Confessions of a Modern Day [ex] Substitute Teacher: This Week at School

- Booked my first ever sub all on my own (and let me tell you... I'm STILL worried that either a) something went wrong and no one will show up or b) 2 subs will show up. Oh Monday morning... I hope you work out. I also left a 3 page sub plan. Whoops. My poor sub also has duty AND no preps (only because he/she will only be in for the morning) I apologized profusely in my sub plan.

- Played a bunch of action de graces lotto (Thanksgiving Bingo). I had to switch gears from Hallowe'en to Thanksgiving in French *harumph*

- I started my Hallowe'en costume for school last weekend. Hopefully I'll finish it today. There is a sneak peak of it below...

- My students are understanding math! HUZZAH! I never thought I would see the day when I could go up to a bunch of my students who have been having trouble and ask if they were getting it and they were all smiling and enjoying themselves. Next week we move on to multiplication again. I believe I wrote in my sub plan that they would likely all have a heart attack when they realized we were not done with multiplying.

- I (ok, my EA actually did most of it) put up their optical illusion art. Stay tuned for the lesson... they still aren't all done but I'm not willing to take away from math or science to work on it... how do you make sure all your students get their artwork finished in the classtime provided?

- We FINALLY finished our media unit in ELA. I feel like we've been doing it forever (or 1.5 months to be exact). I'm glad they are all excited to move on to a novel study... I'm a little concerned that the work load will be too much for them. I handed out a bunch of papers for them to put in a "novel study" duotang so that when I send them to do work in their computer lab classes that they don't have to haul a binder back and forth (I'm way too nice... grade 8's can handle that!). After telling them all to take it and put it in their locker in case they are in the lab before they see me again one student promptly left it behind. AND he/she didn't put their name on it so I don't know who's it is. Grr...

- Started looking ahead in science and I'm almost done the unit on Habitats and Communities... yikes. This was supposed to take me until Christmas. I'm thinking I can get them to do a really cool final project that will take a while to create.

- Over the next few weeks I'll be adding art to a big bulletin board in the hallway (fish and owls). It will relate great to habitats and communities (mostly because we talk about animals too much in my opinion) and I want to showcase their learning along with the art work... haven't figured out how to do that yet though.

- One of my grade 8's spilled the beans about what he gives every teacher for Christmas so I started dropping hints for my Christmas Wishlist

- Supervised a volleyball tournament (we won one and lost one)

- Went to a first year teachers banquet and walked away with some fabulous welcome to the division gifts.