I'm off to New York to visit the family and celebrate Christmas. I need to squeeze some babies, eat some great food, and laugh and laugh.
I will be back with photos and stories to share.
Hope you all have a great Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year.
Joanne
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Adventures in Subbing
Life is full of surprises.
I've been tossing the idea of substitute teachig around for some time now. My friend Theresa has been subbing for years and said she loves it. Loves it? Love seemed like a strong word.
Anyway, I decided to try my hand at it and filled out a big form online this summer. My friend and neighbor is a principal at the high school in the next town and he put in a good word for me at the Board of Ed. Before I knew it, I was fingerprinted and I received my license in the mail.
Now, do I have a teaching degree? No. Did I minor in education? No. I minored in business. Only, I really didn't minor in business because you need to take Accounting to have an "official" business minor and there was no way I was taking Accounting. Accounting made my friend Theresa cry. Accounting brought Theresa to the Dean's office, with me by her side, where she begged to drop the class without being penalized. I was there to attest to the fact that Theresa was getting sick over Accounting.
"Dean Winters," Theresa said, "I'm getting sick over it. Joanne, am I getting sick?"
"Yes, she's getting sick," I said to Dean Winters.
"Well....If you're going to get sick over it...." replied Dean Winters. And Theresa withdrew from Accounting.
So, there was no way I was going down that road. But I took 26 credits of business courses. I took one course that maybe, maybe was educationish....Children's Theatre Workshop. Theresa and I took this class together and performed "The Three Billy Goats Gruff "as our final. We had a blast and no one got sick.
So, why didn't I minor in Education? I blame my mother.
I did not minor in education because one of the things my mother suggested I "become" was a teacher - and there was no way I was going to do anything as sensible as taking her advice. I wouldn't be caught dead doing anything she actually wanted me to do - even if it was a good idea. So you see, it's all my mother's fault. If she hadn't told me to become a teacher, I would have never taken Economics and Marketing instead of Education courses. Thanks a lot Mom. Ever hear of Reverse Psychology?
I am actually quite pleased that my almost 20 year-old degree counts for anything. When the Board of Ed said they needed my transcript, I joked that St. John's was going going to send a Town Crier to read it off the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I started my adventure in subbing on October 15th - my 40th birthday.
I was asked to sub for "Consumer Science."
"What is that?" I asked the sub scheduler.
"Home Ec." she replied.
Can you imagine? Me, "teaching" Home Ec? My sewing kit is from the Hyatt. And you know, they sell cakes in stores. We don't need me baking cakes.
Of course, I didn't really have to "teach" as much as I just had to keep order, play some videos, and say "yes" to bathroom breaks. I told everyone that it was my birthday and it was my first day subbing and they should be nice.
One girl asked how old I was.
"40." I answered.
"No way! I would have never thought that!" she said.
"You get an 'A'."
It's two months later and I've been substituting regularly, 2-3 times a week. I am at the High School for the most part, which is nice. I'm all over the place...English, Social Studies, Art and more. I have become a familiar face in the halls. I must be the coolest sub ever because when the kids see me, I get some pretty great reactions. Here are some:
"Hey Ms. V! Who are you subbing for?"
"I hope Miss K gets the flu again so we can have you!"
"I remember you! I had you for _______. You were awesome!"
Sometimes they write "awesome" or "the best" or "we love you" next to my name on the board.
One time, several students clapped when I entered the room.
When my neighbors see me leave for work early in the morning, they look as if they've seen Bigfoot. The past 7 years have seen me at the bustop only a handful of times. Yet, to my own disbelief, I get up at 6 and happily drive off to school in the dark.
I guess love is not too strong a word after all.
Life is full of surprises.
I've been tossing the idea of substitute teachig around for some time now. My friend Theresa has been subbing for years and said she loves it. Loves it? Love seemed like a strong word.
Anyway, I decided to try my hand at it and filled out a big form online this summer. My friend and neighbor is a principal at the high school in the next town and he put in a good word for me at the Board of Ed. Before I knew it, I was fingerprinted and I received my license in the mail.
Now, do I have a teaching degree? No. Did I minor in education? No. I minored in business. Only, I really didn't minor in business because you need to take Accounting to have an "official" business minor and there was no way I was taking Accounting. Accounting made my friend Theresa cry. Accounting brought Theresa to the Dean's office, with me by her side, where she begged to drop the class without being penalized. I was there to attest to the fact that Theresa was getting sick over Accounting.
"Dean Winters," Theresa said, "I'm getting sick over it. Joanne, am I getting sick?"
"Yes, she's getting sick," I said to Dean Winters.
"Well....If you're going to get sick over it...." replied Dean Winters. And Theresa withdrew from Accounting.
So, there was no way I was going down that road. But I took 26 credits of business courses. I took one course that maybe, maybe was educationish....Children's Theatre Workshop. Theresa and I took this class together and performed "The Three Billy Goats Gruff "as our final. We had a blast and no one got sick.
So, why didn't I minor in Education? I blame my mother.
I did not minor in education because one of the things my mother suggested I "become" was a teacher - and there was no way I was going to do anything as sensible as taking her advice. I wouldn't be caught dead doing anything she actually wanted me to do - even if it was a good idea. So you see, it's all my mother's fault. If she hadn't told me to become a teacher, I would have never taken Economics and Marketing instead of Education courses. Thanks a lot Mom. Ever hear of Reverse Psychology?
I am actually quite pleased that my almost 20 year-old degree counts for anything. When the Board of Ed said they needed my transcript, I joked that St. John's was going going to send a Town Crier to read it off the Dead Sea Scrolls.
I started my adventure in subbing on October 15th - my 40th birthday.
I was asked to sub for "Consumer Science."
"What is that?" I asked the sub scheduler.
"Home Ec." she replied.
Can you imagine? Me, "teaching" Home Ec? My sewing kit is from the Hyatt. And you know, they sell cakes in stores. We don't need me baking cakes.
Of course, I didn't really have to "teach" as much as I just had to keep order, play some videos, and say "yes" to bathroom breaks. I told everyone that it was my birthday and it was my first day subbing and they should be nice.
One girl asked how old I was.
"40." I answered.
"No way! I would have never thought that!" she said.
"You get an 'A'."
It's two months later and I've been substituting regularly, 2-3 times a week. I am at the High School for the most part, which is nice. I'm all over the place...English, Social Studies, Art and more. I have become a familiar face in the halls. I must be the coolest sub ever because when the kids see me, I get some pretty great reactions. Here are some:
"Hey Ms. V! Who are you subbing for?"
"I hope Miss K gets the flu again so we can have you!"
"I remember you! I had you for _______. You were awesome!"
Sometimes they write "awesome" or "the best" or "we love you" next to my name on the board.
One time, several students clapped when I entered the room.
When my neighbors see me leave for work early in the morning, they look as if they've seen Bigfoot. The past 7 years have seen me at the bustop only a handful of times. Yet, to my own disbelief, I get up at 6 and happily drive off to school in the dark.
I guess love is not too strong a word after all.
Life is full of surprises.
Monday, December 10, 2007
I'm Sick
Bronchitis. Stuffy head. Yuck.
Trying to get better before Christmas so I don't end up with pneumonia again.
Will write when I can.
As Britney said on her 26th birthday, "Thanks Y'all."
Trying to get better before Christmas so I don't end up with pneumonia again.
Will write when I can.
As Britney said on her 26th birthday, "Thanks Y'all."
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