December 15, 2016 Subbing in middle school (7th grade) "Tech" classes. The students are creating simple web sites. Hey, I know this stuff! (As opposed to the Aztecs & Mayans or 4th grade "math with discs".) I told today's classes that I've been building web sites & coding HTML by hand since 1994/95. Eyebrows go… Continue reading

Fourth First grade This was…. a surprise. I was expecting 4th grade. Me (at the school office): I'm your 4th grade sub. Woman: I didn't know either of them was out today. Mr Jones or Mr. Smith? Me: Ms. Black? Woman: She teaches 1st grade. Me: (hoookay then) Continue reading

4th grade. Math. Students are learning multiplication with "partial products". I know this concept as well but I use parentheses. 14 x 37 = (10 + 4) x (30 + 7) They use diagrams. Continue reading

(I have begun substitute teaching) December 2016 First grade I only have the first graders for half an hour before they'll go to lunch. They're going to do Prodigy Math on their iPads for that time. One girl is a budding SJ temperament in pint-sized form. She takes me in hand, making sure that I… Continue reading

(I have begun substitute teaching) November, 2016 From 12:30 to 12:40, I did yard duty – watching the kids at recess. My goodness, they're active! 1) A ball went over the fence and one girl figured out how to put her hand through the (wide) chain link grasp the ball (they're not well-inflated) and work… Continue reading

I took the CBEST yesterday at the Pearson VUE test center in Oakland. I took the computer version of the test. It costs 2.5 times as much as the paper version but I had more opportunities for an appointment. I also had no desire whatsoever to use paper and pencil. It's 2016 not 1970 (or… Continue reading