Taking kids out of school?

[weregoingtodw]

When I work as a sub I get in earlier and go over the lesson plan. I make sure the kids do what the teacher intended them to do. That is my job. I absolutely love subbing at this school!

I'm not sure about where you live, but subs in our school district are not even required to have bachelor's degrees - the only requirement is that they must provide official transcripts verifying at least 50 semester hours from an accredited college. I'm college educated and can tell you right now that I would in no way consider myself qualified to teach elementary school, much less middle or high.

So, yes... I would be very, very upset if my daughter's education for a week or more at a time was entrusted to someone without a degree, especially if the reason was that the teacher could go 'play' on vacation somewhere.

 

[skiwee1]

And, how would you feel if your child's teacher took 10 days off of school a month into the school year?

Nobody wants to respond to this! Why?

I responded to it in my other post. I would not care if the teacher did this. It is their life. As long as they work it out with the principal or whoever then why should it matter to me?

 

[weregoingtodw]

And, how would you feel if your child's teacher took 10 days off of school a month into the school year for vacation?

Nobody wants to respond to this! Why?

I just addressed this indirectly in response to another member - I'd not be to happy, suffice to say.

 

[skiwee1]

I'm not sure about where you live, but subs in our school district are not even required to have bachelor's degrees - the only requirement is that they must provide official transcripts verifying at least 50 semester hours from an accredited college. I'm college educated and can tell you right now that I would in no way consider myself qualified to teach elementary school, much less middle or high.

So, yes... I would be very, very upset if my daughter's education for a week or more at a time was entrusted to someone without a degree, especially if the reason was that the teacher could go 'play' on vacation somewhere.

Actually in my area you can also be a sub with just 50 hours or more. To be a long term sub though you must have a degree. I too am college educated with a degree but do not want to do long term subbing. I am the only degreed sub that doesn't want long term. I prefer short term because I like to have flexibility. There is no way I'd ever sub in middle and high school. I feel for those subs. They should be paid double!

 

[disneyjunkie]

I would be livid if my son's teachers took off 20 or more days for vacation.

 

[weregoingtodw]

Actually in my area you can also be a sub with just 50 hours or more. To be a long term sub though you must have a degree.

What amount of time constitutes long-term? Am I correct to assume that this does not necessarily mean a degree in education or a related field?

 

[skiwee1]

I would be livid if my son's teachers took off 20 or more days for vacation.

Can teachers really take off like that in your area? I don't know about mine. I'll have to ask when I get in tomorrow. I highly doubt though that many teachers would take a job knowing they might like to vacation 20 days during that school year. I would imagine if it were that important to them then they might want a different line of work. As long as the sub was degreed then it wouldn't matter to me. My DD is a confident kid. Not only does she have her kindergarten teacher but also a couple more that pull her out of class to keep up with her. So having a teacher out for a couple weeks here and there wouldn't bother her.

 

[skiwee1]

What amount of time constitutes long-term? Am I correct to assume that this does not necessarily mean a degree in education or a related field?

I believe long term is considered two weeks or more if I remember correctly. I'll have to check on that. No you do not have to have a degree in the related field. You can have a Masters in computer science and still be a sub for kindergarten!

 

[weregoingtodw]

I believe long term is considered two weeks or more if I remember correctly. I'll have to check on that. No you do not have to have a degree in the related field.

Now, I'd have a big problem with this, whether the time was off for maternity leave or for vacation, or anything else. IMO, a long-term substitute should be equally qualified, no if's, and's or but's.

You can have a Masters in computer science and still be a sub for kindergarten!

Oh, that one would go over real well... I can just hear it now, "He knows nothing about child development, but gosh, he can build a great computer network! Let's put him in with the kindergarteners!"

 

[skiwee1]

Now, I'd have a big problem with this, whether the time was off for maternity leave or for vacation, or anything else. IMO, a long-term substitute should be equally qualified, no if's, and's or but's.


Oh, that one would go over real well... I can just hear it now, "He knows nothing about child development, but gosh, he can build a great computer network! Let's put him in with the kindergarteners!"

So your school only uses long term subs that are degreed in education? I thought you said your subs just had to have a minumum of 50 hours? Did you realize this before you paid a lot of money to move to that district? So if a teacher goes on maternity leave then there is a good chance the sub won't be degreed at all? I guess I'd rather have any degreed sub then no degree. Our school district is one of the most sought after in the state. We've been in it for 16 years and wouldn't consider any other. I love it here!

 

[DKx3]

Originally Posted by weregoingtodw
What amount of time constitutes long-term? Am I correct to assume that this does not necessarily mean a degree in education or a related field?


In NJ a long term sub is anything over 20 days, on the 21st day they have to put someone else in the room before the previous sub returns. We have to have 60 college credits - not necessarily in the education field. I sub in elementary and high school. I have only done long term in Language Arts in high school. I haven't read this whole post, I just came in and read page 5 - so I don't know where this post started. Teachers around here do not have many personal days, but many have lots of sick days, but couldn't be out on vacation for 20 days.

 

[ckoncurat]

For those of you who are ok with pulling your children out of school for 10 to 25 days or more, would you find it acceptable for your child's teacher to take off that same amount of time for vacation (without pay)? Or would you be upset b/c the absences would create lack of continuity and interruptions in the curriculum?

Would I be right to guess that most of you would be appalled if your child's teacher told you he/she was taking 10 to 25+ vaca. days to go to Disney, skiing, on a cruise, etc? Yet you have no problem when your kids to do it? I'm sure that everyone is thinking "well, a teacher only works 10 months out of the year (untrue - most of us have summer training), has 2 weeks off for Winter break, another 2 for Spring break, national holidays off, etc., why should she be taking 10 to 25 days for vaca. when she has the summer off." However, don't your children follow the same schedule a teacher does? Why is ok for the students and not for the teacher?

Would love insight on this ...

Don't say teaching is my job ... I know that. But your child has a job too -- to attend class regularly and get a good education!

First of all, I agree that 10+ days out of school is ridiculous, for anyone, teacher or student. But to imply that teacher and student absenses are the same thing is just silly. A teacher RUNS the classroom- without her, there is no class. Teachers, as adults, get ample vacation time and plan their year accordingly. They CHOOSE a profession in which it is very difficult to take time off. Other people choose professions in which vacations are less fixed, but in which more hours are required each day and year round. The bottom line is ADULTS plan and pay for vacations, and when my DH and I spend the big bucks to go to Disney, we are absoultely going to do it at the time of year when the crowds and cost are minimized. I value education very highly, and I would never take my daughters out of school for more than a week, but disney is a special occasion for us (every three years or so) and we take that week.

 

[ckoncurat]

And, how would you feel if your child's teacher took 10 days off of school a month into the school year for vacation?

Nobody wants to respond to this! Why?

Teachers and students are not the same. The teacher RUNS the classroom. Thats the job. A students absense will not derail the class.

However, I do think 10+ days out of school is a very bad idea.

 

[Vijoge]

would you find it acceptable for your child's teacher to take off that same amount of time for vacation (without pay)? Or would you be upset b/c the absences would create lack of continuity and interruptions in the curriculum?

Why is ok for the students and not for the teacher?

When my youngest was in grade school the Principal went to Florida for a month or six weeks every winter. I don't know if he was paid for the time or not (and I don't care). It didn't bother me that he was gone. I don't know if any of the teachers took school-year vacations or not.

 

[DKx3]

[. There is no way I'd ever sub in middle and high school. I feel for those subs. They should be paid double![/QUOTE]

As a elementary/middle and mostly high school sub - thank you! Could you call my school district?!?!?!?!?

 

[Marseeya]

I'm not sure about where you live, but subs in our school district are not even required to have bachelor's degrees - the only requirement is that they must provide official transcripts verifying at least 50 semester hours from an accredited college. I'm college educated and can tell you right now that I would in no way consider myself qualified to teach elementary school, much less middle or high.

So, yes... I would be very, very upset if my daughter's education for a week or more at a time was entrusted to someone without a degree, especially if the reason was that the teacher could go 'play' on vacation somewhere.

Where we live, substitutes have to be certified in the specialty they are subbing in. From experience with my kids, I know the subs are doing a good job and can sometimes cover the material more thoroughly than the regular teacher.

So, I'd be comfortable with the teacher taking the time off. They don't just pull subs off the street here. After I get my masters (in education ) I plan on subbing until my youngest graduates.

 

[skiwee1]

[. There is no way I'd ever sub in middle and high school. I feel for those subs. They should be paid double!

As a elementary/middle and mostly high school sub - thank you! Could you call my school district?!?!?!?!?[/QUOTE]


I'd be happy too! I doubt they'd listen though! We have a hard time getting high school subs here. They will let you sub even if you just have a GED! LOL!

 

[weregoingtodw]

So your school only uses long term subs that are degreed in education?

Correct - our district has specific teachers who 'float' just for such long-term absences.

I thought you said your subs just had to have a minumum of 50 hours?

Also correct. That's the bare minimum as required by our state. However, our district can - and does - pick the more qualified candidates for the substitute positions, because they realize how important it is for our district to continue to do well on our scores.

Did you realize this before you paid a lot of money to move to that district? So if a teacher goes on maternity leave then there is a good chance the sub won't be degreed at all?

Of course I realized that - I researched this district thoroughly. If a teacher goes on maternity leave (or is out more than twenty days for any other reason), a long-term substitute teacher is employed from the first day of the primary teacher's absence. Long-term substitutes must either hold current state certification or be eligible for such certification. I've not seen them actually have to hire outside in our particular district, however, as the district has several accredited teachers who only do substitute work. We're fortunate in that 76% of our district's teachers are pursuing or have completed graduate level work; of those, 45% have at least a master's degree. Substitute positions are highly competitive around here, and teachers are allowed to request certain subs, so a teacher can find a sub who is the best fit for her particular class.

My DD's class substitute has a bachelor's degree in education and her master's in social work, and is eligible for full-time teaching in our district if she desired. However, she's a SAHM and happy to just do the part-time gigs, so she'll only sub in our elementary school - she doesn't go to other schools in the district.

 

[weregoingtodw]

I'd be happy too! I doubt they'd listen though! We have a hard time getting high school subs here. They will let you sub even if you just have a GED! LOL!

Anyone with a GED can actually sub for an accredited teacher? Is this in a public school district? Are you serious? What about credentials for long-term subs?

 

[skiwee1]

Anyone with a GED can actually sub for an accredited teacher? Is this in a public school district? Are you serious? What about credentials for long-term subs?

At a high school I actually saw it on their sign out front last year. First it said Subs Wanted. 50 credit hours needed. A couple weeks later is said Sub Wanted High School degree required. Yet another week goes by and it says Sub Wanted GED required. They must be desperate! This is a high school in our county but not ours. This high school is notorious and apparently they have a hard time filling subs!