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Substitute Teachers Chatboard

Re: new catch phrase

by Suzanne R.

Mar 29, 2016

I've heard it too.

Even my son says it at home to taunt my daughter.

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New catch phrase?

by Sam Foley

Mar 27, 2016

In 3 of my schools kids are starting to say "punctuate my new monkey."

It means something like "boy, are you dumb!"

Am I the only one hearing this?

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Diana On 3/27/16, Sam Foley wrote: > In 3 of my schools kids are starting to say "punctuate my > new monkey." > > It means something like "boy, are you dumb!" > > Am I the only one hearing this I am teaching at an elementary school and haven't heard that catch phrase.

Mar 27, 2016

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Arlene L. On 3/27/16, Diana wrote: > On 3/27/16, Sam Foley wrote: >> In 3 of my schools kids are starting to > say "punctuate my >> new monkey." >> >> It means something like "boy, are you > dumb!" >> >> Am I the only one hearing this > I > am teaching at an elementary school and > hav...See More

Mar 27, 2016

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Flexibility is a beautiful thing?

by Mary Jean Fischer

Mar 23, 2016

Hello Teachers! How do you fill the spaces between your sub jobs? I am a chemistry teacher subbing for a few years as I try a few new things. I realized that 25 years of teaching will yield a small residual (aka retirement) No matter how GREAT I am as a teacher, I get paid the same as a terrible teacher. That bugs me. Here are other teaching jobs I...See More

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Jill Offer Chemistry for Homeschoolers. You may have to tailor it more to certain textbooks, like Apologia, but you can probably get several classes.

Jill

On 3/23/16, Mary Jean Fischer wrote: > Hello Teachers! How do you fill the spaces between your > sub jobs? I am a chemistry teacher subbing for a few > years as I try a few...See More

Mar 23, 2016

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Sarah 1. TeachersPayTeachers. I have a store and have built up my income in the past several years to the point where I am making as much now as my first year of teaching by simply creating useful lessons that save other teachers TIME. That is my ultimate goal with my TpT business- what do teachers NEED to make their lives easier?

2. Teaching on...See More

Mar 23, 2016

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Pleasant surprise

by Sam Foley

Mar 23, 2016

Volunteered for long term middle school with toughest kids in the school; no one else wanted the job.

Surprisingly every class had been very pleasant.

It must be my charm and good looks.

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BJ This must be the honeymoon period.

On 3/23/16, Sam Foley wrote: > Volunteered for long term middle school with toughest > kids in the school; no one else wanted the job. > > Surprisingly every class had been very pleasant. > > It must be my charm and good looks.

Mar 23, 2016

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Teacher taking over

by CaliSub

Mar 19, 2016

I'm in a long-term sub position. I have one lower level class with a special ed teacher. I was supposed to be the lead teacher but he has taken over the class. I don't mind him co-teaching because I'm new and he knows the school, but now he wants to do every lesson himself. He says he knows the material better and I "wasn't doing it right.&quo...See More

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Lee On 3/19/16, CaliSub wrote: > I'm in a long-term sub position. I have one lower level > class with a special ed teacher. I was supposed to be the > lead teacher but he has taken over the class. I don't mind > him co-teaching because I'm new and he knows the school, but > now he wants to do every lesson himself. He says he knows > t...See MoreOn 3/19/16, CaliSub wrote: > I'm in a long-term sub position. I have one lower level > class with a special ed teacher. I was supposed to be the > lead teacher but he has taken over the class. I don't mind > him co-teaching because I'm new and he knows the school, but > now he wants to do every lesson himself. He says he knows > the material better and I "wasn't doing it right." When I > talk to him he becomes very short tempered and unpleasant to > deal with. When I asked to co-teach he was very nasty and > blunt and said the kids don't respect me because I'm too > soft spoken and let them do what they want. It's true > because whenever he not in the room, they act up and don't > listen to me. > I'm just worried the principal will come in and I will get > fired because I'm not doing anything in my class during this > block. I have thought about complaining but am embarrassed > about the whole situation.

Every school is different. Where I work, the special ed teacher and general ed teacher are supposed to be co teachers in an ICS class. It's not his call to tell you that you cannot teach, that's your job. It's also not his call to tell you that you aren't doing it right. Ask him exactly what aren't you doing correctly? You just may have a different teaching style than him. Different isn't always wrong. Maybe the two of you could meet during a prep or after school and come up with a plan. If he gets nasty, tell him that you are trying to do your job and looking for a solution to the issue. If he won't work with you is there another teacher that you could ask for advice? If not, then just go with it, grade papers or walk around the room making sure that the students are on task and help those that need it.

If the students aren't behaving for you when he isn't there, then you need to have set some ground rules and stick to them. Make sure that the consequences are spelled out and use them. If the students see that you are sticking to your word, they will either behave or spend a lot of time in detention. Their call.

Mar 19, 2016

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No fear/no respect

by Kurt Mu

Mar 16, 2016

I feel the way I do because kids today have no respect and no fear for anyone and anything.

I lived in New York City and obeyed my parents no matter what.

They told me that if I didn't behave they would sent me to the electric chair.

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pixie Lee, I agree with you about respect versus fear, especially if your students are growing up in violent gang-ridden neighborhood, where there is nothing you can do that would scare them anyway. But your comment about getting back what you give makes it sound, inaccurately in my opinion, as if you have more control over the situation than I believe y...See MoreLee, I agree with you about respect versus fear, especially if your students are growing up in violent gang-ridden neighborhood, where there is nothing you can do that would scare them anyway. But your comment about getting back what you give makes it sound, inaccurately in my opinion, as if you have more control over the situation than I believe you may have in some situations. It sounds to me like you were very fortunate in where you taught and probably with the administration that you had. For example, you say you were tough but fair. I know we all would like to think we have some above-average ability with difficult kids, but if you felt you had any leverage or power at all to even be tough, I wonder where that came from. It may have been a product of the environment to some extent, and not solely from you. I think what the other poster meant by fear is student expectation that you have the power to inflict consequences of some sort. But if you have no power to remove a student from your class, because if they go to the office the admin will send them right back, or if you assign detention they will not show up, what power do you have? If they cuss you out if you speak them in a kind but firm tone about misbehavior, I am not sure what you really can do. They had so much distrust from being betrayed by so many adults for their whole lives that they seemed impervious to my kindness and respect. My students would say things like; you have to earn respect, but what they meant was, you have no right to be treated with any respect, or even any human decency, and we will treat you horribly unless or until we decide you have a right to be treated any better. This attitude gave them a sense of power. Have you heard about the new book, “The Battle for Room 314: My Year of Hope and Despair in a New York City High School,” by Ed Boland? I have not read it but from the excerpts, his experience sounds similar to mine, except that I did not resign, I was nonrenewed. My main point is, please be open to the possibility that your experiences were atypical and may not be applicable to the struggles that others may experience.(Why am I expecting you to disagree with me?)

On 3/18/16, Lee wrote: > On 3/16/16, Kurt Mu wrote: >> I feel the way I do because kids today have no respect >> and no fear for anyone and anything. >> >> I lived in New York City and obeyed my parents no matter >> what. >> >> They told me that if I didn't behave they would sent me > to >> the electric chair. > > There is a huge difference between fearing someone and > respecting them. My students don't fear me but for the > most part, they do respect me. You reap what you sow, it > doesn't matter where you live. Students react to the way > they are treated. If you treat them with respect, more > often than not, you will get respect in return. I worked > in an inner city school for two years as a sub. I didn't > have many problems. I had a reputation for being tough but > fair and the kids respected that. They also knew that they > could come to me with a problem and I would do my best to > help them or direct them to someone who could. > > Attitude goes both ways.

Mar 19, 2016

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Lee Pixie,

You are right, there are a lot of factors here. I can only speak of my own experiences. For the most part, the administrators did back me up and one of the reasons that they did so was because I didn't make a habit of tossing kids out of the room. Teachers who did so habitually, didn't get as much back up.

I had kids who we...See MorePixie,

You are right, there are a lot of factors here. I can only speak of my own experiences. For the most part, the administrators did back me up and one of the reasons that they did so was because I didn't make a habit of tossing kids out of the room. Teachers who did so habitually, didn't get as much back up.

I had kids who were big on respect as long as it was directed towards them, they forgot about it being a two way street and I reminded them of that. I didn't yell, I spoke to them. It makes a difference. I never threatened something unless I could back it up. Kids talk, the students I had knew how I was when they walked in the door.

I am finally working full time now and the administrators are pretty good. This is not an inner city school but it is not without problems. No school is, the problems are just different.

My Mom taught in the Bronx a long time ago and it was a hot mess then. My cousin just retired and his wife is a guidance counselor, also in the Bronx. I really feel that many of the problems are from administration whose hands are ties by the bureaucracy that is running education in this country instead of listening to those in the trenches (the teachers) but what else is new?

On 3/19/16, pixie wrote: > Lee, > I agree with you about respect versus fear, especially if > your students are growing up in violent gang-ridden > neighborhood, where there is nothing you can do that would > scare them anyway. But your comment about getting back what > you give makes it sound, inaccurately in my opinion, as if > you have more control over the situation than I believe you > may have in some situations. It sounds to me like you were > very fortunate in where you taught and probably with the > administration that you had. For example, you say you were > tough but fair. I know we all would like to think we have > some above-average ability with difficult kids, but if you > felt you had any leverage or power at all to even be tough, I > wonder where that came from. It may have been a product of > the environment to some extent, and not solely from you. I > think what the other poster meant by fear is student > expectation that you have the power to inflict consequences > of some sort. But if you have no power to remove a student > from your class, because if they go to the office the admin > will send them right back, or if you assign detention they > will not show up, what power do you have? If they cuss you > out if you speak them in a kind but firm tone about > misbehavior, I am not sure what you really can do. They had > so much distrust from being betrayed by so many adults for > their whole lives that they seemed impervious to my kindness > and respect. My students would say things like; you have to > earn respect, but what they meant was, you have no right to > be treated with any respect, or even any human decency, and > we will treat you horribly unless or until we decide you have > a right to be treated any better. This attitude gave them a > sense of power. Have you heard about the new book, “The > Battle for Room 314: My Year of Hope and Despair in a New > York City High School,” by Ed Boland? I have not read it but > from the excerpts, his experience sounds similar to mine, > except that I did not resign, I was nonrenewed. My main point > is, please be open to the possibility that your experiences > were atypical and may not be applicable to the struggles that > others may experience.(Why am I expecting you to disagree > with me?) > >

Mar 19, 2016

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Our overseas ambassadors

by Lynne S.

Mar 17, 2016

Our kids have a supreme sense of entitlement.

When they represent us they reflect very very poorly on our nation; I know, I've been in 65 countries and seen them in action.

A number of years ago a U.S. Student was kind enough to spray graffiti in Singapore. He was cained.

Yesterday a college kid from Virginia was sentence...See More

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Kurt Mu On 3/17/16, Lynne S. wrote: > Our kids have a supreme sense of entitlement. > > When they represent us they reflect very very poorly on > our nation; I know, I've been in 65 countries and seen > them in action. > > A number of years ago a U.S. Student was kind enough > to spray graffiti in Singapore. He was cained. > >...See More

Mar 17, 2016

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Kim Jong On 3/17/16, Lynne S. wrote: > Our kids have a supreme sense of entitlement. > > When they represent us they reflect very very poorly on > our nation; I know, I've been in 65 countries and seen > them in action. > > A number of years ago a U.S. Student was kind enough > to spray graffiti in Singapore. He was cained. > >...See More

Mar 17, 2016

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Glimmer

by Kurt Mu

Mar 14, 2016

TV ad for teachers says what a wonderful thing it is when you see the glimmer in the eye of students when they learn something new.

Are we talking about classrooms on Mars?

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Lee On 3/14/16, Addendum wrote: > On 3/14/16, Kurt Mu wrote: >> TV ad for teachers says what a wonderful thing it is when >> you see the glimmer in the eye of students when they >> learn something new. >> >> Are we talking about classrooms on Mars? > > I see the glimmer in their eyes when they've gotten away > ...See More

Mar 16, 2016

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mrsd Thank you, Lee.

On 3/16/16, Lee wrote: > On 3/14/16, Addendum wrote: >> On 3/14/16, Kurt Mu wrote: >>> TV ad for teachers says what a wonderful thing it is when >>> you see the glimmer in the eye of students when they >>> learn something new. >>> >>> Are we talking about classrooms on M...See More

Mar 17, 2016

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Jaded

by mrsd

Mar 12, 2016

It's sad to see how many substitute teachers are so jaded. Yes, our jobs can be difficult. But so many posts that I read are so negative about this job. I don't understand why people take on substituting when they seem to hate it so much.

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mrsd Venting is one thing. On another site, this guy is SO negative and seems proud of how he gets away with not working hard or with "getting" the students. I can't voice my frustrations there, so came here. You are right. I am a retired teacher who only subs in my own building. I retired at the end of last year, so know 2/3 of the students. ...See More

Mar 14, 2016

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Lee I used to post here quite a bit and look in once in a while. I subbed for 20 years and now have a teaching job. One of the reasons that I stopped posting here was because of the negativity.

I subbed almost every day and loved it. Most of the time I was subbing in my home district but for a couple of years I subbed in an inner city school ...See More

Mar 15, 2016

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Wise guys

by R.U. Kidding

Mar 11, 2016

When I take attendance, more often than not some wise guy, usually a boy, says someone is absent right after that persons clearly says that he or she is present.

Guess whom I mark absent?

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mrsd Love PowerSchool seating charts. The pictures are with the names already. And they are easy to move around (before I retired) and make new seating charts. It is so much easier, if you don't know the students, to be able to have the name and picture on a seating chart. Saved my rear end at the beginning of each school year when I was a teacher and n...See More

Mar 15, 2016

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Lee I leave a seating chart with the students' pictures and names for subs and they are ALWAYS up to date. I tell the sub to mark the students absent if they aren't in the right seat. She or he should just go by the chart and not bother calling names or asking the students anything. They know the rules.

When I used to sub in another school, I...See More

Mar 15, 2016

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