A bonafide workin woman...

At least for this week. 

Just call me Doralee Rhodes!

I was called yesterday on Sunday afternoon and asked to be a sub for an 8th grade math class.  "Oh sure!", I said.  Then I hung up the phone and my freak-out began.  Middle schoolers are different, they have to be handled with kit gloves.  They are just old enough to be too big for their britches.  An eighth grader is a mini-adult, at a time in their life that their hormones are going on full blast wreaking havoc on their attitudes.  I immediately send some text messages to my teacher friends asking them to reassure me that I was not crazy, not only to attempt subbing in 8th grade, but that I was subbing in Math, gross.

I totally freaked out for nothing, it was great!  Of course there were the few here and there that didn't know how to shut their mouths, but the glory of being a sub is that I can leave a note for the teacher and have her deal with them upon her return.  Subbing for a strict teach has it's perks, one mention of, "Do I need write down your name for Mrs. N?" and you have them shaking in their crocs.  I got a compliment on my sweater, was told I sounded sweet, one kid told me I looked like Maci from Teen Mom (um, okay, thanks?), no one called me old, and several said they wanted me to come back and sub for them again.  I consider that  a success...I didn't have to be mean, I didn't have any discipline problems, they didn't torture me, and the kids wanted me back.  As a bonus, I actually understood the math they were working on and even helped a few "get it".

Today I discovered another hidden bonus for being a substitute teacher, school lunches.  I love them.  Today was pizza day, and school pizza is just as good as I remember it.  And now that I am an adult, I am not stuck with milk or juice, I get a glass of sweet tea, all for the bargain price of $2 bucks! Interesting...I wonder if they have a cheesy chicken and rice day?   It is also a free pass to sit at the teacher's table where you get in on all the good school gossip!

So this week, I am going to be a working girl and not a lazy bum, the recliner will probably be thankful for the break from my tush.  The same teacher asked me to come back and sub for her on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday.  I will definitely need tomorrow to rest up and get my teacher face on for the rest of the week.   I might need to brush up on my math skills as well, because I think I just got lucky today, and as the "leader" in the classroom, I am pretty sure that "can't you just use your calculator" won't do as an acceptable answer.