Two Fridays ago, I subbed at Mt. Olive for a 5th grade teacher who had taken the day off to go on vacation. She and I had been messaging the night before when she said an emergency had come up and she wasn't able to get things as put together for me in the classroom as she would've liked. I said not to worry, I'd figure it out.
It wasn't until about 10am Friday morning as I was teaching that I learned she had given birth early and wouldn't be coming back to school for the rest of the schoolyear. The principal had sent an email to his sub list (including me) asking if anyone could help out for the next two weeks. A very wise classroom aid/sub suggested having one person do as much of the subbing as possible to keep things constant for the students. I didn't have much going on, so I volunteered, with this aid filling in for me on the few days I couldn't be there.
So, all last week I was Mrs. M in 5th grade. Most days I went home with my head ready to explode from trying to remember all the things: where the electronic documents were saved, what papers needed to be passed out tomorrow, which students were home sick and needed an assignment sheet, which kids were back and needed to catch up on late work, names of all the kids, what is the schedule like for tomorrow... the list goes on. Thankfully, the aid (Mrs. L) pitched in to keep things organized and track down missing assignments/enter assignments into the gradebook/locate things in the classroom. She and I are a good team.
The tricky thing is, both of us are not getting paid for extra work we're doing. The basic sub rate is meant to pay someone to show up, teach the already planned things, then go home. Not make plans for future days, not correct papers, not to be communicating with parents about homework, etc. The principal doesn't want us to get burned out (or taken advantage of), so he's counseled us to not go above and beyond (although he's grateful for anything we are willing to do). The trouble is, how can a person be an effective teacher if she's not looking through her students' work to see what they mastered and what needs additional teaching? And how can she teach from day to day when someone else is making the plans and doesn't know where she left off the day before? So we're in a bit of a mess.
The powers that be don't want to pay either of us the higher long-term sub rate because we're not long-term (at this point in time anyway). But this is an extenuating circumstance. Time will tell if they change their minds or make an exception. So, I'm holding my ground and not correcting any papers until that point. I am making the lesson plans though. I'm experienced enough I can whip those up pretty quickly and this teacher was prepared enough she has all her lessons saved as an electronic file AND most worksheets printed and stored in a filing cabinet; we just need to find them and pull them out.
Word on the street is there's an MLC student available February 12th to take over for the rest of the year. I'm going to sub until then. Although, the principal asked me on Friday what I was doing for the rest of February... and the rest of the school year... Not an explicit offer, but definitely hinting at something. We're planning to have a conversation later this week.
I don't think I want to be a full-time teacher again, but I would be open to teaching a half day with someone else taking the afternoon. It sounds like that could be a possibility. Of course, that means I'd give up going to two morning bible studies and the opportunity to sub at Immanuel to see my former students. On the other hand, I'd be helping out a school (and students) who really need the help. Hmm... I guess I'll keep praying about it and see what happens!
House update: we have a signed purchase agreement for the Nicollet house! The buyers found our listing on Facebook, toured the house, loved it, and after many questions they made an offer. It's a young, newly married couple who attend the church next door. The husband works in North Mankato and the wife works from home. We've had a home inspection (and passed) and an appraisal (waiting to hear the results later this week). If the appraisal comes back at the price we listed the house, it's smooth sailing to our closing date on February 14th! Whew, that will be a huge weight off our minds.
G and I used his work truck/trailer to move all the rest of our furniture to the Mankato house. All that's left in Nicollet is a bedframe we needed an allan wrench to take apart (forgot to bring that tool on moving day). Thankfully that will fit in a normal van once it's disassembled.
Our Mankato house is coming along too. There is some tile on the wall in our upstairs bathroom, the closets have shelves and I've stocked them to the brim. Our living room is 'livable' even if things aren't in their permanent homes. I still have a number of things to sort through and reorganize, but the house is feeling a bit more like a house. Slowly but surely!
The two stray (likely abandoned) kittens, Flopsy and Mopsy, have adjusted well to our homestead. Too well. They're outside cats only, but judging by how much they want to come inside, our suspicion is their previous owners had them as housecats.
Our newly installed basement door sometimes doesn't latch. It's worse in cold weather. Saturday I came home to find the door open a few inches letting all the cold air in. When I walked in, both cats scurried downstairs and sat there staring at me. I swiftly sent them back outside. Thankfully they didn't destroy anything or go to the bathroom inside (as far as I can tell). I was paranoid about the door, so I deadbolted it overnight. Tonight I left for a few hours and tested the door to make sure it was latched when I left. Yep. We were good. But when I came home, the door was open a few inches again. Ugh! The cats must've been curled up with the goats because I didn't find them in the house this time. Whew! That door is staying deadbolted until our contractors can figure out what's wrong with it!
All that being said, we're hoping our house will be finished in a few weeks. Just the upstairs bathroom, a few pieces of trim to put back on, and the basement entryway ceiling to finish up!
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