my first day as a sub
This past Friday I subbed for the very first time. I am an elementary education major and I wanted to experience being in front of the classroom and leading the class. I was a bit nervous as I walked toward Ravensworth elementary school. A very friendly office assistant greeted me. I signed in and she told me the room number. Once I walked into the room, I went straight to the teacher’s desk to review the lesson plan for the day… however, it was nowhere to be found! I went back to the office and the assistant tried to see if it was in the teacher’s mail box. Nope, it wasn’t there. She told me to search through the desk drawers while she checked the school’s email system. So I went to the round table in the back, looked through piles of paper on one shelf, poked my nose through the drawers (I felt like a eavesdropper!), and went through the cabinet. By that time, it was already 8:25, five minutes before the students would enter the classroom! I wanted that lesson plan–I didn’t want the students to have an unproductive day. At an unexpected moment, a teacher walked in and told me she had the lesson plan with her. I felt so relieved! She had just arrived and explained that the teacher who I was subbing for had given the lesson plan to her. Lesson learned: contact the teacher beforehand if a copy of lesson plan could be sent via email.
I peeked through the worksheets and activities and quickly noticed that they were all in Spanish! “Oh, are the students in a Spanish immersion program?” “Yes, they are. The lessons are all taught in Spanish for the AM class. The PM class have lessons taught in English, ” the teacher replied. I explained to her that I had no idea. The sub position’s description on the Fairfax Co.’s online system did not give me any specifics. The teacher simply said, “Don’t worry about teaching in Spanish. We’re just glad that you’re here.” 
The students were well-behaved and very helpful in informing me where things were. Although I have been studying Spanish for almost seven years, I have not yet mastered it. I tried my best to teach the math lesson in Spanish, but my mouth spitted out Spanglish. 
\ (my goal this year: become proficient in Spanish)
My first day as a sub has been filled with anxiety, panic, frustration, and many surprises. However, being surrounded by attentive and adorable students compensated for all the negative things. I look forward to more sub openings! ^^
Wow! Quite an eventful experience. I love that you are finding ways to learn as you go through the process and not just getting overwhelmed by it (this bodes very well for your success as a teacher — and it sounds like you are very well on your way!)
Wow! I think I would have freaked. I recently got a job as a sub. I haven’t taken a job yet though, mainly cause of my schedule and probably because I am also a little nervous about it. I hope to be teaching high school, so I would sub for that. I guess I just need to take the bull by the horns and do it, so to speak. I am sure once that first day is over with I wont be so nervous.
Sounds like a day to remember. I hope to maybe do some substituting next fall, to see what it is like. Thanks for the encouragement.
David Sigmon