An entry in three parts:

 Substitutes:

I had a substitute today.  Michael is his name, and he subs at our school often.  It is so much work to have a sub.  You basically have to tell someone else what to do minute by minute for the entire day.  It isn't enough to be out of the classroom, not doing your job, but you actually have to give instructions to someone else as to how to spend each moment with your students.  I doubt there is another profession where this would be required.  If you are a doctor and you need a day to do something (I was in a training at the district office all day), you don't schedule patients for that day, or have them see a colleague.  If you are a lawyer, you don't see clients.  If you are a dental hygienist, someone comes in for you and you probably have to leave some instructions, but they consult with the dentist for what to do - there is someone there to give them guidance.  When you teach, it is you and all those kids.  When you teach elementary school, it is you and all those kids, all day long. 

I have found the better the sub plans, the more successful the day.  Michael is a good sub.  The kids are well controlled and he actually does what is left for him to do.  Substituting is not his 'real' job, which is sports related.  He has 'seasons' in which he is idle, so he fills in with substituting.  I find this probably makes him a better sub.  He chooses to spend his time substituting instead of choosing to do something else, or nothing at all.  He has decided this is how he wants to spend his time.  He isn't just in it for the money or the prestige.     I had to go back to school today to a meeting, after being at the training all day.  I was there when the dismissal bell rang.  Michael was having the kids pick up the floor - this is a good sign. 

Easels:

I have an easel in my classroom for using chart paper.  It is an old easel.  It was given to me by someone else who no longer teaches at the school.  It was in her room when she got there.  She acquired a new easel and handed this one over to me.   She got a new easel for a reason - this thing is an accident waiting to happen. 

I used to have a tripod telescoping  easel that you put a chart paper pad on, but it broke long ago, and would no longer stay up.  As you wrote on it, one of the legs would slowly sink down so it was no longer balanced nor stable, nor possible to write on.  I purchased that one with my own money, but threw it out.  I think I used it for two years.   I went a couple of years with out an easel, putting chart paper (of which I use quite a bit, so we can have a permanent record of work we do together and concept reminders) on the wall or white board (for clarification, I don't actually have 'real' white boards, but have pieces of laminate that I bought at Lowes, had cut to fit over the chalk boards, and nailed into place myself - cheap, but not very durable).   This had limited success (putting the chart paper on the board), but I really needed an additional writing surface.  When the easel was offered, I took it. 

 I have used the easel for a few years.  At first, the lack of reinforcement hooks was an issue, but I sort of left it in one corner, and didn't move it - and it didn't fall down too often.  It is circa 1970, fleshy-tan colored metal and has a pretty heavy whiteboard surface.  All of the corners of this thing are razer sharp, and raw.  I am pretty sure that when it was new it had protective sleeves over the edges, but maybe not.  Anyway, I think it has become tired.  It has collapsed three or four times in the last two weeks.  It doesn't like to stay up and is having trouble being moved.  Granted, I am moving more than I used to, but I need to move it to use it. 

I had the secretary price out new easels for me.  The cheapest one is $400.  I don't have $400.  I am not sure what I am going to do.  My supplies budget is $100 for the year.  That is to cover everything I need.  PTA, of which I am on the board now (don't ask), doesn't know if it will have any luck raising money for classrooms this year. Maybe I will ask Santa or the Chanukkah bunny.

 Field Trips: 

My first field trip of the year is coming up - Monterey Bay Aquarium!  I love this field trip, partly because I love Monterey and the Aquarium, but also because my partner teacher and I sit in the cafe, eating a realxing lunch with an amazing ocean view, while the parents chaperone the kids through the exhibits.  Even though we leave well before school starts and get home as the evening hits, it ends up being a mellow day for us, and the parents always know where to find us if there are issues.  Sure, we go see certain exhibits and interact with the students, but it is so nice to know that for that one day, we are going to be treated to a lovely lunch!