DAY 80

Today I subbed in Geometry classes in a high school in Livonia and it all went very well. It’s normal, yet remarkable, how different the sound is in the hallways. Instead of the high-pitched, and sometimes beehive-like buzzing of the early elementary students, it sounds about the same as it would at a conference for adults. Franklin HS is huge, and this time around I knew my way from place to place. The students were supposed to copy down two pages of notes that the teacher provided. One student asked if she could just take a picture of the pages with her iPhone and I agreed. It still had to be copied into the math notebook, but it was easier to read than the overhead screen. Soon I had a line of 15 teens taking turns snapping away. So, I followed the same procedure for the rest of the classes. It’s sure not something I would have thought of!

It’s very encouraging that many aspects of substitute teaching have become more routine. At the beginning, the whole morning routine with breakfast and lunch count and calendar time for the little ones was quite something to keep track of. It’s easier to relax now that I’m not stressing over what I’m supposed to do next. I also understand that while the teachers would like me to accomplish everything they list in their plans, they also understand that sometimes it can’t all be done, and many leave more than enough to make sure that the subs don’t run out.

I was asked to interview for a long-term subbing situation and I was pretty excited about it at first. But upon further reflection, there are far more negative aspects to accepting it. It involves one of the most challenging schools and grade levels. It pays only a small amount more for a lot more responsibility, and with my classes at Henry Ford College right now and some family concerns, I think it suits me better to stick with regular subbing.