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by lostsubteacher

May 28, 2012

Okay,

From what I’ve read, I know I am approaching this the wrong way, but what would you suggest? I have a teaching credential and was hoping to enter as a first time teacher, but I’ve had to take jobs substitute teaching. I’m signed up with an automated system my city uses, and the majority of the assignments it offers me are at the middle school level. My teacher preparation program mainly prepared me to teach high school.

I’ve found that during subbing, although the high school students do try to take advantage of me occasionally, I usually have a better time with them. I can interact with older teens comfortably, tell jokes that they understand, trust them to talk without insulting each other and tearing each other to shreds emotionally, and allow them out of the room without worrying that they are up to mischief.

Contrast this with the middle school students! It’s mostly inner-city, and they are an honest headache. If I try to ignore them an...See MoreOkay,

From what I’ve read, I know I am approaching this the wrong way, but what would you suggest? I have a teaching credential and was hoping to enter as a first time teacher, but I’ve had to take jobs substitute teaching. I’m signed up with an automated system my city uses, and the majority of the assignments it offers me are at the middle school level. My teacher preparation program mainly prepared me to teach high school.

I’ve found that during subbing, although the high school students do try to take advantage of me occasionally, I usually have a better time with them. I can interact with older teens comfortably, tell jokes that they understand, trust them to talk without insulting each other and tearing each other to shreds emotionally, and allow them out of the room without worrying that they are up to mischief.

Contrast this with the middle school students! It’s mostly inner-city, and they are an honest headache. If I try to ignore them and let them concentrate on their work, they will make silly comments about the way I look and the way I’m dressed. If I try to speak to defend myself, my low voice will be mocked by some attention-seeking student who wants to make the class laugh. If I allow them to talk, they will constantly insult each other; it must be painful for the students receiving that kind of treatment. I know I don’t even like it, and I’m an adult, and forget allowing them out of the room in most cases. They are so immature that they will go to other teachers’ rooms and try to start conversations with their buddies! I’ve even been in some middle schools where the students would find out that they had a sub and try to tear the classroom up by standing on desks and throwing books at each other. It is an honest headache!

What I usually do when I sub middle school is make a seating chart when I call roll so that I know how to identify the students. Then, I explain my rules, “no talking”, “don’t get out of your seat without permission”, and “respect yourselves and others.” I give them two warnings, and if they continue to violate my rules, they are put out of the classroom and sent to the office. I sometimes have horrible things happen in my classroom, though, such as students mocking me mercilessly, silly pranks being played in the classroom, accusations of racism, and profanity being scrawled on the board when I’m not looking. Also, sometimes whole groups of students violate my rules. Since I can’t punish the whole class, I usually find one or two to send to the office as examples. I guess this is a bad system, but they won’t let me approach them in a laid-back manner. They treat me like an intruder, really.

I’ve read Harry Wong’s “The First Days of School”, but I do not see how it applies to substitute teaching. I’ve brainstormed ideas for my classroom based on the experiences I’ve had as a sub, and, although I think I can do a better job that I've done in the past, I haven’t really found an answer. Right now, I can sometimes keep order by being mean, but they obviously resent me for it. What’s going on here? Would someone give me an idea of the students’ perspective?

More about me: I’m a white female in my mid-twenties. According to the kids, though, I look like a teenager.

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