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Just started subbing this week

by Anna

Feb 7, 2015

Hi all. I've just started subbing this week. I double-majored in education at university but pursued a different area. I have taught in private schools, in a co-op school, and very successfully homeschooled, but had not had direct experience teaching in public schools.

I was advised to figure out which schools to avoid in the district, but accepted all of the first jobs that came up - and then at one school where I subbed, one of the teachers talked with me a bit and asked me to take over her class for the rest of the week and I agreed.

I don't know what things are like in other places, but these are schools with very troubling situations. My first assignment was an 8th grade math class whose lesson plan was just to cut out shapes (squares, circles, triangles) and tell a few facts about each shape (number of sides, etc). They threw objects at the regular teacher and told her to walk away when she finally objected - and she did. There was no hope for me as a sub to c...See MoreHi all. I've just started subbing this week. I double-majored in education at university but pursued a different area. I have taught in private schools, in a co-op school, and very successfully homeschooled, but had not had direct experience teaching in public schools.

I was advised to figure out which schools to avoid in the district, but accepted all of the first jobs that came up - and then at one school where I subbed, one of the teachers talked with me a bit and asked me to take over her class for the rest of the week and I agreed.

I don't know what things are like in other places, but these are schools with very troubling situations. My first assignment was an 8th grade math class whose lesson plan was just to cut out shapes (squares, circles, triangles) and tell a few facts about each shape (number of sides, etc). They threw objects at the regular teacher and told her to walk away when she finally objected - and she did. There was no hope for me as a sub to control them. I tried to keep everyone from getting hurt and in the room. (One left.)

The next school was first graders - not too bad. Out of order and the teacher left almost nothing for plans, but I got through the day. Another teacher there asked me to take her class, and I agreed.

There were kids in there (I was warned) with serious issues. She said to expect they might throw furniture. A couple did. I had them throw computers to the floor, and start trying to fight. We were told never to touch the kids, but if I didn't keep them apart, someone would have been hurt. They tried to attack me as well - I was punched and had to restrain two boys on several occasions and call the office. The class erupted into chaos. While restraining one boy, he tried to break my little finger. These kids know what they are doing. And first grade I thought would be easy, but one girl was larger than me (!) and one boy was a few inches shorter but weighed around 150 lb. I spoke with the assistant principal on the suggestion of a few behavior people assigned to the school, and he said it was just a tough school and I did the right thing.

I feel as though there were bright spots. One kid had oppositional defiant disorder but was bright - I was able to get him to stay on-task and do all his work with nothing more than a few moans and kicking at his desk. But there were kids with serious problems in the class, those who needed medication but weren't taking it, and I think one little boy was autism spectrum. The "normal" kids appear to have ADD in about 80&37; of cases, are hearing-impaired, don't speak, and so on. I think I had two children with no fairly obvious problems.

I was subbing for their best teacher, I think, and so she was given the worst kids. She was very structured, normally. But of course there was no way I could learn how "Mrs. B does it" in every instance, and she also left only enough lessons to fill about 1/4 of the day, and while I brought supplementary plans and materials, my file is still very limited. I did get all the work done, all the tests administered, and they ended up having somewhat structured free time playing at various things throughout the other half of the day.

I didn't expect it to be so hard. My daughter is in college, and she has an interest in psychology and education. She could hardly believe what I described, but she said I shouldn't have any problem with the "normal" schools. She went to school in a different district when I stopped homeschooling her, and she has never seen worse behavior than a little talking in class or phones pulled out when a sub came in.

I was worried when I read some recent threads here about how poorly subs are treated, and it would seem that what I did in restraining a child, having fights break out, and calling the office would be grounds for firing for some of you. But I was assured by the principal, assistant principal, other teachers, another sub, and the behavior specialists that such things happened at that school, though they varied in how they thought I should handle it. Most were fairly supportive. A few seemed surprised that I lasted 3 days at that school (I was told the first 2 subs on Mon and Tues went home in tears and wouldn't come back).

I can't say as I like the working conditions, but ... I don't know how to compare it to what I read about here.

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Octo787 Seriously... what the *beep* is wrong with America's children? Maybe adults should consider having LESS of them!

Feb 8, 2015

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Kathleen > On 2/09/15, Ze Povinho wrote: >> Back in 1997, during my time in the the 1st Dictatorship >> aka former school district, I was treated to the following >> examples of maturity, respect, and high standards of >> education: >> >> 1. Being insulted with four letter words and other phrases >> that denoted...See More > On 2/09/15, Ze Povinho wrote: >> Back in 1997, during my time in the the 1st Dictatorship >> aka former school district, I was treated to the following >> examples of maturity, respect, and high standards of >> education: >> >> 1. Being insulted with four letter words and other phrases >> that denoted performing sexual acts. >> >> 2. Being thrown all kinds of objects, from wooden erasers >> to footballs, at my head. >> >> 3. Being assaulted by students. >> >> 4. Students tagging desks (and yes, they did this with the >> regular teacher. His room was a veritable example of total >> disorganization and lack of constancy. >> >> 5. Students throwing water ballons at me when I was eating >> lunch in class or whenever the classroom door was open. >> Solution-I simply locked the door. >> >> 6. Students who would go ballistic whenever I confiscated >> cell phones or pagers (remember those back in the late >> 1990s?) or Giga Pets. >> >> 7. Students who would simply refuse to take "no" for an >> answer and then make up stories about me because I dared to >> enforce the school rules. >> >> And so on. You get the idea. >> >> At some sites, reporting this could cause you to be banned >> from sites because "it was your fault that you failed to >> engage the student." Seriously. The principal would side >> with the student. If something happened (aka student was >> caught with drugs, was disrespectful to the extreme, and so >> on) it was because it was your fault that you did not >> connect to the student. >> >> I am sorry, but I don't connect with thugs who have shown >> evidence that they are incorregible. I have seen first hand >> how these student who can do no harm lash out violently at >> their own parents, calling them the full repertoire of >> insults and how these parents are driven to crying by that >> kind of treatment. >> >> One special education aide in the Dictatorship told me that >> the admins did not pay much attention to these problems and >> that the teacher was the one really expected to handle all >> this. Another teacher who left that particular site told me >> that that principal would blame the teacher for any >> behavior problems and that he banned subs all the time >> without ever notifying them of the charges, if any. >> >> In general, the atmosphere was this way in the secondary >> levels. Middle school was not much better; in fact, some of >> my worst run ins were at the middle school level. Some were >> caught with weapons and drugs, and, according to one >> teacher, these students cared only about the present and >> never their future. >> >> Subs were at their highest danger of being written up for >> anything at the middle or high school levels, and the >> person in charge of substitute teacher "discipline" could >> very well be an excellent candidate for membership in the >> NKVD troikas or some other totalitarian apparatus. The >> discipline is nothing more than a kangaroo court meeting >> where you were read the charges AFTER you were excluded or >> a decision to fire you was already made. Your defense, no >> matter how logical and legitimate, counted for nothing. It >> is ALWAYS the substitute's fault and your word and value is >> exactly zero. The NKVD troika agent wannabe even enabled >> these kinds of aberrations: "You have to understand that >> these are disadvantaged kids and that they will test you, >> and you have to control them." "Times have changed, and you >> must expect to be challenged by the students." >> >> Yeah, enabling aberrant behavior. Let the rest of society >> fix this anyway (i.e. more remedial education in colleges, >> more overburdened juvenile and adult criminal court >> systems, more students completely unprepared to face the >> real world where no sane employer will tolerate even 1/10th >> of the behavior I have seen, and so on). It's all about >> self esteem and telling the students how great they are and >> how wonderful their effort is. Of course, it has nothing to >> do with the crude reality that they will face when an >> employer or client will tell them in no uncertain terms >> about their quality of their work. >> >> Incidentally, that district advertises vacancies for >> substitute teachers all the time. >> >> Where I am now in the new district, I have not been >> assaulted or insulted at any site, but I must always >> remember that it's like in the novel 1984. One can never, >> ever, ever let one's guard down. You are monitored all the >> time, and you have zero rights or recourse. Your word is >> zero and nobody will protect you if you are ever accused of >> any offense, real or imagined. You cannot even trust other >> subs and you have to be extremely careful regarding what >> you say and do. Again, read 1984. It's extremely important >> to understand that the concepts of fair treatment, >> democratic process, the six pillars of character, and the >> invitation to express your concerns or observations does >> not apply to the sub....unless you don't mind being >> blacklisted or fired. >> >> Ze

This is a very interesting account about substitute teaching!

Feb 9, 2015

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Anna Thanks for the replies. :)

If nothing else, I tell myself that since I was able to handle that introduction, I ought to be able to manage whatever. I initially was thinking to avoid middle school as I have had better experiences with my high schoolers and elementary classes when I taught in a private school. But even the rowdiest of my mid...See More

Feb 10, 2015

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anonymous I would not return to the school you described. It is not worth the risk. If anyone gets hurt, the sub WILL be scapegoated by both parents and the school. Also, can you afford the doctor and dental bills should you be hit with a piece of furniture?

Feb 11, 2015

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