Do You Mind?

This was testing week, and as teachers can tell you, during testing week, the rules change.

I should start out by saying this story isn’t so much about subbing as it is about teaching. This past week was testing week around here, and during testing week, something has to give. The team of sixth grade teachers I worked with this week took their students outside to the school’s basketball courts after lunch.

As a substitute, when there is a plan for the group of teachers I’m working with, I stick with it, and really, sitting outside watching kids run around and release all the energy they build up during testing is one of the easier parts of the job. Teachers trained for secondary school

We were outside for about an hour, and as we coming back in, the intercom buzzer went off.

“Excuse me, Mrs. McNair, can I have Colin Cartwright for check-out?” said the voice over the intercom. The secretaries rarely know there is a substitute; she thought I was actually Mrs. McNair.

“Ok. He’s on his way,” I answered. It didn’t really matter whether I was actually Mrs. McNair or not: this response usually ended the conversation anyway.  The students knew this too because afterwards, the din of noise that had subsided in response to the buzzer started back. The lady behind the voice had other ideas, though.

“Um, do you mind telling me where you were?” I heard over the kids. “We couldn’t find you!”

I heard her perfectly, but because it caught me off guard, all I could say was, “Excuse me?!”

“Oh, nevermind,” was all I heard. I just looked down and shrugged. The kids apparently bought my act and decided to tell me what she said, exactly how she said it.

Judging from their tone in mimicking her, I was correct in my interpretation of her tone.

I can understand the frustration of having to communicate like that and not being able to find who you’re trying to communicate with. What I don’t understand is the tone behind these kinds of requests. It isn’t the first time I have heard a snippy accusation from the otherwise polite secretaries in the main office.  

So, are teachers supposed to spend all day in their window-less classroom with 30+ adolescents who have been forced to sit still for hours? Are they supposed to file a flight-plan for the day in case they need to be found? And, if this woman’s tone of voice was meant to appease an impatient and irritated parent, should it have been automatically accusatory?

I ask because I don’t know. I’m always glad to see parents involved in their children’s education, but sometimes parents come into a situation with hostility, fighting the teacher instead of working with the teacher. I saw a news story recently in which a local news channel asked parents whether they would believe their child or their child’s teacher first.

Most of the parents responding said they’d always believe their child over the teacher. Now, there are bad apples in every bunch, and the bad apples in teaching should not be trusted. But, always?  

How am I ever supposed to do this job?

Tell me what you think,

Kelli

God bless America, My home sweet home

I was subbing in a seventh grade social studies class. The students were to label all 8 continents of the world and oceans on a blank map of the world. A student walked up to all frustrated because she didn't know any of the continents. I thought it would be easy to start with the continent she lives in, North America. I pointed to North America, told her this is the continent she lives on and it has part of our country's name.

"America?"

"There's a word missing in front. The continent is what direction of this continent (pointing to South America)?"

"North."

"Ok. Now write North America."

"I don't know how to spell America."

Silence.

"You're an American, and you don't know how to spell America?"

The student didn't reply. She patiently stood there waiting for me to spell America for her. After all the continents were labeled, she needed help with the oceans.

"What is the capitol of Georgia?"

"I don't know." (Do I need to remind you, the reader, I live in Georgia?)

"The capitol is Atlanta. What ocean touches the coast of Georgia?"

"I don't know."

"The Atlantic Ocean. Remember the capitol of Georgia is ATLANTa, and the ocean touching the coast of Georgia is the ATLANTic."

"How do you spell Atlantic?"

Finally the student had her map filled out with correct spellings and everything was labeled correctly. Later in the same week I was subbing in a sixth grade class at a different middle school. After first bus load was called, then parent pick-up and walkers, there was only one student remaining in the classroom. He was picking up trash off the floor and straightening desks. He told me he recently moved from Florida and was new to the school. I asked him, "Do you know how to spell America?"

"No, I really couldn't spell America for you."

"Are you taught how to spell America in class?"

"Not really. The teachers have notes on the board and we write down the words but we don't know how to spell the words."

"Ok. Thanks, I was curious."

I won't say every student can't spell America, I only met two. However, why can't two Americans spell America? This is the country they live in, and they don't know how to spell it. I don't know anything about the new curriculum for elementary and middle grades, because I studied secondary education, but I want to know are students not being taught the capitols of the states and how to spell countries? If yes, when?

On a side note, education starts at home. Parents needs to teach their children basic knowledge so when the child goes to school the teacher will be able to expand on their knowledge.

~Jonnie

The Ant and the Plague of Locusts

Today I subbed in a seventh grade Language Arts classroom. The teacher intentionally left simple lesson plans because of standardized testing, so each class read two versions of the old fable, “The Ant and the Grasshopper.”

If, by some chance, you’ve never heard the story, here’s a brief synopsis:

The grasshopper plays all summer, and the ant works hard putting away food. When winter comes along, the grasshopper has no food, but the ant has a lot of food. The grasshopper asks the ant for food, but the ant tells the grasshopper he would’ve had food if he’d worked all summer and refuses to share.

Now, we all know, or at least I hope we all know, that the wayward grasshopper learns he should work to put away for bad times instead of wasting ALL of his time playing.

I learned today that today’s seventh graders don’t see it that way. Their reactions at the end of the story:

“Oh my gosh! The ant is so selfish and greedy!”

Huh?

I didn’t even know what to say to that. The moral of the story “In good times, prepare for when the bad times come,” was written plainly under the main text of the story. Being the conscientious substitute teacher that I try to be, I asked them how they expected to “play” if they didn’t work.

Their response:

“If you get really good at playing, you can get paid for it!”

Uh-huh.

I told them once you get paid to play a sport, it becomes your job and you have to work hard to be good enough to get paid. Then I asked them what the world would be like if everyone was like the grasshopper.

Their response:

“Oh my gosh, that would be so cool!”

I asked them what was more important in life; play or work?

Their response:

“Play, because in order for a kid to be happy they have to play and have fun.”

I told them we were talking about a happy life, not a happy childhood. That’s when they stopped listening. When I collected the discussion questions, the sentiments were definitely in the grasshopper’s favor; the ant was “rude,” “mean,” and “maybe right still really selfish.”

Well, I guess in ten years none of them will be trying to take my job. 

I worry about them, though. Why have they only just read this story in seventh grade? And why do they think the grasshopper deserves anything? What are we teaching them? Play all you want because someone will feed you? 

It’s not all of them, though. No, I wanted to hug the young man who wrote, “I think the ant was right to teach the grasshopper a lesson. If the world was full of people like the grasshopper, there would be no future.”

But for all our sake, I hope he’s wrong.

Kelli

A Lesson in Gravity-ROFL

Today I subbed in an eighth grade math class. They were doing review work in their workbooks. Nothing too exciting.

At this particular school there is a study hall type of class surrounding lunch, and the class I subbed for just happened to be the last class in the entire school to eat lunch. So, during the study hall class, there was a lot of waiting to do.

About half-way through I hear a really loud THUD from the back of the room. I turn around to look and there is a young man lying face down on the floor, everyone around him laughing and making that obnoxious "OOOOH!" sound.

When he looked up I asked him what had happened. He quietly explained that he had tried to do a push-up and clap his hands behind his back at the same time.

...............
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Our future, folks,
Kelli

P.S. To his credit, he seemed like a halfway decent kid. I worry about his science grades though.

A Lesson in Pay Scale

I once spent four days-not consecutive-with the same seventh grade students. The students became accustomed to me and I grew fond of most of them. When I was subbing for their social studies teacher, a student asked me if I got paid to be a substitute teacher. I said yes. The next questions was how much. I thought this was an excellent opportunity to demonstrate to the students how education plays a role in a person's salary. I told the class I get paid X amount for one day. They were blown away. They started talking about how much candy they could buy with my one day salary. I went on to explain I get paid based on my education and teacher certificate. I told the class if I only had a high school diploma I would only be paid X amount per day. I'm not sure how many heard my explanation of the substitute pay scale based on education. I think most were dreaming about how much candy they could buy from the Dollar Tree.

Seize every teachable moment, you never know who it will affect and how it will shape their life.

~Jonnie

Name Badge

In the county I sub in the students are required to wear a picture ID at all times. This allows me to quickly glance at the ID, read the student's name and call him/her by name if their behavior is not appropriate. Once, when I called a student by name he stopped his bad behavior and sat there trying to figure out how I knew his name. At least he stopped his bad behavior.

I have a name badge for one of the high schools. It has my first initial, full last name, my picture, the word substitute and under substitute, certified teacher is written. I do not know why the county did not make a substitute badge for all the subs at the four hour long training session. It takes less than three minutes to take a picture and print the badge. I have seen the gentleman at the high school do it twice. The county issued badge would have the county name, the person's picture, name, the word substitute and if they are certified that would be printed on the badge as well. I personally think a county badge would be better for everyone because when I'm at a school and I'm forced to wear a bright neon colored sticker with the word, "substitute" on it, I feel I lose my credentials as an authority figure. When I'm at those schools I always introduce myself to the students as a certified teacher who will be their sub for the day. Once the students know I am familiar with the operations of a classroom they know I am not playing around when it comes to classroom management and enforcing school rules.

To every county who employs substitute teachers, think twice about the substitute sticker or badge. If the person worked hard enough to earn their teacher certification, please credit that person and stamp the words, "certified teacher" on his/her name badge. It will make a difference in the classroom. Thank you.

~Jonnie

Lost in Sub Land

In Why Sub? I explained that I started subbing because everyone said it would get my foot in the door for a teaching job, and in Just a Sub Part 3  I explained that being a certified teacher-substitute buys you the privilege of being put into difficult situations.

Sometimes I wonder if these difficult situations are sabotaging my chances of getting a full-time job.

In each of these situations, I was given the responsibilities of a teacher. I was supposed to be the teacher in the students’ eyes, but I had none of the resources or knowledge of the school available to teachers. The kids know this and they take advantage of it to the fullest extent.

The first time, when I long-term subbed as a Health teacher (yeah I don’t know how that happened), I started a new grading period with a new group of kids who did not know the other teacher. I had a teacher’s laptop with full grading and punishing capabilities, and I could’ve gone on with the kids never knowing that Health wasn’t my area of expertise or that my job was temporary.

Buuut.....thanks to No Child Left Behind, the school had to send home a letter letting all the parents and their kids know that I was, in fact, not a Health teacher. And did they give me a warning beforehand? Heck no, I found out from the kids. To top it all off, the school was kind enough to buy me a nametag with “Substitute” written across it.

The other long term subbing jobs just started out badly and got worse.

But I digress. I get put into these difficult situations that no one else wanted to tackle and try to hold it together as best I can with what little I have (usually just copy paper, the white board and the call button). Then, when the kids realize what little I have and start pushing my limits, I have little support and things get out of hand.

So what does that brand me? A bad classroom manager? Okay. I guess so. And who wants to hire somebody who can’t manage a classroom? It should be so easy, right? I mean, every other teacher does it perfectly.

But hey, I’m a really good sub right? And why get rid of a really good sub by giving her a full time job?

I have to wonder what I could do if I could actually be a teacher. Not a student teacher, not a substitute teacher. A teacher.

Maybe it would be no better. I don’t know, but I would like to try.

Love and thanks,

Kelli 

Three Days in the Sixth Grade: 9 Days, Headaches and "You have to be kidding me!"

Friday. I finally made it to Friday. The Friday before a much needed week long break from classwork and homework for the students and a break from the students for everyone else.

In the morning all the teachers stand in the hall to monitor the students as they arrive to school and ask teachers for passes to eat breakfast. The teacher located across from me was asked by a student how long spring break would last. She explained to the student they had two weekends and Monday-Friday off from school. A student who was standing near by piped in and said, "So, we get two weeks off from school" The teacher turns to the student and politely says, "No, that's not accurate. Two weekends plus Monday through Friday equals nine days. Two weeks would equal fourteen days." Either you, the reader, are laughing, or you are saying to yourself, "Really? This kid thought two weekends plus five days equaled two weeks!?"

Moving on to fifth period because I do not want to relive the rest of the day in story-form. The students with good behavior were rewarded with a fun day. The team I was subbing on never rewards the students with a fun day. The students know the other teams in the same hall have fun day, but they are never rewarded with fun day. The students don't understand fun day is a reward, a privilege. It not given to you because you are sitting in the classroom taking up space. You, the student, must complete assignments, turn in work on time, follow school and class rules, show respect to adults, and etc. I say all that because the few students, or really closer to twenty students, who do not exhibit good behavior on a regular basis were placed in the smallest classroom to do work while the students with a good behavior history were split into the two larger classrooms to enjoy a PG rated movie.

I was in the smaller classroom with the "bad students." The co-teacher was in the room with me and she was unfortunately suffering from a migraine. One student asked to go to nurse because he played basketball the night before and injured his head. The co-teacher looked at him and said, "You wait until this period to complain about a head injury that occurred almost 24 hours ago?" She filled out a nurse pass for him to get some ice for the bump on his head. As soon as he left the room, other students were complaining about headaches and body injuries and asked if they could go to the nurse. One student would not stop complaining about a headache. The co-teacher told the student she had a headache too and if she could sit there and not complain then the girl could do the same. The student's response was, "My headache is worse those yours. It hurts more." The co-teacher just looked at the girl and said, "Excuse me? How do you know your headache is worse than mine?" That was the end of that conversation.

That all took place in fourth period. Once it was time for fifth period the co-teacher had to leave for the other class she helps in. I was shuffled to one of the bigger rooms to monitor the students as they watched a movie while the teacher in that room monitored the "bad students." Before I went to the movie room, I selected a few of the students who were quiet and working during fourth period to join the other students in the movie room. Approximately ten minutes into fifth period, I noticed a girl sitting in a desk next to the wall acting suspicious. Her head was tilted down, her eyes were focused on her lap and both hands were under the desk. Red flag. I didn't see a cell phone but I knew what she was doing. I paused the movie and took all the students to the bathroom for their scheduled bathroom break.  After the bathroom break, once all the students were settled in their seats again I pressed "play" to continue the movie. I look over and the same girl had her head down, eyes focused on her lap and hands under the desk. This time I saw the glowing light of a cell phone. I exclaimed with arms in the air, "Are you kidding me?" As I walked towards her desk, "I can't believe this! Give me the phone! Come with me!" The girl without any objections handed the phone to me, got out of her seat and followed me into the hall. There was an administrator in the small classroom yelling at the students so I was able to call the teacher over and handed her the phone. I was not holding on to a phone that was not mine, and risk the chance of either the student taking it back, or another student stealing it.

Cell phone policy: If a cell phone is out in plain sight, the teacher must confiscate it whether the student was using it or not. The student must wait 5 school days before the cell phone is returned. 

This student's phone was confiscated on the Friday before spring break. She had to wait until Friday after spring break to her cell phone back. I hope that text in class was worth it.

Oh, by the way, she was one of the lucky students I had selected to leave the small room to join the other students in the movie room.

Thank you for reading Three Days in the Sixth Grade. I hope you enjoyed reading the posts.

~Jonnie

If a Picture's Worth a Thousand Words, What Can I Get for a Video?

An conglomeration and slight exaggeration of some of my more frustrating moments in substitute teaching. The best I could do with it anyway.

All in good fun,

Kelli 

Dear Mr./Ms. Almost Everyteacher,

I realize that you likely had the misfortune of beginning your teaching career without ever having been a substitute, and I’m terribly sorry you were denied the opportunity to learn what information is most helpful for me.  Of course, no one knows better than I do that you need the occasional day off, so I have put together some guidelines for how you can best help me run your class smoothly while you’ re away.

First of all, please do NOT leave me instructions to “write down the names of any students who cause trouble” so that you can deal with them tomorrow. First of all, you dealing with them tomorrow will not improve their behavior today. They will usually either continue their behavior as if I don’t exist or switch to asking me “Did you write my name dooowwwn?” and “Will you please take my name oooofffff?,” and the disruption continues.  

Of course, that’s assuming I can figure out their names at all. If I have to ask, they take the opportunity to lie and each of the other students will simultaneously do one of  three things:

1)      yell out the troublesome student’s real name,

2)      yell out  even more ridiculous lies, or

3)       laugh.

Either way, the disruption continues.

That leads me to my next point.  Please make sure you have a seating chart for each class that is at least up-to-date, legible and enforced throughout the year. You wouldn’t believe how much leverage “magically” knowing a student’s name can give you in a difficult situation.  It’s especially helpful if such a seating chart includes students’ pictures and the phonetic spellings of difficult-to-pronounce names.

Information about lunch and restroom breaks should also be clear and up-to-date, especially if you teach any grade in which I actually have to accompany your students to the cafeteria or to the restroom. I need to know when to leave the classroom, how students are expected to behave, where to sit in the cafeteria, which restrooms to visit, the route I should take in the hall, and when to return to the classroom. If any of these have changed since the last time you wrote it down, please make sure to change it accordingly.  If I try to do something the students know you no longer do, or never actually did, I lose any authority I had.

The same goes for the rules while you’re away. Please don’t expect me to make students live up to different expectations than you have for them every day. In other words, if you don’t make them sit/work/walk/eat in absolute silence, I’m not going to either. I apologize in advance.

Also, I’m a college graduate, and I can usually handle academic work in any subject up to eighth grade or so, higher grades for subjects other than math or science, but if you don’t feel comfortable with me reading your answer key, I understand. It’s good to get in the habit of making alternative plans in case you need to call me at 6:30 in the morning. It'll save you the discomfort of giving up control for the day and me from picking bird seed out of your carpet or monitoring the use of 30,000-dollar engineering equipment.

However, although I’m fine with alternative lesson plans, if you give your students any reason to think I am somehow less capable because of my job title, everyone will suffer, you included.  I will leave many more negative notes and students will get less out of the lesson, both problems you will have to deal with when you return. To avoid such problems, please replace comments like, “I don’t think the sub will be able to do this” with “The sub shouldn’t have to do this” and comments like “The sub is stupid” with silence.

Finally, Mr./Ms. Almost Everyteacher, I’m sorry  if I’ve mixed you up with Mr./Ms. Every  Otherteacher; you look so much alike. 

Sincerely,

Kelli

Three Days in the Sixth Grade: "Oh, connections."

I have now reached day two in my three day adventure in the sixth grade story. The team I was subbing on has a co-teacher. She helps with third and fourth period. During a break between classes all of four us were standing in the hallway having a conversation. The co-teacher turns to me and asked what subject am I certified in. I tell I am certified in Family and Consumer Sciences. Her response, "Oh, connections."

Oh, connections?


For those who do not know what Family and Consumer Science is all about let me tell you. First, it is a subject taught in schools by a certified teacher who earned a 4-year college degree. Second, it is a class focused on teaching students about life lessons such as proper nutrition, correct cooking techniques, healthy relationships, growth and development of children, financial responsibility and career readiness. Third, the club, FCCLA (Family, Career, Community Leaders of America) teaches young people how to be socially responsible, career focused, and be a volunteer/leader in the community.

FACS might be listed on a school page as a "connections" class, but its value is no less nor greater than that of a math, science, language arts or social studies class. All classes are important for a child's education.

~Jonnie

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Just a Sub Part 3

This occurred during the fourth of those four experiences I mentioned in Just a Sub Part 2. It takes place in a middle school where I had never worked before.

It began with a misunderstanding, I assume. I was asked over the phone if I’d be interested in a long term sub position filling in for the Spanish teacher. I was certified in Spanish, so I figured it would be something different and some experience under my belt.  I agreed to come in that Thursday to “observe” and “see if it might work out.”

 I figured the Spanish teacher was about to go on maternity leave or have some kind of major planned surgery and would show me around a little to begin with.  It was a luxury I had never had before.

Or it would’ve been.  When I got there Thursday, the substitute coordinator and assistant principal both sat me down, separately, and gingerly explained, “Our Spanish teacher has been out on medical leave for four  [or five, in one version] months, and  there have been strings of different substitutes since then. We just haven’t been able to find anyone certified in Spanish.”

Wait.

 1 ) Now I remember where I’ve heard this school’s name before. I applied for a job as a Spanish teacher here at the beginning of the year!

2) If the teacher’s been gone that long, who will I be observing?

Oooh shoot, not again….

“So do you think this is something you'd be interested in?”

“Definitely.“ 

I have plenty of stories about this one and plenty of lessons learned, and they will be told later.

They did send another substitute  to the classroom with me to show me where the books for each class were. No one was really able to tell me how far the kids had gotten; I was given notes from a few different substitutes that all said different things. I decided to start the beginning classes off with basic introductions because it didn’t look like they had really had any instruction in anything else. For the advanced class, I would give them a pre-test of sorts to guage what they knew.

So that’s where I started. To avoid disciplines problems that resulted from the lack of routine, I set up materials before each class and established the routine of doing warm-up activities each day. I assigned work and took it up. It worked great for a little while.

But what you have to understand is that with these types of situations, you never know how long they will last. You’re repeatedly asked to stay “one more week,” and because of this, you’re not given a computer. It’s just not worth it.

This means that, except for the teacher next door, you are cut off from the rest of the school unless you can find them in the hall between classes. You can’t record discipline infractions like other teachers, communicate with parents or other faculty via email or record grades. Eventually the kids realize this and any authority you might’ve had is compromised; they realize you’re just a sub.

And the worst part is that everyone forgets you don't have that power. When you find someone in the halls to ask for help, they ask you to email the question later, until you remind them you can’t do that.  Then they forget again.

But when the parents complain, they pay attention.

The Friday before what would turn out to be my last week there, the administrator who had met me upon my arrival came to the classroom. After the kids left, she asked, in a hushed, stern voice, “Do we have any grades for this class? Parents have been calling in asking for grades. There are no grades online, and the grading period's about to end. They’re threatening to call the superintendent.”

And how exactly am I supposed to fix that?

“I have been taking up work and keeping it to be graded. I haven’t known from week-to-week whether I was staying, so I didn’t know if I should grade anything. I can grade the work if you need me to, but I don’t have any way of recording grades: no grade book or computer to put grades online. I’m just a sub. It’s hard place to be in.”

(Emphasis added)

Substitutes like us live in a gray area. It’s a dark gray that’s easy to get lost in. Going into this experience, I knew a little more how to navigate it than I did going into the first one, but from this experience I learned even more. If there’s a next time, it will be better.

For the kids’ sakes, I worked through lunch and stayed after work to grade the assignments I had taken up. Having no other way to record them, and with my computer access still pending, I took sheets of paper from my notebook and copied the rosters of all six classes by hand. I recorded the grades there and handed by back the work. The day before I left, they set up the old desktop in the back of the room so that I could put grades online.

And yeah, I left. The original teacher didn’t come back. They hired someone else, a native Spanish speaker.  I interviewed for the job and they kept telling me how impressed they were with me, until the parents started threatening to call the superintendent.

If there’s a next time, grading will be on my list of things to bring up.

Thanks y’all,

Kelli

Three Days in the Sixth Grade: Osmosis and Rrrrrrrrr

On Monday I told the story about pushing the black button for an administrator to help me with third period. Now I will tell you about fourth period on the same day to show there is still a chance for good moments to occur in your day as a sub.

The students were instructed to read a story from the their Literature book. This one girl became bored with the story and laid the open book on top of her face. I walked over to her and said with a smile, "You can't perform osmosis that way. You'll have to read the book."

Her and the students near her gave me blank stares. She asked, "What is osmosis?"

"Osmosis, the ability to absorb a substance. Your cells perform osmosis. It's a scientific term."

More blank stares.

"You'll learn about it in science class when you get older. Rent the movie Osmosis Jones." 

Shortly after my academia joke fell flat, a student walked up to me to share a saying about awkwardness. How appropriate. I politely listened, but honestly I did not fully understand what she was saying. At the end of the short awkward statement she tells me can't say the "R" sound and even though she's never been to Boston, she sounds like a Boston native. I told her I have difficulty pronouncing the "R" sound and I went through eight years of speech therapy when I was younger. Her mouth dropped open and she said, "Wow, I've never met anyone with the similar speech issue as me." She gave me a high-five, though I have a feeling she would have given me a hug if a desk wasn't between us. She was all smiles when she turned around and walked back to her seat. 

An example of a rewarding moment as a sub. Though, many people view me as "just a sub" I made a connection with a child who will never forget that moment. When you have a speech impediment and you meet someone else who has one, you will never forget that person. I met with the former Dean of Georgia Southern to discuss a topic of interest to both of us . During the meeting I learned he grew up with a stutter. In class, he would silently pray the teacher wouldn't call on him to read aloud, or he would read ahead so he would be prepared in case he was called on. I made a connection with the Dean that day and I will never forget him, a man who overcame his stutter to become the Dean of Students at an university.

Three Days in the Sixth Grade to be continued.

~Jonnie

Substitute's Pet

I just thought I'd add a little warm-spirited, cheesy- but- true, anecdote to off-set the last one.

Last school year, a sixth grade boy we’ll call  Joseph drew me a picture of a dragon. I didn’t expect that; it was one of the first times a student ever gave me anything nicely. I kept the picture in a notebook where I keep my substitute teaching materials.

A couple of weeks ago, I had Joseph in class again one Friday. He is now a seventh grader and a self-professed teacher’s pet. I told him I kept his drawing of the dragon. He was surprised I kept it.  I was surprised he remembered drawing it.

The very next Friday, I was back in Joseph’s homeroom class. At the end of the day when he came back for bus call he was holding a paper airplane in the shape of a red cardinal, color and all.

Sorry about the bad picture quality.

He said he made it in his free time in one of his other classes and it took him fourteen pieces of scrap paper. It really did fly until the second time he threw it and it got a little bent.

Joseph had no way of knowing this, but my aunt who passed away this past October loved those birds.  They always make me think of her.

He may be a teacher’s pet, but I’d take a room full of Jospeh’s any day.

Just a little fluffiness, Kelli

Just a Sub Part 2

All names have been changed.

I mentioned in “Why Sub?” that all new substitutes in my county are required to be certified teachers, and I should clarify that substitutes who have been working since before that rule was created were “granfathered in” and still work as substitutes.

That being said, being certified does mean you are qualified to sub long-term when the need arises, and of course, this really just gives you the privilege of being put into incredibly difficult situations.

This has happened to me four times now, each one with varying degrees of insanity. Among these, the easiest was filling a vacancy for a high school English teacher who had suddenly resigned and moved out of state; they were a great group of kids, and it was my favorite subject.  And hey, it was a job opening that I was qualified for!

But nothing’s that easy. No, it just can’t be.

To begin with, I walked in, and they explained the situation. The teacher had left. They didn’t know what the plans were yet. So on and so on....I was excited. I was ready to get started.

I asked the head of the department what I should do. Her Instructions? “They need to read The Iliad.”

Okay then. It was slightly short notice, but it was nothing I couldn’t handle. I was determined to prove that, and I think I did.

 I created a mini-unit based on the excerpts from The Iliad in the textbook and taught it, assigned work and took it up. The majority of the kids seemed engaged, except for three girls in one class who were still bitter about their teacher leaving. They started to ask if I was staying permanently. They always do in those long-term sub situations. I never have an answer until the last minute.

In the meantime, I was sure to let the administrators know I was interested in the job. I spoke to the assistant principal who had taken it upon himself to help me, asked the head of the department what the plans were because I was interested and gave my resume to the principal.

I got the same answer each time: “We don’t know what we’re going to do, but we’ll let you know.”

Riiiiigghhhht. The day before my last day, they let me know. They let me know they had hired someone who had interviewed with them for a job earlier. Translation: They knew all along who they wanted to take the job.

I wish I could say I was surprised, but it wasn’t the first time and wouldn’t be the last. You roll with the punches.

What really stung was how that administrator chose to tell the kids. He came to each class the last day I was there and gave a little speech:

“As you all know, Mrs. Carter has left us. She had family obligations in Alabama, and as much as we hate to see her go, we definitely wish her the best.

Now, we have been blessed to have a sub here who has done a wonderful job, but the other administrators and I feel we owe it to you to find a teacher…’

Where do those kids get it from, huh? Just a Sub Part 1

Thanks again, Kelli

Three Days in the Sixth Grade: Black Button

I accepted a sub assignment for three days in the sixth grade at a middle school I swore I would never sub at again. I lied to myself. The only reason I accepted the sub assignment because it was guaranteed pay for three days, three days before spring break. I doubted the odds of getting a call for that Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at an other school would happen. So, I snatched the job before anyone else could log into the system and take it from me. A job is better than no job. Right?

I arrived early, because I'm a very punctual person. If you've seen the movie "Drumline" I relate to the band director who believes, "If you're on time, you're late." I get to the classroom and the door is locked. A nice teacher called for a custodian to open the door for me. I walked to the big desk in the center of the room closest to the white board, though most boards are now grey-more on that later, maybe. I find a note from a sub sitting on top of two weeks worth of attendance sheets. Already I've gotten a clue to what the day will hold for me. Students who have to endure weeks a sub, or subs, struggle with new authority in the classroom. Humans are creatures of habits. Even though some adults like to joke about teenagers and preteens not being humans, they are and they need structure and routine just like everyone else.

I meet the two team teachers and I'm told the teacher I'm subbing for has been ill for several weeks. A lady had been subbing consistently for the class but took the three days I was there for off because her son was getting married. The joke was I was the sub for the sub. First period was planning, second period went fine but third period was out of control. I tried some teacher techniques like turning off the lights to get the students' attention, clapping my hands, saying, "all eyes on me." Nothing worked. I stood there with my arms crossed looking at the chaos in front of me. I knew if I did not get their attention and establish I was the authority in the room then the next two days would be a nightmare. I walked over to the black button next to the light switch and buzzed the front office. The front office clerk asked what my emergency was over the intercom, and I told her I needed an administrator because the whole class was acting crazy. Within five seconds of the conversation between the intercom and me, the entire class had their Literature book open on their desk and you could hear a pin drop.

I had gotten their attention.

Once the administrator arrived I explained the situation to him and I told him I did not want the students to try and take advantage if me for the next three days. He understood and told the class I was the authority figure in the classroom and they needed to follow my instructions.

I will like for you, the reader, to know that was the first time I have ever pushed the black button for an administrator. During my practicum and student teaching experience I never came close to having to push the black button. However, I am learning sometimes as a sub you need to call for outside help to establish who has the authority in the classroom.

Three Days in the Sixth Grade to be continued.

~Jonnie

My First 911 Call

This isn’t a “Just a Sub” story, but there are many aspects to subbing. I want to make sure they’re all represented here.

Shortly after the incident described below occurred, I was subbing in a local high school. It was in a computer science class so my day was mostly incredibly boring ­­­. When there’s a computer screen in front of them, they focus on nothing else. (Add headphones and you’ll never know they’re there.)

So to mix up my day a little bit, I went to stand by the door to greet students as they came in.

The usual crowd of students formed in the hall. During this particular class change two circles of students formed next to each other. Before they finished their conversation, the tardy bell rang.

Panic ensued. Two students, a boy and a girl, had been standing very close together with their backs to each other, participating in the conversations of the two separate circles. At the sound of the bell, they both spun around and started running in opposite directions at exactly the same time.

For a second, it was something out of a cartoon. There was a loud thud and then they were both on the floor. The boy had caught himself and was apologizing profusely. The girl… 

The girl hadn’t caught herself.  She was on the floor, not moving. The boy’s face registered this about the same time as mine did. I glanced at the teacher across the hall. He started for the emergency call button. I started toward the girl on the floor. I cleared the remaining students away.

She was breathing but she wouldn’t respond. The few students lingering in the hall didn’t know her name.  A moment later the nurse came around the corner speaking into a wireless phone. She pointed me back to the computer class and mouthed “Thank you. I got it.”

I went back to the computer lab. They hadn’t even noticed I was gone.

I peeked out the door a few times during that class. Once I saw two paramedics helping the girl sit up slowly, the nurse standing nearby with a wheelchair. The next time, the hall was empty.

Thankfully, I was told later she was okay.

So in light of the stories Jonnie and I will undoubtedly post later, don’t get the wrong idea about subbing. It isn’t all bad.  Sometimes you can go home feeling like you did some good, even you aren’t quite sure what it was.

Happy Easter, Kelli 1 Peter 1:3-4

Just a Sub Part 1

In keeping with Jonnie's story, here is a similar one. 

You learn quickly that when the teacher next door comes over to apologize in advance for the students you’ll have that day, it’s going to be a long day.

That’s what happened my first day of subbing.

“Stop talking!" I said to the first period class in my best teacher voice. "Your teacher specifically said he wants you to do this silently.”

Fifteen faces looked at me with blank stares before turning around and continuing their conversations. The other twenty never even noticed I had spoken.

“On your yellow sheet of paper you are going to make a chart with the information in your notebook.”

Immediately following these instructions were  at least three hands in the air accompanied by chorus of “What do we do with the yellow paper?!”

This combined with attempting to switch seats, jumping up to slap the clocks in the hall, crawling around under the desks, jumping over chairs like hurdles, smearing crumbs and juice all over the floor, hitting each other, poking each other in the eyes and throwing paper airplanes every time my back was turned—And really, Kid? You’re going to break your pencil, throw It at somebody and then ask me for another one? -- made for a very long first day. They were sixth graders, by the way.

Yep, first day. I didn’t know the school. I didn’t know the kids. I didn’t know the teachers. And even though I had been through various student teaching experiences, I didn't know this job.

By the end of the day, the stress must’ve shown, because the kids got worse. If some animals can smell fear, kids can smell fatigue. The exception was one young lady who was one of the most outspoken students in the class.  She attempted something the others probably never thought of: an apology.

Except, it came out like this: “I’m sorry we’ve been so bad. It’s just…it’s Friday, and you’re a sub.”

Oh right, that explains it all. Thanks.

But sadly, it does explain it all. Each time I walk into a classroom for the first time, I am met with this same attitude. I have learned how to deal with it better over time, but it's always there. This series of posts that I will call “Just a Sub” will tell those stories.

Where do this young lady and her peers get it from? I know I had only met her that morning.

Stayed tuned. I have a theory. 

Thank you, Kelli 

Not Your Typical Sub

In the county I sub, a person only needs a high school diploma or GED to work as a substitute teacher. During the four hour long sub training session, the trainer informed us substitute teachers are classified as educators (Georgia Professional Commission Standards, 2b). A person with a Bachelor's degree and teacher certificate is paid more by the day, offered more sub assignments and is more likely to be offered a long-term sub position. Yet, a person with only a high school diploma is classified as an educator just like a person who went to college and earned a teacher certificate.

One morning I got a call to sub all day in a math class at a high school. The teacher's instructions clearly stated the students were not allowed to leave the room for any reason. If a student had to use the bathroom, the student must present their bathroom pass to me. During second block a student asked me if she could use the restroom. I asked her for her bathroom pass. Her response was, "You're a sub. You're supposed to be easy, let students do whatever and use the bathroom without a pass." I looked at her, after a moment's pause I said, "I'm not your typical sub."

This student didn't know and understand what I went through to get where I am today. I am the first traditional college student in my family. I am the first female to earn a college degree. After my high school graduation, I moved to college in a town four hours away from home without a vehicle. I worked a minimum wage job throughout college to pay for food, gas, textbooks, and etc. I took classes year round and graduated one semester early with honors. I paid over $200 to take the GACE exam and passed the first time.

I am not your typical sub.

~Jonnie

Why Sub?

Jonnie explained why we felt the need to write these stories, so I will continue by explaining why I, at least, have found myself subbing. All names have been changed. 

I had been subbing for nearly a year and a half before I realized that the answer to this question wasn’t obvious to everyone. This isn’t the most exciting substitute story I have to tell, but I think it’s where I need to start this blog.

I was subbing at one of my regular middle schools, and the subject inevitably came up at the teachers’ lunch table:

“So have you finished with your degree?” Why does everybody keep asking me that? 

“Yeah, I graduated in 2010. I’m working on my master’s.”

“So are you certified?”   I nodded.

“In what?”

“English. My degree’s in English. And I have a Spanish minor so I went ahead and got my certification in that too.” At the time I had not been certified in any of the special education areas. As usual, this answer was met with murmurs of approval.

“You know, Cathy’s sub said she was certified too. You know, I heard they were going to start requiring four-year degrees for subs!” This took me off guard. Of course they do. Where have you been?

“Yeah, any new subs coming into the system have to be certified teachers.” She couldn’t believe that. I nodded and shrugged in agreement with her, but I didn’t know exactly where she was coming from. Then she unintentionally cut deep. 

“That’s crazy! Why would they do that? It’s not like you work your butt off in college for four years to become a sub!” 

Um, what? You're right. Why did I even bother with those silly four years if I just wanted to be a sub?

More and more subs are becoming subs out of necessity. Fewer and fewer are college students and retirees wanting a little extra money and a flexible schedule. When I graduated, teaching jobs were in short supply. Heck, some counties even had hiring freezes on substitutes. 

I had to do something. For a few months, I tutored, babysat, fed my neighbors’ dogs, and at about the time I got tired of doing jobs meant for thirteen-year-olds, the school district where I lived started hiring subs again. Everyone told me that subbing would be a great way to get my foot in the door, so I jumped in with optimism and enthusiasm. 

Has it worked? Well, let’s just say I have a lot more stories to tell. One of them will be "Why I Still Sub," when I answer that for myself. 

Love and thanks, Kelli

Why Blog?

Hello. Thank you for visiting our blog site. Kelli and I met in high school on the school's swim team. After high school graduation,we attended separate colleges and became certified teachers. However, we are currently working as substitute teachers until we can claim a classroom as our own. After a few weeks of ranting to each other in Facebook messages about what happened that day in the classroom we decided to start a blog to share with everyone. Our original plan was to write a book and send it to a publisher, however, creating a free blog was an easier first step in the write direction. Enjoy reading our posts, leave comments and share our site with friends.

With love, Jonnie