Surrogate Classrooms

Well unfortunately I have nothing to update regarding the job hunt, other than I am trying to find a place (and motivation and moolah) to get another TB test done so I can get going with my charter sub pool. Also I need another cooler way to reference subbing for aforementioned charter network, as it is not really a district or network but just a charter with several campuses.

In the meantime though I've tricked two people into adopting me. First, my sister-in-law who teaches third grade let me come and help her set up her room last week and pick her brain about groups, reading programs, resumes, and other fun teacher stuff. She is doing a polka dot theme this year and we made some pretty awesome boards. I plan to steal her ideas of how to run a focus board for small groups (a themed white board used only for small group instruction) and her paper monkey tree was adorable! I also helped watch my niece, who thought the books in the room were hers. I managed to teach her to say "mommy's classroom" but not "Auntie". Go figure. My sister-in-law doesn't care for laminating though. I thought all teachers secretly become teachers just so we can write on the white board and laminate things? In any case, I laminated a ton of stuff and it was super fun! I'm so glad I live closer now because now I can go visit a ton. If only it was a bit closer, then I could apply to work in her district or volunteer at her school when I don't have sub jobs.

Second, my good friend and colleague from grad school just so happens to live and work as a second grade teacher in Big City, USA and so I made her let me come and spend the day in her room. As per norm, I talked her ear off while we set up bulletin boards, shared curriculum and management ideas, dreamed about the day we could finally work in the same school and maybe even share a classroom, and gossiped about boys. I will most definitely be volunteering in her room on days that I don't get sub calls, and also I'll be trying to get hooked up to sub for her charter!