Back from the Brink

'Every sentence has a truth waiting at the end of it and the writer learns how to know it when he finally gets there."
--Don DeLillo

List the traits you would find in the ultimate substitute teacher.

(so this is difficult for me to do...but I've been out sick, and I know that my students celebrate each time they have a sub. Each and every hour of the school day--while I'm at home suffering from The Worst Cold of All Time--I know my classroom(s) are ringing with the sounds of "yesss! we have a sub! woo hoo! Mrs. Ables is gone again!")

• doesn't act clueless
• smiles
• is alive
• keeps the class on task and isn't afraid of the students
• seems like another teacher

my kids would probably say:

• brings food
• lets us listen to our iPods
• brings more food
• let's us climb up the walls
• is afraid of us, so lets us do anything.

Honestly, substitute teaching is pretty bad (from the other end of things). You have no idea who the class is, you are not prepared, and the kids take advantage of you. Horrible.

p.s. I'm so glad to be back