Help with Cleaning up the Classroom

I usually need reminders of good ideas, and this is one I've heard many times before but always seem to forget when the classroom is messiest. 


Play secret scrap.  Tell kids that there is a certain piece of garbage or debris on the ground and that you will reward the student who picks it up with a prize.  (Sticker, pencil, etc)  This little trick usually gets every piece of everything picked up off the floor and you don't have to try to find the broom or crawl around the floor picking everything up while trying to leave on time.

Mailbox DEALS 5 for $10!!

Mailbox is a staple in the teaching world.  I'm sure you know all about it!  Right now they have activity and theme books on closeout $3 each or 5 for $10.  Some of these would be great to keep in your substitute bag, if you sub in elementary school often.


Their graphic........

1. Click this email and shop for Closeouts. No coupon code is needed. 2. Add 5 or more Closeouts to your shopping cart and each Closeout item will drop to only $2!

While supplies last. No adjustments on previous purchases. Subject to change without notice. Qualifying items are found on the page titled "Closeouts".

Interesting ways to take roll....

I hate taking roll. It's super important for us, but the kids see no value in it and even the best classes can't stay quiet and attentive the entire time.  Their only bright spot is getting to take it to the office.  Hopefully I see that kid again.  I haven't on a few occasions in the upper grades.

I was reading the blog "Dr. Jean & Friends".  She has some great ideas for ECE and Kindergarten teachers, which is what I have been doing the last few months.  One of her posts sparked a great idea for subs. 

Give students a question and have them answer instead of saying "Here" or "Present".   Here are her suggestions, which could be altered for older kids but they would probably like to answer these questions as well. 

Here are a few starters:
If you were an animal, what would you be?
If you found a genie in a bottle, what would you wish for?
If you were a candy bar, what would you be?
What is the theme song for your life?
What book character would you like to change places with?
If you found $100, what would you buy?
If you could go on a magic carpet ride, where would you go?
Happiness is…
If I were the teacher I would…

Younger kids will probably give you one or two word answers, but you might want to limit it for the older ones. Maybe three words or less.

Easy Art Projects to keep kids busy.

I sometimes offer a prize if the kids get the project done by the end of the day, with certain instructions of course.  You can't give me a sloppy mess and expect a prize.

The longest line is super easy and comes out pretty cool. It's even easy enough for Little Firsties.

 

Substitute Cheat Sheet!

This would be a great idea to leave for a teacher, and maybe they will fill it out for the next time!  I would add a pull out schedule as well.  I hate it when the note, from a first grade teacher says something like, "There are several pull outs during the day.  The kids know when and where to go."  Sure they do! 
 

Eeking out a living...

Substitute teaching has been meager this year, at best.  I haven't been able to get many jobs and certainly not the ones that I am most excited about. 

I have had 5 job interviews recently.  Two for new subbing opportunities in the largest school district in our area and one for the Head Start program.  One was for a teaching job to cover the rest of the year and I already know I didn't get that one.  The last two are for directors at child care centers.  I have gone up for many of these types of jobs, but I keep getting the same line.  "We really liked you, but we feel that you would quit on us the minute a better job came along."  It's been almost three years, so....  It's not like I plan to stop pursuing teaching, but I have 15 years of experience in this area and I can do a fantastic job in a child care situation. 

It's frustrating, one job says I have too much education and experience and the next job says I don't have enough experience.  I'm caught in the middle and it's driving me a bit crazy!  Oh, and broke too!  Don't forget about that!  I took out a loan to pay my bills.  I haven't paid a penny on my student loans yet and things aren't looking too good.

Just in case you wanted a downer today.  You're welcome!

Middle School Art Class

Middle school is tough.  It's tough for kids.  It's tough for teachers and it's tough for subs.  Middle schoolers don't want to do what a teacher tells them; no matter what it happens to be. 

I subbed in an art class.  I like to sub in electives, because they are classes that the students chose.  So the idea is that they would be at least okay with being there, right? 

The teacher gave me packets of drawings, with instructions.  The kids could choose any one, or more, of the 20 choices and then add their own enhancements, color and creativity.  A super easy assignment.  So why did I hear so much whining and complaining?  It was like I was asking them to recreate the Mona Lisa, instead of drawing a cartoon duck.

The drawings were a range from super simple to pretty difficult.  Only a few students, throughout the day, chose to challenge themselves with the difficult drawings.  Many of the drawings looked suspiciously the same size as the examples. Others just turned in a blank page.  Few had color or creativity in any way.

I chose one of the more difficult drawings and worked on it a few minutes at a time during the day.  In one of the later periods a student looked at my drawing and was amazed.  "Wow Ms. D.  That is so cool.  You are a really good artist. I bet you were super popular in High School."

I tried very hard not to laugh out loud.  First of all, I was a terrible artist in High School.  I was NOT popular.  Art skills have NOTHING to do with popularity in high school, at least not in my high school.