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Charmaine

Journalism school + editing + university newspaper 2010-2013 Education grad school + full-time teaching internship 2013-2014 Teaching elementary grades + Substitute teaching 2014-2023
  • December 28, 2023

From Teacher to Comedian: Gaspare Randazzo’s Exciting Side Job

From teacher to comedian: A photo of teacher comedian Gaspare Randazzo.

Welcome! Maybe you're here to get more behind-the-scenes info on fan favorite Gaspare from Netflix's "The Trust." I had the opportunity to ask him how he balances it all: teaching, standup and...

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  • December 20, 2023

A List of the Best Substitute Teacher Quotes

The substitute teacher smiling and holding her fingers in a peace sign in a classroom.

Surely you've seen various mementos and trinkets cutely embellished with quotes like "Teaching is a work of heart" or "Teachers who love teaching teach children to love learning." Maybe you've wondered, like...

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  • December 15, 2023

Why I Quit My Teaching Career for Pregnancy

I quit teaching for a healthy and stress-free pregnancy.

I quit my full-time teaching job to be a stay-at-home mom to my child. Except the child wasn't even outside her amniotic bubble yet. I know to some, the route may seem...

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  • December 14, 2023

How to Pump Breastmilk as a Substitute Teacher

There are many expectations I had for myself as a mom. Here I am holding baby.

In the throes of a time-bending newborn haze, among sinks full of bottles and tops and pump parts, during a remixed sleep schedule and learning all of the exciting features of your...

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  • December 13, 2023

Is Teaching a Family-Friendly Job?– Not Really

A family looking together at birthday balloons.

Right now? In our current state of education and its expectations for teachers? Teaching isn't even a single human-friendly job. Here's why, my friends: Misconceptions while picking a profession I always knew...

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  • December 7, 2023

Should You Aim to Be a Tough Substitute Teacher?

A strict, whistle-bearing substitute teacher in action.

As teaching in general is pummeled with more and more challenges, the difficulties for a substitute are that much more magnified. Classroom teachers don't think their students are giving them a modicum...

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  • December 6, 2023

How A Substitute Can Respond to “But Our Teacher…”

A view of carpet in a classroom while substitute teaching.

If you step in to take over a brand new classroom for a day, you'll likely run into the number one thing students inevitably bring up: "But our teacher lets us..." "That's...

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  • December 4, 2023

How to Redirect Students Without Saying a Word

Asmiling substitute teacher using the strategy of proximity in a new classroom.

It's no myth that teachers often lose their voice during the school year. By October, those tired vocal folds seem to go on strike. That's why I like to use this strategy...

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  • December 1, 2023

The First-Year Teachers Are Not Okay: Why It’s So Difficult

A first-year teacher with her head on the desk in frustration.

My first year of teaching, nearly a decade ago, wins the award for the most challenging year of my career by a dumpster fire landslide. Though I hold so many special and...

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  • November 27, 2023

20+ Ways Teachers Can Beat the Sunday Scaries

A picture of me teaching and looking anxious.

My first year teaching-- now almost a decade ago-- I distinctly remember the overwhelming feeling of dread I had preparing to go back to teach after a glorious weeklong respite for Thanksgiving....

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  • November 25, 2023

How to Get Students to Follow Directions With One Word

Kids reading quietly and following directions.

Tired of apparently giving directions to the abyss? There's one word that carries a lot of heft. In fact, it's quite magical once you've completed the setup. But it does take a...

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  • November 21, 2023

Why Modeling is Such a Powerful Strategy for Substitutes

Students standing in a straight line: A great modeling example.

The second you release the students to start their work after giving directions, the room drops into the chaos of twenty little people engaged in anything but sitting at their desks completing...

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Charmaine
Charmaine

Former Teacher ☼ Substitute ☼ Writer ☼ Mom

Recent Posts

  • A person holding a pencil filling out test answers for the STEDI substitute teacher exam

    How to Pass the STEDI Substitute Teacher Exam

    October 4, 2025
  • An old-fashioned birthday party: A vintage image of a child blowing out candles on a birthday cake

    Do Less: How to Throw a ’90s-style Birthday Party With Less Stress

    August 24, 2025
  • The substitute teacher and blogger smiling as she looks over her fourth grade classroom.

    Steal My Introduction From Every Time I Substitute Teach

    August 20, 2025
  • Habits for happy motherhood: A smiling mother holding her daughter.

    Only the Best: Kids and Baby Products We Actually Value

    June 20, 2025
  • A photo of someone completing a colorful puzzle. Brain teaseres, bell ringers, and other puzzles can be engaging time-fillers for substitute teachers!

    Classroom Survival Kit: Engaging Brain Teasers

    May 31, 2025
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