be careful what you ask for...

Took my first substitute position for this school year this morning for AISD. The school was off Rundberg and I35, kinda far but I was desperately asking the Lord to step up the availability of sub jobs for these first two weeks of Sept (at the end of which is the first pay period for this school year, but that check won't come until the end of Sept, so needless to say, the number of days worked these two weeks determines my income for the month, ugh!). It was a supplementary assignment, filling in for teachers while they were in their ARD meetings (meeting with the special ed teachers regarding their SpE students). I got there at the 7:30 start time to find out that my first of only three 'fill-ins' was not til 8:45am. So I was sent off to the library to help the librarian with whatever she may need help with.

On my way through the halls I was discovering that the school was primarily bilingual. Eek! Wish it had said that on subFinder!

Reaching the library after exiting and entering two other buildings on my way, I was greeted by the 6th grade teacher and the up-and-coming elementary school orchestra. Over thirty children behind their newly discovered instruments sitting on chairs strewn about in the largest part of the library. Guess they don't have a band room. After I met the librarian she excitedly placed me behind a stack of new books and told me to stamp the school's name onto the publisher's page, page 15, and the edge of the pages (if the book was fat enough for it). The stamp's ink was a bit gooey so I had to place a torn piece of paper towel, you know, the thin brown ones found in the school restrooms, between the pages in two spots. So this was to be my day in between the three scheduled 45 minute ARD mtg classroom fill-ins.

At 8:45 I found my way to the 5th grade classroom only to find that I had passed the whole class in the hall on the way over. Thank goodness for that straggler student who had to run back to class to get her recorder. Music, PE, and art, the 'special area' classes are classes that the teacher drops their students off for and usually enjoys a nice 45-planning/personal time during their day. Hmm, I was told they weren't going to need me, the ARD meetings could just happen while they were in their special area classes. To make a long story of the day a tad shorter, this happened to EVERY class that I came to 'fill-in' for. They didn't need a substitute, but the librarian was still happy to allow me to assist shelving books and whatnot for most of the day.

During the course of the day I ran into that 5th grade teacher again, found out that she taught Language Arts/Reading (though she didn't mention it was bi-lingual), and told me that she needed a sub for Monday since they were going to be pulling their students for testing, and she then said, "can you also sub Tuesday and Wednesday as well for the other 5th grade teachers, it would be great if we could all get the same teacher. Oh and I also need a personal sub for Thursday." Weary to take on a 5th grade position, I said, "maybe." Then she pressed me regarding my availability next week, and then I was reminded of my request to the Lord for steady work for these two weeks and this would be stead for Monday-Thursday, and said, "YES! I'll do it!" And then asked if I could sit in on her class a little to see how she ran things. Ey' carumba!!!! It's not only 5th grade, it's also bi-lingual! I started to get pretty scared. But I managed to push my fears aside, reminding myself that the teachers would still be in the school Mon-Weds if I had any questions while teaching. And that was that. After trying to meet up with my last class for the day, that teacher also not needing me, sent me to the office, and the office of course, told me I was free to go. So I walked out of the school around 2pm, not having taught a single thing. Weird. What a strange day, but somehow sovereign as well I suppose.