I was subbing today

I am always endlessly amused when kids ask me if I am subbing today. I always wonder what they think I am doing at school – just hanging out? I set an alarm to be showered and dressed and somewhere other than my house at 7am just for…not subbing? Hmm.

Anyway, I went back to work for the first time since before winter break in December. It seemed reaaaalllly weird. I was up super early, because I don’t seem to know how to sleep, and packed a very inadequate lunch. I had plenty to choose from, but I was completely incorrect in predicting how much I would like to eat. Obviously, I am really used to grazing all of the time.

I took my new umbrella. The weather said it was going to rain from 9-2, in which time I would be wholly in the building, so I left it in the car. It has been raining since 9…and it is very night now. Tomorrow I am taking it for show and tell.

Things I forgot about subbing:

I will eat almost anything while at school. I will eat my lunch as soon as possible, even if I have prep first hour. I do not eat at home until at least 11am, but prep at 8:10 and I am looking for a snack, followed by eating everything.

You do not get to go to the bathroom between 7:50 and 12:34 unless you know someone willing to give up some of their prep time to come to your room and watch your class. Luckily, I knew someone in the building today.

When you talk, kids cannot hear you. You can explain the assignment, after giving them a copy of the directions, while projecting the directions on a screen, and many (manymanymany) of them will begin playing a game on their computer as soon as you tell them to start working. When you ask them why they aren’t working on the assignment, they look you right in the eye and say, “what assignment?” (That’s also frequently paired with, “I don’t think I was listening”) (which is quite obviously true)

Kids forgive you almost immediately for being crabby with them. I can get all stern and tell them that if they don’t stop doing whatever not-school-work type thing they are doing, I will have to send them to the office. Crabbycrabbycrabby. They say, “no, no, I will start right now! I am sorry. I’ll do it now.” Three minutes later, they pop up next to you and ask, “Do you want to see a card trick?”

I was very glad to be back.