Substitute Teaching

[Toro]

I thought you worked in the energy industry?

 

[Unkotare]

When schools still had dress standards a parent was called in because her daughter wore clothing not appropriate for high school. The parent attacked the administrator saying, "Why do you people allow her to dress like that"?

My first year, I had a parent call me, and tell me she was going to be in trouble if her kid missed one more day of school, and would I mind stopping by on my way to school, and waking up her 14 year old daughter at her 21 year old boyfriend's apartment and tell her to get her ass to school.

Somehow, I made another 24.75 years.

This year I had a parent ask me if I would look at essays that she's making her son complete for practice practice. She makes him write an essay every single day and expects me to grade them and have them back by the next day. I honestly don't mind that much...but I just shudder to think what he goes through at home.

Some parents don't get that they can't pass the classes or get good grades for their students.

How is the story you related "getting good grades for their students"?

 

[regent]

When schools still had dress standards a parent was called in because her daughter wore clothing not appropriate for high school. The parent attacked the administrator saying, "Why do you people allow her to dress like that"?

My first year, I had a parent call me, and tell me she was going to be in trouble if her kid missed one more day of school, and would I mind stopping by on my way to school, and waking up her 14 year old daughter at her 21 year old boyfriend's apartment and tell her to get her ass to school.

Somehow, I made another 24.75 years.

This year I had a parent ask me if I would look at essays that she's making her son complete for practice practice. She makes him write an essay every single day and expects me to grade them and have them back by the next day. I honestly don't mind that much...but I just shudder to think what he goes through at home.

Some parents don't get that they can't pass the classes or get good grades for their students.

How is the story you related "getting good grades for their students"?

How is your post related to substitute teaching?

 

[Mr. H.]

I thought you worked in the energy industry?

Look at crude prices. My paycheck is half what it was six months ago. School lets out 3:30 then I head to my office to take care of business.

 

[Meriweather]

Glad I didn't take that job today. Had more work at the office than I figured. Also, had a client stop by on her annual Christmas run. Box o' chocolates, jug o' nuts, hats, calendars, planners...

Thought of another funny from the other day...

I was taking roll, reading names from the seating chart (about 20 in that class). I shouted "you'll have to speak up! I've been to a lot of rock concerts the past 40 years and my hearing ain't what it used to be!" LOL

Teaching up to 5th grade is OK. After that you have to take karate classes or pack some heat.

I have been a substitute teacher for over fifteen years. I started out with elementary school students. They were so cute and adorable. I loved them! Then I moved and my assignments were at the high school level. These students were beautiful. I loved them! Then I was talked into substituting middle school math. These kids are no longer cute, and they are not yet beautiful. Yes, "monsters" may be an apt description, but I discovred I love these little monsters most of all. Once they crawl into your heart, you just can't get them out.

 

[Meriweather]

So far, it's been a hoot. The first few months after I first started (1999) the kids chewed me up and spit me out. I'd get home at the end of the day and collapse. But after the first year they were all telling me that I was the best sub they ever had LOL.

I word of caution- and maybe this is just true for my State. I had been contributing to my IRA when I first subbed, when I got a letter from the IRS denying my tax-deductible contribution to the IRA. Turns out, the TRS (Teachers Retirement System) was deducting small amounts from my paycheck and putting it into their system which is a "Qualified Retirement Plan". So rather than me being able to contribute, say, $5,000 to my IRA for the year (pre-tax) just a 10 cent contribution to the TRS would negate that whole pre-tax IRA contribution.

I agree...you have to get past that first year, and learn to walk in as if you own the classroom, not as if you are visiting. I can pull it off because I have now been substituting since before they were born. But that first year...I was teaching middle school math when the afternoon class came in with the news, "Principal is away! Vice-Principal is away! All the counselors are away! Teacher is away! No one sit down, let's party!"

When it is thirty against one, you can't make everyone sit down, and I knew this. I thought for a moment, then ignored them all. What I could do was pull up a couple of the empty desks close to the board and begin the assignment showing my willingness to help anyone who wanted help with math. Those two seats were filled quickly, and this didn't surprise me. What did surprise me is that the rest of the students began pulling desks up close to the board, and before I knew it, all but five students were taking notes and paying close attention. They told me later, "Those five never pay attention anyway."

This taught me that even at the middle school level, if I was willing to teach, five-sixths of the class was willing to learn. Without that knowledge, I don't think I could have come to love that age group as much as I do. Yes, the remaining one-sixth can make me grumpy, but when I get too grumpy I sign up to teach high school and the beautiful students for a few days.

 

[Sherry]

Humor is the key...in my experience, whether I've taught first graders or adults, laughter connects people. Mr. H, you have always made me laugh.

 

[Mr. H.]

When schools still had dress standards a parent was called in because her daughter wore clothing not appropriate for high school. The parent attacked the administrator saying, "Why do you people allow her to dress like that"?

My first year, I had a parent call me, and tell me she was going to be in trouble if her kid missed one more day of school, and would I mind stopping by on my way to school, and waking up her 14 year old daughter at her 21 year old boyfriend's apartment and tell her to get her ass to school.

Somehow, I made another 24.75 years.

This year I had a parent ask me if I would look at essays that she's making her son complete for practice practice. She makes him write an essay every single day and expects me to grade them and have them back by the next day. I honestly don't mind that much...but I just shudder to think what he goes through at home.

Some parents don't get that they can't pass the classes or get good grades for their students.

How is the story you related "getting good grades for their students"?

How is your post related to substitute teaching?

Both of you report to the Principals office.

 

[Mr. H.]

Here's a good'n... last week I told a class that their teacher left me with two options - (a total lie of course) - either they can take a 20 question essay test or watch a movie.

I love bending young minds. And in the end it's harmless. We of course watched the movie.

 

[Toro]

Humor is the key...in my experience, whether I've taught first graders or adults, laughter connects people. Mr. H, you have always made me laugh.

He can regale them with hilarious stories from USMB.

 

[mgh80]

When schools still had dress standards a parent was called in because her daughter wore clothing not appropriate for high school. The parent attacked the administrator saying, "Why do you people allow her to dress like that"?

My first year, I had a parent call me, and tell me she was going to be in trouble if her kid missed one more day of school, and would I mind stopping by on my way to school, and waking up her 14 year old daughter at her 21 year old boyfriend's apartment and tell her to get her ass to school.

Somehow, I made another 24.75 years.

This year I had a parent ask me if I would look at essays that she's making her son complete for practice practice. She makes him write an essay every single day and expects me to grade them and have them back by the next day. I honestly don't mind that much...but I just shudder to think what he goes through at home.

Some parents don't get that they can't pass the classes or get good grades for their students.

How is the story you related "getting good grades for their students"?

The mother thinks that if she makes her son complete all of this work that he will get better grades/results. But the problem is that she's instructing him incorrectly. Practicing incorrectly doesn't lead to better work. His argumentative essays for example don't include a concession/refutation. That's something that the state is going to be looking for on his essays....but she tells him that they're not important.

What I really meant by parents who think that they can get the grades for students are the ones who call/come up to school during the 9th week (last week of the grading quarter) and want to know why they're students are failing. You tell them it's because their child refused to do their work, and as a result failed their tests/essays because they were unfamiliar with the material. Parents then ask if their student can make up their work for the entire 9 weeks for partial credit. Sometimes they beg and beg and beg. They think that if they care enough about their student's grades that teachers will play favorites (for lack of a better term) and bend the rules for their students.

My policy is they have 3 days to do makeup work (if a kid's in the hospital or something similar I'll be flexible). Other than that if it's not done-it's a zero. Period. I don't care how much your parents whine and cry and play a violin.

I don't do this because I don't feel like doing the grading/inputting grades/dealing with parents....but because it teaches the student that deadlines aren't important. It also reinforces laziness, procrastination, and a lack of consequences for the students. But parents still think that if they beg the teacher enough/work with the teacher enough that the teacher will pass their student (hence me saying parents think they can get their students grades).

 

[Mr. H.]

I was awoken from a substitute teaching dream LOL. Big classes, unruly students, papers to return with no names on them.

What woke me was my phone going off. In the daze, I thought it was a school day and they were calling me to sub.

The clock said 12:30am and the voice on the line said "dad will you come open the back door?" LOL it was the daughter getting home from night out with friends.

 

[Mr. H.]

Finally got called back in after the holiday break. They also had some snow days recently.

This time it was a few afternoon music classes. Two of them had 40 + students, the 3rd was much smaller- maybe 15.

Anyhow- what a treat to hear these kids sing! They're either rehearsing for a school musical or an intrastate competition.

I told one class "how is it that these beautiful voices can come from such a rowdy group of teenagers"?

Thank goodness they took that as a compliment.

 

[Mr. H.]

I spent Friday subbing at a rural high school in the Ag classes. Here's the view out the school's south door...

 

[Mr. H.]

Put in a couple days last week same school/classroom. The first day, they called me in at 10am but paid for a full day.
Easy $85

Up and at 'em early again... alas, no phone call. So it's off to the day job...

 

[Wry Catcher]

After watching a science movie, long forgotten, our 8th grade science teacher started to pull back the window shades, as he did so he turned and showed fear when he looked over the students. It cracked me up, and no one else seemed to see his charade.

Mr T, looked directly at me and said, "Wry, that really scared the hell out of me", a reference that we had the same sense of humor.

Too many teachers seem to have no sense of humor, or leave it at home. Learning should be fun, and Mr. T. made it so.

 

[Roadrunner]

I spent Friday subbing at a rural high school in the Ag classes. Here's the view out the school's south door...

I taught for years surrounded by fields, but couldn't see any houses.

 

[Moonglow]

I've made a couple of posts in the Coffee Shop but figured to just start a thread.

I subbed for 5-6 years before, but it's been quite a while. I recently started back up again and wish I'd done so earlier. It's like I picked up where I left off... which is a good thing. I'm comfortable and confident around the kids and that's crucial, because these little shits can smell fear. And they'll take advantage of it.

These are just fun anecdotal experiences and I'll try to post them when I can.

Today was High School French. The teacher had me show a couple of the classes the movie Tin-Tin. No other instructions. So I set it up to play in French, with English subtitles.

Afterwards, asked the classes "did you notice that a dog barking in French sounds the same as a dog barking in English"?

Farts sound the same also....

 

[Moonglow]

My sub teachers would get the Playboy fold out when they pulled down the screen, thanks to the Bart in me...

 

[Moonglow]

Glad I didn't take that job today. Had more work at the office than I figured. Also, had a client stop by on her annual Christmas run. Box o' chocolates, jug o' nuts, hats, calendars, planners...

Thought of another funny from the other day...

I was taking roll, reading names from the seating chart (about 20 in that class). I shouted "you'll have to speak up! I've been to a lot of rock concerts the past 40 years and my hearing ain't what it used to be!" LOL

Who's nutz where they?