Should I stay or should I go...

So I've been kind of overwhelmed by how many of you have missed the blog on its hiatus over the past few days. It really means alot that you even care to read it, let alone miss it. So without further adieu (pardon my French), here's what I've been thinking about lately....

So today was my first day ever to get a sub. If you read a few posts back you'll see the whole ranting saga of why exactly I had to leave. Needless to say all of that business in that post was a little over the top. I wound up only being gone for one period of class and our AP came in to talk to the students about bullying and what not during that class. Nevertheless, I felt weird leaving. So weird in fact that I was almost late to my training class because I was so nervous about just taking off. Thank goodness for my mentor, Julie. Without her I never would have gotten set up for the sub in the first place. I swear whatever they're paying that woman isn't enough. I think I'm a fairly solid first year teacher but if it weren't for her and a couple other ladies up at school, I probably would have already decided I didn't want to be a teacher anymore. It hasn't taken me long to realize, after talking with some of my rookie teacher friends all of whom I consider to be better teachers than myself, that without support we first year kiddos are dead in the water... but that's another discussion.

What's been on my mind a bunch today is something Julie brought up yesterday as I was filling my sub folder. So I'm sitting there all frazzled about having to leave and all the stuff involved with being gone and worrying about what my kids were going to be like for another teacher when I boldly proclaimed, "I will never miss another day." I mean seriously, the kids need us real teachers there. It's like the difference between having your roof held together by nails and boards instead of chewing gum and tape. Please don't take offense, subs. You guys provide a valuable service. But let's be serious... the kids don't know you, you don't know them, you probably know nothing about the subject and you're really just a placeholder that's there to make sure the kids don't tear down the walls. Maybe this is disrespectful but I guess that sentiment right there is why I don't ever want to leave my kids with a substitute.

So anyway after I made my bold proclamation, Julie says, "Well Matt, you'll have to miss at some point." To which I sort of sneered. "I'm serious, come January... you'll have to take off at least a week for that new baby of yours." A WEEK?! nope... aint happenin

OK so then I come home and tell my wife, "Wife, you won't believe what Julie said to me today..." Well you can probably guess how that turned out. Amazingly, Julie (a mother herself) was right. And apparently I have until January to wrap my head around being gone for 5 days minimum. Think about it though. The baby probably won't show up right on time, we don't exactly have the lil guy on an egg timer. So I won't even be able to plan for the days like I would a vacation. I'm just going to have to wing it at the last minute. Nothing says positive learning environment like 'wingin it'!

Regardless of what happens I'm sure that when the big day comes, I'll be happy to give up my 150 7th graders for my one 7 pounder. Here's to you baby, making me take days off whether I want to or not. Lord please just help me find a good sub....


Overheard at WoRMS:
"OK so North and South Carolina... Which is in Canada?" Real question folks... I kid you not.