Week of 16-20
This week progressed fairly well. I have a few questions I hope the teacher answers in email, but if she doesn't, I'm sure I'll muddle through. This week has been hard because I have to accept that there are kids who choose to fail. There are certain kids who are choosing to not do assignments in favor of playing video games, choose not to listen when I give directions, and choose not to read the directions clearly written on each asignment. I knew this would be the most frustrating part of becoming a long-term sub. Typically, a day sub worries about order in the classroom and that day's work, so this is something new for me.
I'm most nervous about the mid term grades that I have to post when we come back from Thanksgiving break. Next week, we only have two days.
Monday, the entire school is doing a day of service. each teacher leads a seperate group to do a different kind of community service in several different locations. My group will be going to Springfield to sort toys for the salvation Army, but other groups will be doing road side clean-up, ringing the bell at the mall, boxing food, etc... This is something new for the school system, so we really don't know how well it will work, but I'm looking at it as a GOOD THING and an adventure.
Tuesday will probably be fairly worthless as far as actual work getting done, but several long-term projects are due for the Gifted language arts classes. I anticipate using the time after school to grade several of the projects and bringing the rest home.
Delaney is on the basketball team and had practice after school until 6. Thursday night was their first game and it was away (2 hours away!) So, I didn't attend the game. Steve was in Orlando all week. Delaney sat out from the game because her ankle hurt, then she got the bright idea that, if she didn't go back in, a friend on the team would get more play and her parents were there. When the coach found out, she was mad, but other than a lecture not to do it again, things ended well. MY reaction was a bit more intense, as was Steve's. basically, we said she was doing her coach's job and it wasn't her decision. She was trying to control things she shouldn't have been, regardless of her good intentions. She didn't listen to me, and she didn't listen to Steve, so I cancelled her plans for the weekend and , while I was the bad guy, it certainly DID get her attention. She has to realize there's a difference between what's good for the team and what's good for the teammates and know that none of it is her decision.
Maura had a debate meet saturday and I had to get her to the school by 6 am, followed by getting Tyler to work in the afternoon. Steve was home and willing to pick them up at 8 pm.
Maura didn't expect to place, she's still learning the pacing of her pieces and I actually caught her practicing, so I know she is trying. She's been very pleasant to be around lately without her darker moods.