My Monday

Students tend to lose it when a sub is around. The substitute teacher today was a nightmare. This man was old, raspy, and he teaches music (nothing against music here, but the ability to teach music doesn't do much good in a heavily saturated math and English public school). The class was out of control and there wasn't much I could do. I pulled out the wild ones and had them read with me. I pulled out groups to work through the PEMDAS math packet. The students like being pulled out and I liked working with them. During one of my preps a few of the students begged the sub to write a pass so they could come to Miss Abby. I did not turn them away even though we weren't technically allowed with me, and we read the Lightning Theif. These girls had a lot of choice words to say about this sub. If they stayed in the classroom without me I'm pretty sure a riot would start. At the same time I felt guilty for leaving this man alone. Normally when the usual teacher I work with is in, I stay in the classroom and function as a teacher's assistant and I go around to students who need help. I occasionally pull out, but it's typically more useful for me to stay in the classroom and tutor in there. Ms. F, the normal teacher is fully capable of managing the classroom.

Back to the chaos. 

Actual music class rolls around and the music teacher who is a 7th grade English teacher gives the students a music lesson. A music teacher has not been hired (the irony here kills me). The students find music class "mad boring." I do too. The students endure another class and then lunch. To make things worse, during 6th period the students go to the library for a lesson with the librarian. Guess who was also also absent today? The librarian. I checked in with the main office  and they said she should be in, but I knew better. The librarian never showed up and I was left with wild 6th graders for 45 minutes directly after lunch. I was starting to lose it. Now, I don't mind teaching and I like my class, but I had nothing planned and no resources. The teacher didn't leave materials or curriculum and my class didn't have much homework. Silent reading was our only option. I needed silence. They needed silence. Not all of the students made it through. If they started talking I sent them back to class. 

7th period: fire drill. We have had a fire drill every week since the start of the school. It's RIDICULOUS. I'm pretty sure they have them simply to give everyone a break from the madness. Fire drills last a whole period because after all 3 schools in the building exit the building, all the students need to get scanned back in the building (just like the airport). 8th period is the last class of the day and of course it was a mess. The sub was totally defeated and the kids seemed exhausted too. I worked with one student  who still wanted to learn while the other students played truth or dare. Sigh. 

I'm praying that Ms. F returns to school tomorrow. I sent her an email asking that very question. I have not received a response, but we will have a nice little chat tomorrow morning, assuming that she is present.