To Teach or Not to Teach...

The last week and a half has been insanely busy. I have been working almost everyday in a variety of classrooms... from Early Education (ages 2-4) to Junior High. Late Wednesday night I received a call for a job in a Junior High (to teach math), which I was not familiar with but I thought, it can't be that bad.... well, I was wrong. It was by far, the worst day of subbing I have had.

I left home just before 7am to be safe because the school was way on the northside. I got to the school at 7:40am, asked the secretary if I could have a key (which almost all schools have for subs) to the room so I could figure out what I was doing. She said it wasn't a big deal and to just wait in the staff room because it was so early. By 8am the secretary would still not let me into the class so I had to get another teacher to let me in. And what happened? The plans were nowhere to be found and the desk was in complete disarray.

The teacher I was subbing for was in the school and rushed in at 8:10am (school starts at 8:20am) to give me very vague idea as to what I was to do for the day. She threw her plans at me and off she went. I had now, 5 min to figure out my day- grade 8, 9 Leadership and Math and grade 7 DRAMA. Drama??? Long story short, I was stressed. Normally when I know that I am teaching math I get there extra early so I can prepare better and think of a few strategies. Well I didn't have time- I had to just figure it out! ALSO, EVERY SINGLE of these classes had 31 students in them. I thought I was going to lose my mind. The kids were all nice, but they were all CHATTY- they wouldn't shut up. Having to classroom manage and teach a subject like math to a bunch of junior high kids almost gave me an ulcer!! And man, when junior high kids see a sub, you know what they're thinking.... WOO HOO!

By the end of the day I was wiped- these kids had mentally and emotionally gotten to me. It was just too much. It was the sort of day where I asked myself- do I really want to be a teacher? Am I really cut out for this? Teaching takes so much out of you. You invest yourself in these kids everyday, and I feel like it's especially difficult as a sub because you have to be brave enough to take charge of these kids who have no idea- who don't even care who you are. In the end, I managed to keep my head up,stick to my class rules and came out of there alive- barely.

Now that this whole debaucle is over I have accepted a multiple day job on Nov. 4/5for.... HIGH SCHOOL English. I'd like to think I will get through it, but now I'm not so sure. It's not too late to cancel the job... I'll have to think about it. It's tough because the pay is significantly higher if you teach in the same class for more than one day in a row.

On Friday, Lucas was dressed up as a spider/octopus (what do you think??) at daycare and I volunteered with them for a few hours to help take the kids to all the parents' floors. Lucas looked so cute with all of his legs!



We have been getting really excited about Halloween! We are taking Lucas trick-or-treating with his friend Charlie (Mario and Luigi!!), then we are putting the kids to bed and the parents are going to watch a scary movie and eat junk! I'm excited!

Hope you all have a Happy Halloween!! Don't get a tummy ache...