What's the lesson or activity that you absolutely love to do when you're subbing? Do you prefer delivering lessons, monitoring as students work independently, playing games, watching movies, something else....? Does it depend on the grade level or subject area? I'm curious.
I like the Variety! Today I had fourth graders in the am and 7th grade in the afternoon! Movies are great once in a while for Elementary....but really boring in MS or HS when you are teaching the same lesson (watching the same 40 mins of a movie) 5 times in one day. Games are fun and its interesting to hear from the students the different educational games they play with their teachers....and being the bearor or this game to another class or building of kids who have maybe never seen or played it before.
I like games or group work. I'm not as stressed about noise level during these activities - a little talking is okay. The movies I have used don't keep the kids attention, and I end up having to monitor all the things the kids do to occupy their time. Some classes do well with individual seatwork. Younger grades, particularly those seated at round tables, have trouble keeping individual seatwork "independent." I spend a lot of time monitoring behavior and not enough time helping those that need help with the work. I really enjoy read alouds the most. The perfect sub day is when I get to cover the media center.
I like having games or organized group activities. I actually dislike showing movies to students because they more often than not see it as an opportunity to goof off, chat, do other things and I have to police them.
Subing while the students watch a movie has its positive and negatives. While it can (key word can) be easy to moniter high school students as they watch a video, I would rather be actively teaching a lesson. From my subing experience, I rarely get an assignment where the teacher leaves a complicated lesson. Typically, it's desk work, movies,writing, or reading assignments that require little "teaching".
I like giving tests because it keeps them quiet and busy. If some finish early most teachers have something they are to be doing or reading, and as long as any tests are still out they know they have to be quiet.
I like group work or games bc I don't feel as stressed about keeping them "on task"--a little chitchat is ok as long as they are actually completing the activity. I also think it keeps the negative behaviors down--they are having fun so they don't feel the need to test me.
