A wee vent: Apparently teachers here don't believe in sub plans

[MM27]

We are required to have 5 days of emergency plans in our classrooms which are very generic because we don't really know when/if they will need to be used. If I know I'm going to be out, I make plans that align with what I'm currently teaching. The only ones in my school that get away with no plans are the specials teachers. We've complained about it, with no results. If they are absent, they watch a movie or do a word search that the secretary finds and copies. Talk about wasting time.

 

[Tiggeroo]

This is unusual. The previous school I worked for all teachers were required to have a folder and it was checked at least twice a year and kept in the main office. In it were attendance, any special needs, school map, fire drill plans, safety drill instructions and cards and several days of lessons. At the school I am in now it is not checked up on and many teachers don't leave anything. It's a tough inner city school and perhaps they think there are more important things and that the kids won't do it anyway. But even at a good school I keep an emergency stash. If it bothers you and you don't have any reason to work at only this school, switch. Here in the US such things are unusual. The problem is more from administration then teachers.

 

[Ember]

Wow! I'm very surprised to hear that most schools don't leave work for you. I work an hour north of Sydney and pretty much every teacher at my school would leave work for their casual teacher, expecially if they knew in advance (ie going to a course, or having a planning day at school) The form we leave for the casuals also tells them about any special needs in the classroom, and the duty they are required to do. The assistant principal actually praised our staff as even if we call in sick in the morning, most teachers would email their grade partner who would then pass on the work to the casual teacher, and she said we aren't actually expected to do that. Do you find that grade partners are helpful? I know that I always help other casual teachers out that are next door to me, and they should at the very least have a copy of the program that you could have a look at.
Sounds like you are doing a great job though and grammar lessons are a great idea!

I guess I always like to leave work for my casual, as I know I would want the same if I was in their position. Hope you are enjoying Austalia though, hope you didn't move here to experience our summer....has been a very cool summer (which I love, as I am not a fan of the heat!)

I've worked at somewhere around 12 different schools so far, and not one has left plans. Admittedly, it's early in the school year, but I've talked to other casual teachers who have been working for much longer than I have, and they all say not having plans is the norm. As I said, as an educator it really bothers me. While I do my best to make the time effective learning time, it's unnecessarily stressful and the disruption and loss of continuity for the students upsets me.

Grade (or stage) partners are usually helpful for telling me when duties are, but that about it. In one school, I sought help managing a particular behaviour but the only advice was, "send him to the office." It just seems like the time is a write off, where if they learn something, great. If not... Oh well. You mention you aren't actually expected to email plans (but because you're awesome you do!), perhaps that's the issue? It really isn't an expectation?

I am enjoying Australia, though. As to the poor summer, having come from Canada, it's been very hot from my point of view! In the same way people here struggle with the idea of -30, the idea of days on end above 30 is unbelievable. There have been days here I thought my skin was bubbling!

 

[ORMom2Four]

Both of our teens told us that most subs just put in a movie for them to watch. They would watch things like Disney movies and current movie rentals!

 

[Ember]

Both of our teens told us that most subs just put in a movie for them to watch. They would watch things like Disney movies and current movie rentals!

It's been recommended that I do this. I just can't, though. I'm paid as a professional educator and I can't, in good conscience, deliberately waste learning time. In some of the tougher schools where classroom management is problematic I have been known to have an earned reward where the last 15 minutes is a short movie (Pixar shorts are great for this!), but not a whole day.