Help I have to be a middle school Math TEACHER tOMORROW

[Lindagerr]

i HAVE NOT TAKEN A COLLEGE MATH COURSE SINCE ABOUT 1982. i NEED HInts AND CHEATS AND ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU CAN GIVE ME SO i CAN BE ready to teach prealgebra and algebra. to 6th, 7th and 8th graders, I've subbed for the art teascher and I can't draw, but that was okay, I subbed for the phys ed teacher that was okay I am not as young as I once was But I new the games and could keep them on track. I subbed for thr Spanish teacher and although I am half spanish and I took 5 years of it my spanish is poor. But I knew enought to teach the young ones and I could somewhat understand the older ones.

But the last time I walked into the 6th grade math room they were doning weird number line things with equations like yx15 + y>y15+x and asling me how to solve. I looked at them and said "Didn't your teacher just show you how to do these, well now she wants you to work independedt to see how much you have learned. We can all leave her a message if we still don't understand.


Wish me luck!! I have a feeling I will come out of the school mumbling algebreic equations. But working as a "real teacher pays a whole $70a day while working as an aid "Paraprofessional only pays $55 a day.
Partly I am feeling the hurt wfom my former job as a chemicel consultant. I usually worked somewhere from 8-30 hours a month and made $500-1000. A month, but he is not willing to commit to a schedule of needing me now. So I substitute teach to make ends meet and because I enjoy it.

Maybe this math class will get be studying and I can actually get my Calcluls exam done before 'H*** freezes over"

[Donna709]

Hi! Linda,

Good luck with substituting for junior high math. I have also considered substitute teaching, but have not done so yet. I have definitely wondered about what I would do if I completely did not remember enough to teach the subject matter.

I received my AA in Education last year and will complete the requirements for my BA in English from TESC this June. I definitely do not consider myself to be a "math" person. When I had to take a traditional math course last year, I had to study very hard and was stressing because I wanted to graduate with a 4.0 (ok, I'm a little bit of perfectionist! ... a flaw I'm trying to work on). I did well, but it was most likely much harder for me than most.

I admire you for taking Calculus. I only reached PreCalculus and that was definitely enough for me. ....I'd rather write a paper!

Hope you do well. Let me know how it goes; I'm considering doing some substitute teaching and would be interested to know how you handled situations like this.

Donna

[cookderosa]

i HAVE NOT TAKEN A COLLEGE MATH COURSE SINCE ABOUT 1982. i NEED HInts AND CHEATS AND ANY SUGGESTIONS YOU CAN GIVE ME SO i CAN BE ready to teach prealgebra and algebra. to 6th, 7th and 8th graders, I've subbed for the art teascher and I can't draw, but that was okay, I subbed for the phys ed teacher that was okay I am not as young as I once was But I new the games and could keep them on track. I subbed for thr Spanish teacher and although I am half spanish and I took 5 years of it my spanish is poor. But I knew enought to teach the young ones and I could somewhat understand the older ones.

But the last time I walked into the 6th grade math room they were doning weird number line things with equations like yx15 + y>y15+x and asling me how to solve. I looked at them and said "Didn't your teacher just show you how to do these, well now she wants you to work independedt to see how much you have learned. We can all leave her a message if we still don't understand.


Wish me luck!! I have a feeling I will come out of the school mumbling algebreic equations. But working as a "real teacher pays a whole $70a day while working as an aid "Paraprofessional only pays $55 a day.
Partly I am feeling the hurt wfom my former job as a chemicel consultant. I usually worked somewhere from 8-30 hours a month and made $500-1000. A month, but he is not willing to commit to a schedule of needing me now. So I substitute teach to make ends meet and because I enjoy it.

Maybe this math class will get be studying and I can actually get my Calcluls exam done before 'H*** freezes over"

Well, you are there now- hope it's going well!!!
P.S. Games are the answer. Math games, history games, science games, etc.

[morfritz]

Let the students do the work. You're just the facilitator.

[Lindagerr]

I spent the rest of last night reviewing algebra and thought I should be ok. Well when I got there the regular teacher was still there (she had an afternoon appointment) She went over what was expected it should have been easy I only had 1 8th grade algebra class then I would be teaching computers (something I know much better). I spent the hour before class going over and doing the homework myself with the teachers book. I finally felt ready as the class filtered in. I took attendance and checked for homework while I had a student put the first problem on the board. She is someone I have known all her life and she is a bright good kid. When I turned around the answer looked nothing like what it should be:eek: I then asked if anyone else had a different answer, they did but still not the one from the book. When I tryed to show them the correct way I got "That's not the way she taught us" I said well this is the correct way, maybe she was teaching you the step before this. Well anyway we tryed 1 or 2 more problems with the same confusion. Finally we put that homework aside and started the homework for that night. I feel like I lost control of that class completely, but it wasn't completely my fault, the teacher should have had an answer key available that explained how they should have arrived at the correct answer Her WAY.

But don't let this one experience discourage you from substitute teaching. I love it most of the time. I even taught Spanish last week, something I am more rusty in then my math. I do go online and print out emergency game sheets or busy work and most teachers also have this available. I find most of my work is more paraprofessional which is inclass support or special aid for 1-2 children. I consider this on the job training I get to pay attention to the classroom teacher so I can help my charges and get teaching ideas from them.

[cookderosa]

I spent the rest of last night reviewing algebra and thought I should be ok. Well when I got there the regular teacher was still there (she had an afternoon appointment) She went over what was expected it should have been easy I only had 1 8th grade algebra class then I would be teaching computers (something I know much better). I spent the hour before class going over and doing the homework myself with the teachers book. I finally felt ready as the class filtered in. I took attendance and checked for homework while I had a student put the first problem on the board. She is someone I have known all her life and she is a bright good kid. When I turned around the answer looked nothing like what it should be:eek: I then asked if anyone else had a different answer, they did but still not the one from the book. When I tryed to show them the correct way I got "That's not the way she taught us" I said well this is the correct way, maybe she was teaching you the step before this. Well anyway we tryed 1 or 2 more problems with the same confusion. Finally we put that homework aside and started the homework for that night. I feel like I lost control of that class completely, but it wasn't completely my fault, the teacher should have had an answer key available that explained how they should have arrived at the correct answer Her WAY.

But don't let this one experience discourage you from substitute teaching. I love it most of the time. I even taught Spanish last week, something I am more rusty in then my math. I do go online and print out emergency game sheets or busy work and most teachers also have this available. I find most of my work is more paraprofessional which is inclass support or special aid for 1-2 children. I consider this on the job training I get to pay attention to the classroom teacher so I can help my charges and get teaching ideas from them.

Way to pull through
I don't teach algebra, I teach culinary math/hospitality math- but I have a standard answer- that there are multiple ways to arrive at an answer, and what's important is that you can get there any way you can. I explain that there isn't a "right" way, only a "right answer."
It has literally taken me about 10 years to figure out all the possible ways my students can arrive at answers. I only learned by having them show me their solutions- sometimes I find a short cut too, but less often now. My best friend's husband told me that in college, one of his math professors never gave solutions- he said the professor thought solutions impeded the creative process LOL. Most of my "mathy" students write out these super long drawn out solutions :eek: while my "less mathy" students can find easier ways 9 out of 10 times!

[Gary]

What part of NJ has this setup? I know they use subs but I thought they had to have a background. Is it possible that you could teach English also???? Not to insult you but kids nowadays can be pretty bright and they catch on to these things real quick. Some can also be brutal when they sense a flopping fish. Is this being used throughout NJ?

[Lindagerr]

The only requirement to be a substitute teacher is 60 college credits (it doesn't matter in what) You also have to pass the background and fingerprint check.

I live in a very small town and everyone at both the elementary Pre-k-5th grade and Middle 6th-8th grade schools know me well. I was asked if I could handle this class I said I would give it my best. I was prepared to teach the class I spent 2 hours the night before reviewing algebra and an hour before class doing and understanding the homework.

In my opinion the problem was the classroom teacher who did not leave an answer key with how the answers were arrived at and did not tell me she had taught her class a way different then what was in the text book.

I have taught, english, spanish, Phys Ed, chemistry,reading,spelling, social studies, etc. in everything from Pre-K through 8th grade. I can not be expected to be an expert in all of those. Considering the great pay of $75/day for a substitute teachers and the fact that most school districts go begging just to have enough, noone expects miracles.

I could be a substitute in the high school where the requirements are the same and the pay is $100/day, but there subs are only expected to be babysitters, I would rather teach.

By the way I will be subbing as an aide this afternoon for that I make a big $55/day or $27.50 for 4 hours. I still spent 2 hours last night reading the book so I would be better prepared to help the student. If you figure that out I could make LOTS more money working part time at Shoprite and not have so much expected of me.

I'm sorry, but subs are a very low paid low esteemed group and most of us are people who care about children and learning, but for one reason or another cannot be fulltime teachers.

[morfritz]

So, is it beneficial to be a sub before trying to become a teacher? You know, to kind of build up credentials?

Lindagerr, that would have freaked me out. I am glad you survived that.

[Gary]

I understand what you are saying. We have a friend who does this but I didn't know the reqt's. It is low pay and it does ask a lot of you. I will ask her what the program is about for her. I'm not interested, just curious. Definitely, it sounds challenging. In some districts, I'm sure if kids smell fear, they'll be on you like a shark. I heard last night on TV that drug usage is starting at 12 yrs old in the 6th grade. Pretty scary. We see a pecking order starting to develop in the second grade and at my daughters school, the 4th graders rule. That's in Mt Laurel. I'd hate to see it in Camden, Trenton or other challenging districts. GOOD LUCK!