Once I realized that I would definitely need a job in order to pay for school, I started looking at my options. I needed something part-time, that wouldn't take me away from my kids at night, and give me the flexibility I needed as I wouldn't know what my schedule would be each semester. I knew working retail was out....been there, done that!
I happened to be talking to one of my friends who mentioned substituting for the school district. I found that I could work as much or as little as I wanted and that I could designate days that I would be unavailable for calls. I also realized that this would allow me to be home when my kids were home, including weekends and holidays. It would also allow me some classroom experience as I was wanting to be a teacher in the long run.
My very first job was substituting 4th grade half day in the afternoon was less than stellar. I had a hard time keeping them in line and I had a few children that were blatantly disrespectful. As I started to write my notes for the teacher at the end of the day, I was happy to read the notes from the morning sub had about the same experience as I did. When I left that day, I was not so sure that this was going to be for me. I quickly took another half day job the next day and it went immeasurably better.
The more I worked the more adjustments I made to the point that I feel like I have a pretty good routine down that most children and ages will respond to. Here are some of the things I've come up with:
My bag of tricks: I have a string back pack that I keep my stuff in. I have my stuffed bear, band-aids, new pencils (for kids who claim they don't have one) and dry erase markers (for the classrooms whose markers have seen better days)
K-3rd grade: I introduce my friend (a stuffed bear) that likes to sit with quiet children and throughout the day he will move from quiet child to quiet child. I also let them know that if my friend decides he wants to play and be disruptive, I will have to take him away. This has been a really good tool for me and I think it works because I'm not there everyday. Some fun moments with my bear have been seeing a quiet little girl holding him in her lap while she is working and pausing every so often to whisper in his ear, taking class votes on what his name should be (every class gets to pick a name...and they remember it when I come back another day!), and hearing the children whisper that the "bear substitute is here" and wanting to know if I brought him with me.
4th-6th grade: Riddles and stories. I always follow the lesson plans as outlined, but if I see a spot where I can sneak in a fun story, I will. Recently I read the "I am my own grandpa" poem to them, and then we try and make a family tree. It gives them a quick break. I came up with the riddles because I happen to be teaching on March 4th and I told the children that whoever answered my riddle would be the first in line at the end of the day. On that particular day the riddle was "Why is today a day to move forward?"....MARCH Forth! :) The kids love it so much they wanted me to ask another riddle for 2nd in line and so on. They also remember that I do this so as I have subbed for a class again, they ask me if I'm going to do the riddles.
With the older ages like junior high and high school, I just try to be myself. I did have a fun time teaching 2 high school sign languages classes (I know sign language myself). I got up and told them (in sign language) that it has been quite a while since I learned sign language, but that I do remember the bad words and so they need to be careful as they are signing as I will know what they are saying. They noticed that I wrote on the board with my left hand and signed with my right and asked me about that. I told them that it just felt more comfortable with my right, and then a kid in the back asked me which way I bat when I play baseball. I quickly told him that I could be a switch hitter but it has been a little while since I played the game (indicating my somewhat rotund figure...which made them laugh)
All in all I have had ups and downs (we won't even talk about my trying to teach math!) but I've learned that most kids of all age groups want to be helpful and that a sense of humor can go a long way.
I have really enjoyed this first school year and can't wait for the next one to start.
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