"you're a verry good teacher"

I taught 5th grade today
I'll start with a good note
Most of the students kept asking me if I would come back tomorrow, "pleasse"
And I had one student linger around after I dismissed them from class to tell me, "you're a verry good teacher"
They apparently liked me, but managing that class to stay on task and to keep them under control was quite the challenge. One of the main factors that I think added to this struggle was how the classroom was organized...or not so organized. The seats were sprawled out all over the room, and I am sure the teacher has her reasons, but it did not make sense to me when teaching a class of 30 kids, especially since the ones in the back of the class were mostly causing the trouble.

I guess the only major issue we had was at our bathroom break when some of the boys decided to play with the soap....yea
After I brought them back to class I delivered a genuine but dramatic lecture about the fact that the students need to think of the people they affect when they make decisions and how the kind janitor would now have to stay after school, not be able to go home to his family like they would be, only to clean up their mess. They were pretty good after my talk, and they definitely felt bad about what they had done. I saw the janitor cleaning up their mess later and apologized profusely.

Major Tools that I am developing for my Sub-box
-from the moment you are about to meet your class walk up to them like you are DA BOSS
-candy, candy,candy (feel the class out first, don't waste your candy if the class is well behaved or is able to follow suit to another management tool you have, you can reward them less frequently or just for larger accomplishments. Make sure you have a system of when and how you give candy to students, remember You Control The Candy!)
-Have activities and lessons ready to pull out and teach if the Teacher you sub for leaves you nothing, you need to appear that you are on top of your game in front of those kids, literally from minute one you need to act like you know everything there is to know...don't back down from this position
-Your instincts will kick in and let you know where the students are that you need to be aware of...quickly let them know what Great students you think they are (they are great, and they can be, so find something they are great at quickly), reinforce that, and make them love you. If you only learn a few names make it those kids names...believe me
-take a quick tour of the school, you should know where the bathrooms are, the lunch room, etc.
You will lose points of respect from your class if you have to ever ask them for assistance
-seating charts would be appreciated, but are seldom provided. It might be a good idea to give the kids name tags as you call attendance, or play a name game. The day will be verrry long if you don't know names.
-Use the flexibility of Sub-plans to your benefit, use the extra time to be FREE TIME at the end of the day. Put those words on the board and make the kids "earn" it, keep in your mind you want them to earn it because that is sometimes all you have on your side to keep them focused and moving forward.
Motivate them by reassuring them that you are all working together as a team to get them through all the work they have to do that particular day and ANY bad behavior is not acceptable, Erase a letter to show them you mean business. Believe me use whatever means you can do assure them that this is mandatory work that will effect them and that you are there to get them through.

Tomorrow I am a librarian..hmmm

peace,
DA BOSS!