Long-Term Subbing, High Expectations, and Teaching Through a Cold
Two weeks into school and—bam—I was already taken down by the cold virus. Stuffy nose, pounding headache, that charming cough that makes you sound like you’ve been yelling at a football game all weekend. Teaching is hard enough with a clear head, but teaching fueled by DayQuil and caffeine? That’s a special kind of challenge.
On Monday, I gave myself some grace. I loosened my expectations a little because I was dragging. The result? The class took full advantage. Transitions dragged, side conversations sprouted everywhere, and I felt like I was working harder than twenty kids combined. Classic rookie mistake—even though I should know better by now.
By Tuesday, I vowed to hold firm. Because here’s the thing: I truly believe kids will rise to the occasion when they have clear expectations, boundaries, and consistent consequences. They always do. I’ve seen it. I’ve lived it. But the moment we let things slide? They slide right with us.
So, Tuesday was rough. They pushed back. They wanted loose and chatty. I wanted structured and focused. We were butting heads like characters in the first act of a teacher movie—the part where the kids test every ounce of patience their teacher has.
But Wednesday was better. Thursday was smoother. By Friday, we had our rom-com movie montage moment—me taking back control, the kids adjusting to the new normal, everyone figuring out their role in this little classroom ecosystem.
And you know what? It worked. Friday was one of those teacher-movie endings where kids are actually learning, I’m not just managing behaviors, and the room hums with lightbulb moments.
It helped, of course, that my cold was fading and I could finally breathe through my nose again. But mostly? It was the reminder that kids are incredible. They are capable of so much when we give them clear guidance, hold them accountable, and believe they can do hard things.
That’s my unofficial class motto this year: Work hard, then play hard. Or maybe it’s just my unofficial Katie motto. Either way, it’s working.
Because even when you’re sick, tired, or tempted to take the easy road, the truth is: high expectations aren’t about being strict. They’re about showing kids you believe they’re capable. And when they know you believe in them—they’ll rise. Every time.
