Election Lessons and Wet Rears

Today I subbed in a new school (for me) in south Salem (the last school in south Salem that I haven't been to yet!) I was in a 2nd grade class in the morning and a 5th grade class in the afternoon while the teachers were going to meetings. There were 5 other subs in the building that were doing similar schedules. I met both teachers I was covering for in the morning. The first showed me her plans, the second told me where I would find hers when I came over - she also told me she had a rowdy bunch. Funny- I year or so ago this knowledge would have filled me with dread for the afternoon. Now, I don't really react to it at all! I have been to *heck* and back while substituting! No rowdy class can defeat me now!! ha HA!

Anyways, the 2nd grade class had a student teacher, so I didn't have to do much. I cut some paper rectangles for the teacher and I read with a group of students. Other than that I just kinda buzzed around and helped when I could. The kids had a chance in the morning to share about what they did for Halloween. One kid told me at least 3 times that he went to the haunted house at the "death school" (he meant deaf school) and apparently, people chased you around with "real chainsaws" and the "only way to get them to stop was to wave at them or high-five them." Sounds creepy to me, but whatever. Another boy got up and told the class with big arm motions that he went trick-or-treating and got "TONS OF LOOT!" The rest told me how they got 3, 7, 15, 24, etc. bags of candy. I find this hard to believe.

The 5th graders were a little more work for me. There were 26 of them, and they were a loud group. We also had a couple of very active projects for them to do later in the afternoon, so this only added to the noise level. But I managed (somehow - I'm starting to get good at it I think), to make them realize that I'm in charge, but also, cool enough so that they don't mind that I'm in charge. If that makes sense. So after I'd been with them about 15 minutes they were working and not giving me attitude anymore. The rest of the day was loud because of group projects they were working on...but we managed to keep it just under the "chaos level." haha The kids were pretty funny too. Right off the bat they wanted to know who I was voting for (election day was one of the topics of the day, as you can imagine). I told them that I wasn't going to tell them then because they were supposed to be working, but I might tell them at the end of the day. They were of varied opinions in the class. One girl was talking about how McCain was awesome, and that her mom and dad and grandma, etc, etc. had voted for him. Another boy walked about the room chanting "O-bama! O-bama!" The end of the day comes and they all leave. I've forgotten. They've forgotten. But about 30 seconds after they leave, 2 girls come tearing back into the room and are just frantic that I didn't tell them who I'd voted for. So I told them. :) One was pleased, one was not. Oh, I must mention why I've titled this blog "wet rears" in part - we went out for a short recess near the end of the day and everything was wet, but a few students chose to go down the slide anyway...so they got very "wet rears". I started to say something about their "wet rears" and found it is a difficult phrase to say! Seriously, try it. So my voice is a little sore tonight, but even so it was an enjoyable day!