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Janet/AR/Host - Welcome eveyrone to the Sub. Teacher's meeting.
Donna/Ramona - subbing can be nerve-producing...will you be subbing in the same place where you student teach? That might help - you'll get to know the kids...
Donna/Ramona - Those who teach can make it very easy for us or they can make it hard. I've been in situations where the plans were not anywhere around, and other rooms where I was told *exactly* what to say and how to say it!
teach - I've found that the more detailed my plans are the more the successful the sub can be
teach - I come in and make specific plans for each sub
Donna/Ramona - I appreciated it when teachers made their plans just for me. This year, most of them knew me, and some felt comfortable enough to say, "and if this doesn't work, scrub it and do something *you* like to do! That made it wonderful for me. Of course you may not want to do this for an unknown sub.
Janet/AR/Host - The position I may have is for jr. and sr. high special ed. I will probably be teaching english.
Donna - Congrats, Janet, I'll keep my fingers and toes crossed! Dang, this thing is going NUTS!
Queenmum - sounds great!
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, what are you cert'd in and what state?
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, I know it is terrible tonight.
Donna - CA credential, "multiple subject" (i.e. self-contained classroom), and Music K-8.
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, welcome to the Sub Teachers meeting.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, WONDERFUL! Special Ed.
Janet/AR/Host - Queen, are you looking for a position?
Lynne - How do I review the things you've said so I know how to respond now?
Donna - Special ed in CA is wide open - it's the only thing my district will hire on an emergency credential for!
Janet/AR/Host - Just look at the top of your screen under the occupants. Then type in what you want to say and hit update.
Queenmum - I will be graduating in May. There is talk of some retirements in the building I am student teaching in, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.
Lynne - Donna, that's really great! Sounds interesting with multiple subjects.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, spec. ed children are a lot of fun.
Janet/AR/Host - Queen, Keep your eyes and ears open! Sale yourself to the Principal so they will recommend you for a position.
Queenmum - I know him very, very well thanks to all the volunteering. I am hopeful that will help me.
Donna - I always enjoyed subbing in the spec ed classrooms. Lots of support. But I'm not sure I'd have the patience to teach it full time.
Lynne - Janet, I didn't know you had a teaching position. Isn't that a change from the last meeting?
Janet/AR/Host - Last Tues I went on an interview. Did not get it but she told another school about me when they had called asking if they knew anyone for spec. ed.
Donna - Q, just the same, ask him for a letter of reference. It helps a LOT!
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, I don't yet but my last interview which ended up being 2 interviews went very well.
Queenmum - Thanks for the advice. I definitely will!
Queenmum - Well, I have to go. Good luck Janet. I hope you hear very soon! Goodnight all!
Janet/AR/Host - So then I interviewed at another school which the District Supervisor of Spec. ed called the Princ. of jr. high to talk to her.
Donna - g'nite, Q!
Janet/AR/Host - Queen, goodnight!
Lynne - Janet, I bet you are excited. I remember how down you were. I'll keep you in my prayers.
Janet/AR/Host - thanks Queen.
Janet/AR/Host - Thanks Lynne! It is so hard to get a position.
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, did you have trouble getting in here tonight?
Donna - That's exciting, Janet. That's pretty well how I got my position....one of the principals called another principal who needed a teacher and recommended me. Is it that bad in AR, too, Janet? I thought it was just CA...
Janet/AR/Host - I am definately excited. The DS was very nice and said she loved my enthusiasm and computer skills.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, I am limited to where I can teach which makes it harder.
Janet/AR/Host - The Jr. High Princ. said the same thing. The board meeting will be Monday July 26th.
Donna - Limited....by location? Me, too....I don't want to commute across town very far!
Janet/AR/Host - Are there any problems you would like to talk about?
Lynne - I am somehow still nervous about next year. Last year was my first subbing year, and somehow, I still feel a little anxious. I am wondering how much I'll be subbing, because the high school principal was talking about eliminating some of the need for subs. I thought he was right--the teacher SHOULD teach the class if at all possible. I'm just a little worried. Maybe I'll have to apply to another district also.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, yes location. my 82 yr. old mother in law lives with us and she can not take a move.
Donna - Does the board do the hiring? In our district, the Supt of Personnel makes a hiring decision and then gets approval from the board. The board rarely questions those decisions, tho.
Lynne - Janet, no I had no problems getting in.
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, it wouldn't hurt. Are you in a small town?
Donna - Lynne, can you sub at several levels?
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, same here. Princ. or supervisor or superin. can recommend someone and then the recommendation is voted on.
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, I was about 30 mins. trying to get into tnet tonight.
Donna - Sounds like it's pretty cut and dried, then. If you've been recommended to the board, you'll be accepted? I've only been in one district where the board ever questioned hiring decisions.
Lynne - Janet, yes, I am in a very small district. 400 students in the high school. My high school was 2100!!! (When I went to school) Donna, they would like to keep me in the secondary level, because that's my certification.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, my problem is I am not sure I am being recommended yet. Just that the DS sent me to the Princ. was a good thing.
Lynne - Janet, that's crazy!!! If I could type tonight it might helpQ!@!
Donna - Lynne, in CA if you are CA credentialed in anything, you can sub in anything. I was once asked to sub for the Band teacher in the High School. (My music credential is K-8 and vocal/choral.
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, who are you talking to please.
Janet/AR/Host - I sure hope not. I want a position so bad. I am presently working in a local hosp. radiology dept as a sec. I have worked there for 21 years.
Lynne - Well, I have taught Phys. ed, Music, Biology, Sp Ed, Art, Chemistry, Calculus (HA,HA!) and algebra. I enjoyed it all immensely.
Janet/AR/Host - WOW Lynne, you sure have had a lot of experience.
Donna - Ah, see, Lynne. I usually sub elementary, so being asked to do HS Band was a surprise to me!
Lynne - I was talking to Donna, but I am enjoying your comments, too, Janet!
Janet/AR/Host - Mine has been mainly in the elem. and I have also subbed in the alternative school.
Janet/AR/Host - thanks Lynne.
Donna - Janet, what is your alternative school? Ours is Montessori on one "side", and the other is a home schooling support where they come to school one day a week.
Janet/AR/Host - Is there any topic or problem any of you wish to talk about.
Lynne - Janet, it has really really been fun. Honestly, I might change my mind after a time, but I enjoy seeing the students in all these different settings, and I'm learning SO MUCH about the schools and about the subjects, not to mention heaps about the students.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, alternative school is for those who have problems coping in a public school realm. Court school is also in the alternative school.
Janet/AR/Host - I fee the same way Lynne. My subbing has been a lot of fun and a wonderful learning experience.
Donna - Oh. The district we live in has an alternative school similar to that. My current district is too small for this type.
ArtTeacherVA - i was a sub for 4 years.. great experience
Donna - I enjoyed subbing a lot too. The only thing I *really* didn't like about it was the uncertainty about working each day, and about the income variations! I enjoyed the kids, the variety, and the adults.
Janet/AR/Host - Art, I take it you are now a full time Art Teacher.
Donna - Welcome, Art and Sioux! Art, do you currently teach Art? (I'm a former Music specialist.)
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, the pay and benefits are terrible for subs. That is why there is such a sub shortage here.
ArtTeacherVA - yes. Took me a year and half to find a job and I sub while going to school. Will start my 3rd year
Lynne - Yes, I have a real concern. Do you know that a student went to prison last year--OH, he was accepted into our school district after being a problem in another. Anyhow, he went to prison, and then came back to our school once he served his time. The teachers were really afraid, because he did nothing in class, and has the reputation of dealing drugs. He wanted to be called CASH. How about that???
ArtTeacherVA - yes I teach art in a private school.. public is not hiring for art
Janet/AR/Host - GREAT Art, I am looking for a position right now.
Donna - We have no benefits as subs. Pay=$85/day unless in the same assignment for 21 days in a row. Then it goes up to $100/day. What's it like where you all are at?
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, That is a fear all teachers are having and they predict a huge teacher shortage in the next few years.
ArtTeacherVA - I started 4 days a week and the next year went full time.... got to start somewhere
ArtTeacherVA - where are you donna?
Lynne - Art, I loved subbing in art, because the students were a lot more free to be themselves. I learned a lot about them, and got to relate to them on a more personal level. It's a greaet subject for that.
Donna - I taught regular ed in a private school - it was good experience, Art. I'm in Southern California.
Janet/AR/Host - Art, I hear private schools are getting more and more populated with students.
Donna - Janet, they are here in CA!
ArtTeacherVA - I love teaching art. I let my students try different things so they like that
Janet/AR/Host - I think that parents are getting scared of the public schools now with all the violence.
ArtTeacherVA - we have 800 in our school and a waiting list.. yes it's growing
Donna - Art, how often/how long do you see each class?
Lynne - I really couldn't believe that when I subbed for an extended period for a teacher who was pregnant, that I got no more money, even though I bet I did three times the work and at home.
ArtTeacherVA - not only scared I think they are getting tired of the schools not working hard (letting kids get away with things)
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, after a certain amount of days the pay goes up for long term subbing here.
Donna - Nothing more for a long term, Lynne? Wow. I did two long terms this year. It's not much extra per day, but it helped.
Janet/AR/Host - I totally agree with you, Art. Schools need to get back the control of the schools.
Lynne - OK, so, since I did it for only 3 weeks, the pay didn't go up. I'll have to find out about that one.
Janet/AR/Host - I did my subbing on my vacation and off days.
ArtTeacherVA - long sub is great but the problem I had was that they liked what I did and wanted to keep me as a sub.
Janet/AR/Host - Art, the same is happening to me here. I am going out of the city to the surrounding cites for a position now.
ArtTeacherVA - i subbed for 2 months at a h.s. and "threw kids out" and they would just laugh about it because they knew they would be just back..... it was so
Donna - Subbing on your off time makes it hard/impossible to do a long term, eh? One year I was called while working in an office - to cross the line when a local district went on strike! I'd have lost my office job, so I said, "no thanks". Didn't really want to scab anyway.
Lynne - I know our principal is concerned about the parents response to the actions he takes against a student who misbehaves and becomes violent. Last year I was quite alarmed a couple of times, because the students were really getting under each others skin. There was one fight, but when I ran to the phone and called the principal down, they had the sense to stop.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, yes it does. I was asked twice this year to long term sub.
Donna - Janet, here it's almost a kiss of death to say "no" to a long term sub request if you are looking for a full time job.....how did you handle it?
Lynne - Hi Teresa, do you sub, and where?
Janet/AR/Host - Lynne, there are a lot of gangs here.
teresa - no...I was about 9 years ago...for 1 day for a principal to tell the school board that I had subbed so I could get the job.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, they were very understanding! The one that set up the subs for the teachers was very nice and understood my full time job came first.
Lynne - Janet, Wow! Can you tell me some of your experiences? We have a supposed gang, but I really doubt that they would do anyone any harm. Still it's a little scary when you take into account what's happened in the past year!
Donna - Teresa, what state do you teach in?
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, he sure was sneaky! LOL But that was GREAT for you.
Lynne - Teresa, what job do you have?
teresa - yes...it was and then I moved to another school district because my kindergarten job there disappeared due to student enrollment...I will tell you I do appreciate good subs...!
Donna - It doesn't take a known gang to cause problems, that was proven this year. Art, we're having troubles. I got logged out myself once.
Janet/AR/Host - Well I just got there respect. I had one had in his classwork with gang graffitti on it and I tore it in half and told him he had to turn it in without gang graffitti.
teresa - where on earth do you teach, janet????
Donna - Teresa, they couldn't move you to another grade level? (Or didn't you want to be moved?)
Janet/AR/Host - I am certified in special ed/ elem. ed/and social studies.
Lynne - Janet, that was a commendable and gutsy move. Good work!!
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, I live in Arkansas.
ArtTeacher - I have this theory about substitute. I think that instead of the stupid Praxis test, teachers should be required to sub while attending school so many XXXX hours...... I would not be as good of a teacher if it wasn't for being a sub for 4 years
teresa - At that time I thought the only thing I could teach was kindergarten,,,and I had just graduated when I got that job...and another district hired me for kindergarten...I still think kindergarten is the only grade...lol
Janet/AR/Host - Well I am only 5 feet tall and I did have to get in their faces from time to time but nothing major happened at all!
teresa - Where in Arkansas????
Donna - What is the Praxis test, Art?
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, let's see who can answer this. I live in the hometown and boyhood town of President Clinton.
ArtTeacher - here is the teachers exam
teresa - Hot Springs???
teresa - or hope???
teresa - or fayetteville????
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, you WIN!!!!
Janet/AR/Host - Hot Springs.
teresa - or Little Rock????
Donna - We in CA have the CBEST, Art. But we still have to student teach during our *fifth year* of college (IF you do your college years in CA).
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, your first guess was correct!!!
Donna - Hot Springs....Janet, do you know any teacher by the last name of McSpadden?
Lynne - They are supposed to put cameras in the hallways by the bathrooms, and in some classrooms. This year. I wonder if it will make any difference. Some kids have been smoking, and smoking pot, in the bathrooms.
ArtTeacher - yes we have to student teach here in the last semester. but honestly, is that "really" enought? you know it's not
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, that name sounds familiar. What school does she/he work?
teresa - I think that cameras, metal detectors and phones in the room would be great
Donna - In 1972 kids were smoking in the bathrooms (that's when I was in school). So that's not really anything new...just an update. Student teachers do a full year of student teaching in CA here.
Donna - She's a Music teacher. I don't know, Janet.
Janet/AR/Host - Donna, the name sure is familiar to me. I will have to investigate.
ArtTeacher - you are right Donna, I graduated H.S. in 197 and kids were smoking then too... and they will keep doing it.
Janet/AR/Host - teresa, it do,too.
ArtTeacher - 1970
Donna - I was 4 years behind you, Art (1974).
teresa - the best thing that happened to me was that my job after graduating was a "floating" kindergarten teacher...I was in 3 rooms...a 1st year teacher...15 years teacher and a 30 year teacher...learned alot!!!!\
Janet/AR/Host - Has anyone experienced a child that you had while subbing passing away?
Lynne - No, Art, and THAT's been my major gripe about colleges. You get dumped in after a lot of theory and get expected to swim. I really had a hard time. I would have really really appreciated more time in classrooms--and NOT teaching my peers, either. Now I almost wish I had started subbing right after student teaching, to prove to myself what I know now, that I really can do it and love to teach. But now I have a family, and don't want to spend the time, yet.
