Sisters

So I typed a long post about what it means to "be a sister to every Girl Scout" it was deep and meaningful. Then I clicked publish and it went away! Honestly, I don't feel like typing the whole thing all over again.

The post was brought on by the fact that I have a new "sister" in Girl Scouts. She is going to be my assistant next year and she is GREAT. I already think of her like a sister and cosider her daughter like a niece. We are fast becoming close friends.

This week I am looking forward to spending quality bonding time with her. We are going shopping and will most likely be discussing the upcoming scout year. I know one of our stops will be at the Girl Scout Store.

I don't have a lot of friends that I hang out with all the time. I have friends from school, and a few close friends that meet for lunch when we can. I have friends from church but I don't live close to them so we don't get to see each other very often. Mostly I have my family, I love my sister in law and love when we get to spend time together. I've also recently started getting closer to my cousins. It's not very often that I meet someone and we just click, but that's how it is with me and my new "sister" she even gets along well with my mom (who's my other Assistant Leader) I feel blessed to have such wonderful people in my life.

JoAnne

Sub Survival Kit - Tutorial

Two of my best friends just graduated. They are facing the facts that they will probably not have their own classroom come fall. They are both planning on subbing. For graduation, I gave them both Sub Survival Kits. I put a lot of thought and reflection into them looking back over the last 6 months at the things I had used and wished I had in the classroom with me.



Step One - Find a cute bag

You want something that is big and sturdy but not something that you don't want to get messy. Sometimes the classrooms are dirty and you never know what the students might do. This bag came from Dollar Tree. I have several of them that I use for Girl Scouts, Teaching, and carrying my laptop. They are big and strong.





Step 2 - Make a treat jar

I bought a three pack of these left over containers and decorated it with reward stickers that I already had. The containers aren't super sturdy but they will work. Again, you don't want to put too much money into them. I can't tell you how many times I've left my jar in a classroom. Luckily,all of the teachers have saved them for me but you never know.





Step 3 - Fill it with candy!

In this case I basically just took candy out of my own treat jar...But I made sure they had a selection. Whey buying candy, make sure you think about the age of the children. I try to give softer candy or safety pops to the Kindergartners. Also, think about the rules at the school, can the kids have gum? My own treat jar also has small toys, pencil sharpeners, and cap erasers.







Step 4 - Stickers

This step is pretty self explanatory. I cut up some sheets of stickers to split between them and made sure they had a good variety.









Step 5 - First Aid

Now for the basic first aid items: tissues, Hand Sanitizer, wipes and band aids







Step 6 - Note pads

I like to have several types of notepads. There's always something to write down. Behavior problems, other notes to teachers, hall passes etc. I also added safety pins.





Step 7 - Office supplies



A pencil pouch with all of the "little" items. Pencils (sharpened), pens (several different colors), erasers, paper clips, a highlighter, pencil sharpener, and a dry erase marker. Don't assume you'll be able to find these things in the classroom.



Step 8 - Whistle

This is to bring the kids in from recess.



Step - 9 - An activity book

Add an age appropriate activity book. This is great for kids who finish early. You can give them a page to work on quietly.



Step 10 - a game

For the final step I added a copy of my 6 in 1 bingo game. I featured this game a few months back as a give away. It is good for children in kindergarten through 5th and covers math skills from number recognition to division.



Would you like a copy of my bingo game???

Leave me a comment telling me what you like about my blog or how I can improve. Be sure to leave your email address and I'll send you a copy :)



I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!



JoAnne

Awards

Over the years, I have seen many different awards ceremonies. Even within Girl Scouts itself, there are many ways to recognize the girls. My troop meets with several other troops in what used to be called a cluster (troops of several age levels that are associated with one meeting place) We have almost always done our awards together along with a bridging ceremony. This is good because it gives the girls and parents a chance to see what the other troops have done throughout the year. In the past troop leaders have called each girl up individually and listed each award the girls have earned. Since many of these awards were earned with the group you can imagine there were lots of "repeats" and the ceremony seemed to drag on. However simply saying what your troop did doesn't seem to give the girls enough of their well earned recognition. So this year I sat down to come up with a new plan.

Daisies rarely earn badges on their own because they earn Petals for their daisy and they represent the parts of the GS Law. They can also earn a set of patches for completing a journey book(again, we did this as a group) and Fun patches for any trips or activities they participated in. Unfortunately when you call each girl up individually and list each award they earned it's not only very repetitive, it also highlights which girls earned more than others. At this age the only way they don't earn the badges is by not coming and unfortunately this isn't always the girls fault. The last thing I wanted was for them to feel like they weren't good enough.

I finally decided to call the troop up, tell the parents everything we have done this year, and then give each girl an individual award for one of their strengths. The awards were:
Helping Hand Award
Big Heart Award
Bright Idea Award
Stick With it Award
Best Foot Forward Award
Shining Example Award
Good Sport Award

They were a REALLY big hit. Some of the parents actually teared up at their child's award and I feel like the truly appreciated the fact that I got to know their girls over the year and showcased their individual abilities.

Oh yeah, almost forgot to mention that my Daisies, the youngest group, totally rocked the socks off the other groups as far as how much we did this year! I totally had a GREAT group of girls and parents and have only great feelings about how the next year is going to be.

See Y'all tomorrow!
JoAnne

Decision

So after lots of thoughts and prayer, I went in to my second interview Friday ready to talk to the supervisor. I wanted to find out if there was any possibility for a summer position instead of a year long commitment. My four hours in the classroom were supposed to start at 8:30 and I found out when I arrived that the director wasn't going to get there until 9:00. I told the girls at the front that I wanted to talk to her and they told me they would tell her I was there when she got there. I went to start my time in the classroom. I was in a toddler classroom which are the 1 year olds. There are 10 in that class and there were 2-3 workers in the classroom during any given period not counting me. I love this age for a lot of reasons. They are mobile and verbal, they can do so much for themselves and its so fun to watch them try new things. At the same time they love to sit on your lap, bring you books, and they still need to be tucked in at nap time. I didn't particularly love having 10 1 year olds in a small room with 4 adults. Also, many of the teachers have recently been moved to different classrooms so they teachers weren't completely comfortable with each other and the kids yet. After 4 hours I had helped with breakfast, playtime, outside time, lunch, and naptime. I was exhausted. If I had taken the job I would have been working 10 hour shifts. I went to the directors office and she told me she would get back to me once she got my evaluation. I then told her I didn't feel comfortable making a year long commitment because I felt like I should be in the School system. She thanked and told me bye.

I felt awful turning down a potential job when I really need a summer job. But it just didn't feel right in so many ways. I think I have enough money saved to make it through the summer (even though my student loans are now due) and I am planning to sub in not one but two districts this fall so I should have a more steady paycheck coming in then.

This week has felt so weird with no phone calls to sub and nothing to plan for girl scouts. I am planning on getting a head start on plans for GS next year, and we are going to do a few things this summer but this week has been about relaxing. I am planning a trip to the beach with my cousins and trying to get some stuff cleaned out for a yard sale my aunts are planning soon.

I do plan to start blogging more (and hopefully bring in some more followers). Tomorrow, I plan to tell you all about our girl scout awards ceremony.

JoAnne

Interview

The district I want to teach in has be hit hard by the budget crisis. They are closing a school drastically changing the set up of two others and letting all first year teachers go. Before there is any chance of new openings, they will hire back these teachers (this is fair and good for them, but not for me). The district where I live is opening a new school next year but is planning on doing so many shifts in teachers they don't know if they will have any openings. While subbing I have met many teachers who graduated a year before me and STILL don't have classrooms.

I am facing the fact that I won't have a classroom to call my own in the fall. I am also facing the fact that my many students loans are due NOW!

Today I went for a job interview at a GREAT daycare center on campus. I was truly hoping I could teach there for the summer and then make a decision about whether to stay there or continue to sub in the fall.

During my interview she told me she would want me to make a 1 year commitment if I got the job. I go for a second interview Friday so I need to make a decision. My heart is telling me I need to continue to sub in the fall. I am in the schools and getting to know the principals and office staff. I have also had several people tell me subs get moved in to full time positions all the time because the staff know you.

I need a job NOW but I want it to be a job that's good for me. I don't want a job that will hold me back in the long run.

So, fellow teachers and bloggers, what is your advice? Should I (if hired) take the job in the Child care center, or look for a "summer" job and sub in the fall?

JoAnne

Sub Plans

I've posted before about the different behavior plans in the classrooms where I sub. Today, I want to write about sub plans. Since every teacher is different and has a diffrent teaching style, it is expected that teachers will have different styles for their sub plans. What amazes me is the vast difference in the amout of details teachers leave.

Since I am a teacher I can pretty much go with the flow no matter what the sub plans, or lack there of, look like. However, I do appreciate plans that give lots of details. When I enter the classroom I want to accomplish everything the teacher has planned for the day. I don't want her to come back the next day to a mess or to find out nothing was done the way she had imagined. With that being said, I am not a mind reader. If you want things done a certain way, please let me know.

Monday I subbed in a Fourth and Fith grade classroom. The teacher had known for over a month that she would be out I know because I had scheduled the day a month in advance. I enter the classroom to find Hand written (or more like scribbled) sub plans that took up 1 1/2 sheets of paper. In fact, I copied them down with this post in mind and in my writing they took up less than one page.

Sub plans for

Monday, April 25

7:30-8:00 Read silently

8:00-8:30 Read Health Pg289-297 answer questions on pg 297

8:30-9:20 Computer Lab/ Special Area

9:20-10:30 Math packets

*Complete and when done read. NO games

10:30-11:20 Science Weekly and finish Health from this morning

11:20 Switch classes

_______________________________________________

11:20-12:05 Math complete Math packet

12:05-12:45 Recess or Lunch

12:45-1:15 Finish Math from ths morning

1:15-1:45 Science Weekly

1:4-2:20 Health Read pg 282-287 discuss and answer ?'s on page 286

That was it. That and a stack of worksheets. Oh yeah and the bus evacuation drill schedule (guess when, right during my planning) No classroom procedures, I had to hunt for her behavior chart. No roster. No seating chart. Not even a "thanks for coming." Obviously her plans left me with a few questions. Especially what she meant my recess OR lucnch. I can only imagine what it would have been like if I wasn't a certified teacher, or if it was my first day subbing. So, I would like to give all of you teachers out there some tip from a sub on what helps us have a productive day.

1. 
   
   Typed sub plans are normally easier to follow double spaced also gives us room to write notes about how the activities went.


2. 
   
   Please leave a list of the classroom procedures (things like entering the classroom, unpacking, sharpening pencils, classroom rules and disipline...)


3. 
   
   Make sure I know what to do about: attendence, homework, tardies, and how to work equipment.


4. 
   
   Make sure I know where to find a roster, dry erase markers, paper, pencils and the emergency kit and procedures.


5. 
   
   A seating chart is wonderful because it allows us to immediately call the students by their name. It also helps with attendance. If you leave a seating chart please make sure it is current. (I've seen some where the room arangement isn't even the same)


6. 
   
   
   

   Please give accurate times for special areas, lunch and recess. Also, let me know what my duties are during these times. Should I sit with the kids, do I have recess duty?


7. 
   
   Finally, please give as much detail as possible when writing your plans. There's no such thing as to many details. Am I supposed to read to them or do they read it? Aloud or silently? Should the work independently, with a partner, or as a whole class? If there's part of an assignment they shouldn't do please let me know, even if it's a section they class normally skips.

There you have it. 7 simple steps to helping ensure your sub has a good day. Many of these things could be typed once and left in a sub folder (just make sure they're still there after each sub visit).

I hope this helps. Let me know what you think!

JoAnne

My happy place

Whenever people say "go to your happy place" most people picture the beach, the mountains, etc... It's normally somewhere far away from their home. I realized this weekend where my happy place is as I was taking these breath taking pictures. That's why it's been so hard for me to say goodbye...

Camp Congaree was a place many Girl Scouts experienced camp for the first time. What a BEAUTIFUL place to fall in love with mother nature!!

And of course I had to have one more S'more before it was all over. I also got ashes of friendship from the fire and we lit eternal flames. I'm really glad I was able to spend one more day out there. Even if I did threaten to sit down on the ground and refuse to leave. Regardless of what our council plans to do in our area, to those of us who grew up doing the "Congaree Wig Walk" there will never be anything close to Camp Congaree.