I haven't been able to read posts nor post much myself lately, for I have been subbing at the small school where I taught for so many years. I have been enjoying all of the drama of the 5th and 6th grade students. They are so funny--and their comments, hilarious. We have been studying the slavery issue in social studies. The students couldn't understand why the slaves didn't steal a "boat" and go back to Africa. Of course, we discussed the feasibility of this plan! It is very difficult for a student of this age and experience to visualize how life would be in the 1800s. I tried to point out the differences of plantation living with that of today, but it is very difficult for them to understand a life without electricity and malls!

I have also been working with the special education students on the high school side. The teacher was so very organized and had a folder with plans and papers for each class. I didn't have to strain my eyes looking at a tiny square in a daily lesson plan book to try to decipher what in the world I was supposed to do. This teacher has to have the patience of Job in order to do what she does every day. She teaches Engish I,II,III, and IV; social studies; civics; speech; general math; algebra and science. She also has an advisory class and enrichment class.

The students were well behaved and very respectful. They just didn't work well and would assume a defeatist attitude before they would even try to grapple with the assignment. Much of my time was spent going to each different group and trying to help them understand a problem in math or a grammar exercise. One almost must do one-on-one teaching to get them to stay on task and to understand the object of the lesson. This routine has taken a toll on me and left me so very tired at night.

On Friday one of the enrichment classes performed for the student body. This is a blue grass music class taught by the art teacher. The performance was wonderful as the students played many different instruments and sang. One student that I had taught in the eighth grade made me so very proud. He is a very bright boy but so very shy that he wouldn't answer a question if he were called on to do so. Yesterday, he actually sang before the student body. How wonderful is that!

I must return to sub again on Monday. I will have to get all of my work finished this weekend and rest some to be able to deal with the many challenges of teaching. Keep me in your thoughts that I might always set a good example and be kind and understanding.