Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The One About Sub Notes

Wow!  Has it seriously been over a month since I've posted!  Yikes!  Sorry!

Trust me, it's not for lack of wanting to, just lack of finding the time to.  You know how it goes.  But I'm back and hopefully back into the swing of things.  And to say sorry for my absence I am throwing a sale in my TPT store!  Everything in my store is 10% until this Thursday, October 10!  So, head on over there (after you read this of course) and see if you need/want anything!  Sorry!

Now, for another kind of absence.  I was home with my daughter Stella today.  She's all better and will be returning to school, as will I, tomorrow.  This was a momentous absence though because it was a full 7 weeks of school before any of my kids got sick (my son Braeden was out last Friday but Amy stayed home with him).  That's a record.  Seriously y'all, we usually only make it a week or so!  That's why 7 is something to celebrate!  Lucky 7!  Oh, that reminds me of the show!  :(  The first of the new fall shows to be cancelled, and it was one I liked!  But I've gotten off topic here.

Absence.  Now, I don't mind missing school so long as I can plan for it.  Luckily Amy is the one that can take it on the fly.  She gets the times when someone wakes up sick and it's last minute.  I'll take the times when I know I will be out and can prep.  Last minute gives me anxiety.  Planning time let me get organized.  I knew I'd be out with Stella today so yesterday I was able to set everything out and get it all nice looking.  I also wrote my Sub Notes last night and emailed them to school.  Sure, I'd left my lesson plans out on my desk.  Sure, everything the Sub would need was right there.  But still, I have to write notes.  Notes specific to that day.  Those lessons.  The kids.  Do you do that?  Amy always gives me grief because my Sub notes can be lengthy.  For example, today's were 3 pages. That's not bad, right?!  I had stuff to say.  Prep stuff.  Background information stuff.  Little stuff not covered in the lesson plans.  Stuff stored in my head that doesn't get written down.  You know, the million other things outside of your lesson plans that you cover daily.

So, do you write Sub notes?  How specific do you get?  I acknowledge that I am a bit of a control freak when it comes to my classroom.  But I have gotten better over time.  I just like things done a certain way, my way.  I mean, aren't all teachers control freaks deep down inside.  Isn't that one of the things that makes us teachers?  The things that draw us to this crazy, yet infinitely rewarding career?  The ability to control a ton of stuff and little people and do every little thing just the way we want?  Yikes, that makes it sound bad, but I know I'm not alone.  I mean, I know it probably (and likely) will not all be done the way I would do it, because the Sub isn't me.  But the notes protect me and give me a sense of comfort and control.  After all, it was written right there in black and white!  

So, what do your Sub notes look like?  I can't be the only one!  :)

Thanks for hopping by!