than the ones where I didn't get call backs.  On my own time, I wrote curriculums and persuaded teachers to let me teach them to their students as a volunteer.  These experiences enabled me to stand out from the crowd.  I also tried to offer my vision of how I would distinguish the job from the vanilla job description.  Whereever possible, I would ask teachers and principals who like my work to put in good words for me.

In the interview - Interviews can make or break you.  As I found out earlier, support from everyone prior to the interview is not a slam dunk for getting the job if I did not wow them when they formally interview me.  I prepped myself with writing every interview question I could remember being used on me.  Since Seattle doesn't allow you to take the interview questions home, I would sit in the car after the meeting and just write down all I remembered them asking.  I collected a good bunch of questions this way and they generally come down to why I would want this job,  a parent question relation question, a student behavior question, how I would address/teach a piece of curriculum, a teaching philosophy/methodology question. 

I thought up clever, humorous vignettes and examples that depict how I excel in each of these areas.  I did better in each successive interview as I would have more prepared stories that are honed and sharp.

Until finally, one day, I scored.

I would love to hear stories of how others find a job in these trying times.  Anyone willing to share?

New Waters

I will be starting as a half time Kindergarten teacher this Fall.

New adventures, new waters, new challenges.  Now I will have my own group of kids to love all year.  I am going to try and keep my substitute status active so I can sub for teacher in my building in the afternoons.

In my not-so-infinite wisdom, my blog site is http://www.adventuresinsubstituting.blogger.com/ which doesn't quite accurately reflect the current situation.  However, I think I will keep it.  The tagline is still correct as I will be teaching AND substituting.  It is still my first few years.   Now I will have perspective from both sides of the table - as a substitute and teacher.

I look forward to it.

Year 2 Reflections

The school year ended 6/21 and I worked until the very last day.  I was so drained it is only now that I can start to reflect on this past school year.

I worked 108.5 days out of 175 instructional days in two school districts.  It was a little more than I had planned to work but I cannot complain.  I was able to volunteer teach some lessons I wrote/adapted (Cool School Challenge sustainability, Chinese Brush Painting) so I got some "just me" teaching fix out of the year.  I was a preferred substitute at several schools so I was able to cherry pick my jobs and I got to know all the kids pretty well which was quite rewarding.

 I had a wonderful year substituting.  While I am still hunting for a "permanent" part time job, I find myself having a hard time thinking about staying put in one place and "leaving" all the wonderful colleagues and kids I met teaching as a sub.  I have all the benefits of teaching during the day (which I love) and coming home unencumbered at the end of the day.  Still, what would it be like to have my own classroom of kids to love?

Positive and Negative Reinforcement

I co-taught with another teacher in an overflow situation.  She had four kids enroll the last three weeks of school and was able to get another teacher in so she can get some help managing the class while she finish testing/preping for the end of the school year.

It was a rare opportunity to observe a peer's different classroom management style.  When there is a conflict or accusation, she would bring the kids to the fore of the class and discipline publicly.  Dispensing justice like a the Queen, the class would watch as she make an example of the accused.

I tend to abstract the process.  With a conflict, I would ask for volunteers to stand in for the culprits and use them to act out what they should do to resolve the problem.  I want to ensure the kids also know what they CAN do, not just what they cannot do.  I would talk to the accused in private.  My goal is to acknowledge that I am aware of the conflict and doing something about it but also to minimize attention to the kids involved.

When I first saw her style of management, I started to consider changing mine.  I felt so good to see justice served so publicly!  Then I noticed lots of tattling - telling on someone just to get them into trouble.  The kids also expected the teacher to solve all the problems.  Then I remembered why I choose positive discipline.  By focusing on behavior, I don't give negative attention; I rather have kids strive for positive attention on their positive behavior.  I also train them to think of solutions and empowering them to be problem solvers. 

Did the classroom (especially the victim) feel a greater sense of justice when the accused was judged publicly?  Yes, I did feel that in the room.  However, I saw kids respond to the positive discipline style with more self sufficiency and more focus on earning praise for their own behavior rather than satisfaction at getting someone else in trouble.  In the long term, that counts for more.

Sophomore Sub - what worked and what didn't

After establishing a reputation from my first year, I found myself getting 50% of my jobs via pre-arrange assignments and 50% from the system.  My unscientific gut feel tells me half the jobs from the system is from me being on a preferred sub list at certain schools.

Most effective practices:

• Visiting schools the week before school started to pass out business cards and introducing myself.  I booked September this way. 
• Freely distributing my business card and writing my notes to teachers I subbed for on my matching stationery.  I came back to some classrooms and found they kept my notes.  I also found other subs would write notes on post its, scratch paper, etc.  I believe mine is more memorable.
• Sending an e-mail beginning and mid year to all the teachers I subbed for + secretaries listing my recent professional development with the notice I'm improving myself to serve them better.  It worked as a reminder and a way to differentiate myself.  I received several calls for jobs in response to that note.
• Introducing myself to my neighboring teachers and asking for help as needed, especially when it shows flexibility and initiative.
• Being flexible in the classroom and adapting the lessons as needed.  I always try to include some independant work.

Not so effective practices:

• Coming into a classroom tired and not mentally prepared for what may go wrong.  Those were the days when I was weakest as a teacher which makes for a worse experience for me and the kids.  Even when it is a class I know and have subbed for regularly, I need to be alert as losing my temper benefits no one.
• Working all five days, including two half days on the same day.  I get too tired and the grades/names/schools mixed up.  It was not fair to the kids when I can't focus on them in the moment.
• Not having a separate classroom management plan for the last hour of class, especially near the end of the school year.  The kids would be tired and I would be out of intermediate + powerful incentives like giving/taking minutes away from recess that day or sending them to the office.  I'm still trying to figure this one out. 
• Being too much in love with the written lesson plan to flex.
• Not offering independant work time during the day.

Sixth Grade vs Kindergarten - sometimes there is not that much difference

Some sixth graders were helping me set up the room for a Chinese Brush Painting Class placing ink, paper, and brushes on each table.  Out of the corner of my eye I saw my helper raise the ink and sniff it.  Then to my disbelieving eyes, he tilted the ink toward his open mouth!

"It's toxic!" I yelled in horror (which was true as I was using real sumi ink).  He stopped and looked haplessly at me.  "Really?".  Sigh.

Expect everything.

Why am I exhausted after some classes but not others?

Scenario 1 - I taught a Chinese Brush Painting class to two sixth grade classes today as a guest artist.  There were lots of set up and tear down so I ended up there from 9:45-3:00pm.  The kids were lovely and helped me set up and clean up.  The two sessions were 80 minutes long and I was "on" the whole time.  They loved the class and I received lots of hugs afterwards.  I felt rewarded but I was and am exhausted.

Scenario 2 - I taught as a substitute in a sixth grade classroom where I had a regular scheduled day yesterday.  The morning was fabulous with the kids engaged and productive during instruction AND independant work time.  The afternoon was OK too until the last hour.  During the instruction (explaining using background knowledge to formulate topical questions for expository prose), the kids just would not stop talking.  I took forever to settle down to quiet so I can be heard and then it would not last more than a few minutes.  It took so long to get through the lesson and they ended up with no independant work time. 

This happens somewhat regularly where the last hour of the day was  much more difficult than the rest.  My theory is that the kids know you won't be back the next day and can mess around some more.  After all, the sub no longer have recess to keep them in or be less likely to send them to the office as it was the end of the day.  Sure they can tell the teacher but that is tomorrow which doesn't impact them today.  Although I had mostly a great day, the last hour exhausted me.

Scenario 3 - Medium days classroom where  it was OK all day with slight ups and downs in behavior.  I go home not exactly refreshed but definitely not exhausted.

I wonder what other teachers do to have good days consistently without feeling exhausted. 

A letter to a friend about making a difference

I wrote this note to a friend who was discouraged about the state of teaching.  I thought it was worth sharing here:

I can honestly say I know I’m making a difference every day I teach. Yes, even as a substitute. Sometimes I know it because I could see the lightbulb light up on top of their heads, sometimes the kids tell me, sometimes they write me, sometimes the teacher communicate that , and sometimes, the parent would come forward. Perhaps we don’t dwell on that in our communications as often as we should. With limited time, we tend to vent our frustrations. Because, the rewards outnumber the frustrations so much.

I believe everyone want the best outcome for the kids in the education system. However, we all have different ideas on how to go about it. And wherever or whatever industry we end up working, we will always encounter differences of opinion. Understand and be confident in your worth. If your gift is of genuine value, no one will be able to take it away from your students. If you focus on them, I don’t believe you can go wrong.

I bow to special ed teachers

Because they work their butts off every day.  When I first started subbing for special ed, especially for the elementary grades, it was nice to be able to work one on one or in small groups with the kids.  However, in just two short years, I saw an incredible increase in work load.

When I sub now, my day is measured in minutes of time with the kids.  Moving from one room to another is calculated by seconds or I will short someone's time.  I talked to a sub recently whose teacher forgot to build in time for lunch in the sub plans because SHE doesn't take lunch time.

I mentioned this as an interesting vignette in conversation with another special ed teacher I was going to sub for this coming week.  When he heard me, he thanked me for reminding him to block out some lunch time aside for me when I come in.  Do any of them eat?

"She said she came this close to committing suicide..."

"...and then she showed me her scars," said my son.  His classmate had confided in him and his whole sixth grade class about how she felt after her parents yelled at her for poor grades on her report card.  He assured me that she had been depressed lately and this was the tip of the iceberg.  She had also been cutting herself to inflict pain.  Of course, she told him and the rest of her friends not to tell.  It took him a week to gather up the courage to inform an adult.

I'm glad he did and I reported to the school.  As I know her parents personally, I called her parents as well.

Her mother was initally glad I told her.  However, she became very upset and angry when she learned I also informed the school.  It was their private business and it was inappropriate of me to tell on them.

I know I did the right thing, both as a friend and as a mandated reporter.  But, it sometimes sucks to do the right thing. 

Hazzard pay for teachers at camp

I was a chaperone at my son's sixth grade camp last week for four days.  24 hours X 4 days = Total and complete exhaustion.  The teachers have it worse; they were on 24 hours x 4 days PLUS they were responsible for making all decisions PLUS participating in all study groups PLUS dealing with parent issues.  They DESERVE hazzard pay!

... three boys who got sick on the last day (vomit, pain, nausea)
...parent who decided at the last minute he wanted to pick up his child at camp but made no prior arrangements
..."I want to visit mah grrrlfriend" from a sixth grade lothario outside the girls' lodge
...Ensuring the student whose mother went into the hospital the day before camp is in touch with her family (VERY poor cell phone reception in the camp acrage)

To tell or not to tell?

My sixth grade son came home the other day telling me that his class made the subsitute miserable.  They were loud, at times disrespectful, and made him angry.  My son was girding his loins for the fall out the next day and fully expected his teacher to blast the class for their behavior.  However, she didn't mention anything.

I wonder if the subsitute chose not mention his experience or down played it.  I've seen it happen where a sub struggle with the class but did not tell the regular teacher for fear s/he would be seen as ineffective and not be called back.  Not telling is not the way to go.  For one thing, neighboring classroom teachers notice and trust me, the real story will out itself.

I had felt torn like this when I started subbing as well.  On one hand, I didn't want to be seen as a whiner or poor teacher.  On the other hand, the primary teacher needed to know so the kids would be reprimanded and recognize they would not get away with disrespectul behavior. 

I compromise by being as factual as possible.  I focus very hard on detailing positive behaviors as well as mention instances of disrespectful behavior.  I have always been able to find redeeming qualities in kids in every classroom I taught in.  Sometimes, the positive behavior came from the kids who collected negative points.  My notes to the teacher can sometimes result in a book length novel I felt it worth my time.

Hope and Inspiration from Japan

This is not directly relevant to teaching but after reading this letter, I was inspired by the innate goodness in people.  Sometimes I assume the worse in people and yes, in some kids.  But as the following shows, I can also legitimately assume the best and have my expectations fulfilled.

A letter passed on from someone in Japan where she has lived for the past decade teaching English. Very moving!!  It has been passed along and e-mailed quite a few times so the formatting is messed up.

Hello My Lovely Family and Friends,

First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems The best way at the moment to get my message to you. 

Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have Wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy Of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, Food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight,
Share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.

During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in Their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get Drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their Home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets.

Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone Helped one another."

Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are Constant and helicopters pass overhead often.We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a Day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of This is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed For several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns Than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully
On the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for Survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.

There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, Yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up For water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening At the same time.

Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No One out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I Usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the Sky magnificently.

And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check On it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find Food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is There. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is
OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs Of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.

They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for Another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, Rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit
Elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off Than others. Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing Food and water. Blessed again.

Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an Enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at This moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I Can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small
Because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something Happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is Hard, and yet magnificent.

Thank you again for your care and Love of me,

Being a teacher and a parent

My son is going to middle school next year so we are in the throes of learning about the transition and choices available to a middle schooler that he didn't get in elementary school.  Parents in my son's class know I teach and are asking for my opinions on what their child should choose, over and above their son/daughter's teacher recommendations.

I feel uncomfortable.  Now I have to extra careful about what I say so that I am professionial with my feedback and not undermime other teachers.

I admit I didn't see this coming.

After they left, the sun came out, the birds started singing...

I subbed yesterday for a middle school teacher who taught 6th & 7th grade science, language arts, social studies, and MESA (extra science for minorities).

I ended up with this group of kids for four periods.  They were disruptive and distracting to their classmates.  They also were not interested in doing any work.  I sent them to the office for 3rd period.  They returned 4th period and continued to mess around.  I sent them to the office for 4th period.  They returned 5th period and this time refused to leave the room when I sent them out.  I ended up calling the asst. principal to come in and escort them out.

Each time they left, the tone of the classroom would completely change.  The sun came out, the birds started singing, and rainbows appeared everywhere.

Developing a thicker skin...

I scored some job interviews last month, Yay!  I didn't get offers for either positions, sigh.  But, I tried my best and although I had my usual "Why did I say that?" moments, I know I said some impressive things as well.

I did not fall into a deep depression this time.   Moving on, moving forward.  On the other hand, my substitute career is zipping along.  I'm developing a thicker skin to rejection.  Of course, it helps to have kids and teachers affirming  my work as a sub.