Teachers: Ever been a long term sub?

[paintnolish]

I am graduating with a teaching degree in December and have been given a lead on a long term sub position. Anyone done one? Do they give you lesson plans or just a general outline of what they want covered (specific novels, papers, etc.)? What is they pay like? Is it sub pay per day or a prorated salary? Any adivce good be great! Thanks!

 

[MushyMushy]

I am graduating with a teaching degree in December and have been given a lead on a long term sub position. Anyone done one? Do they give you lesson plans or just a general outline of what they want covered (specific novels, papers, etc.)? What is they pay like? Is it sub pay per day or a prorated salary? Any adivce good be great! Thanks!

Congratulations!

Every school and every situation is different. Some long term positions will pay the same rate as a first-year teacher plus benefits. Some just pay the daily rate (ours is $85 a day) with no benefits. It also depends on the teacher whose position you're filling. When I did a long-term position, the teacher left behind detailed plans, plus an outline of what I needed to go over in case I wanted to write my own plans. I did a little of both. I think she was an exception in how organized she was.

Will you have the opportunity to spend any time in the school where this position came up? To be honest, and in speaking with a lot of other subs I've heard the same thing, there are some schools where the staff treats the subs like one of their own. Other schools, the staff treats them like dirt. The school where I did my long-term position was the worst experience of my working life and made me completely rethink my career choice. I recommend doing your homework. If I'd just asked around about this particular school, I could have found out that I wasn't alone in my experience and saved myself a lot of heartache. Please don't think I'm telling you this to be discouraging -- I just think it's best to ask around and find out what kind of environment you'll be walking into.

Good luck!

 

[kirstenb1]

I'm not a teacher, but have a BA in History, and have done many long-term sub assignments. Our school system has a 2-tier pay system for subs. For an assignment less than 20 continuous days, they pay $65 per day. Typically the teacher sends in lesson plans. For longer-term assignments, you do your own lesson plans, receive a laptop, and the pay is $120 per day.

I've only subbed at the elementary/pre-school level, but it's a lot of fun and hard work!!

 

[MushyMushy]

I also wanted to add about pay -- personally, I don't think I'd ever take on a long term position again just making the daily rate, but that's just me. I was doing all the work of a permanent teacher at a greatly reduced pay rate. Plus, I often lost my prep periods because I would get called in to cover for absent teachers. I would go three weeks at a time without a prep period, so everything I would typically do during a prep (calling parents, grading, working on lesson plans, cleaning up the room) was done on my own time.

 

[DawnM]

My guess is that you will be fully responsible for lessons and teaching just as if you were hired as the actual teacher. Now, if you are subbing for a teacher (maternity leave, etc...) she may leave some guidelines or idea of what she expects you to cover while she is out. I don't know what your particular situation is like.

I have long term subbed during my off-track time (year round school) before but it was for unfilled positions and I was expected to do everything.

It is a great way to get known in the schools!

Dawn

 

[Cindy B]

First good luck on finding something. It is a difficult and lengthy process. In my state, many full time tenured teachers were cut, so for these long term assignments--maternity and the like-- the districts are hiring these formerly tenured teachers so they don't have to train as much.

I did one long term sub assignment. I was paid a daily sub rate, had to do lesson plans, and was given computer access (login ID /email) and a computer code for accessing the building. Like Mushy said, the district can make or break you. I had a lovely district that treated me like I was one of them. I found out later that all of the teachers (unprompted by anyone) went to the principal and superintendent and asked them both to hire me full time. I didn't mind the lower rate because the district and people were so decent. The district was also about 15 minutes from my house.

As for my position, the teacher I replaced moved to another grade so the teacher was still in the building. I was able to ask a question or two, but I was basically "winging" it.

As for a permanent teaching position, don't give up. It took me 22 months (yes you read that right), over 200 resumes and 17 interviews to find a full time teaching position. I graduated December of 2008 and just started my full time teaching position this week. I have a resume of urban/suburban experience, great transcript, good recommendations.. but the teaching cutbacks really hurt the recent graduates. Don't be put off by urban teaching, I love it! The urban districts really need people-- I'm lucky, I'm in a pretty decent area, full parking lot, security. To me kids are kids everywhere my current students have issues that my own children don't have but that's okay with me. Another plus with urban districts is after five years of service, a large amount of your school loans will be paid off. (up to 21,000)

 

[woodkins]

If you are filling in for someone who is out on a maternity leave or sick leave here it is called a leave replacement and you make the actual teacher pay based upon your degree and steps (# of credits beyond your degree). If it is a full year you often get benefits as well. I would not do a long term leave replacement at the normal substitute teacher per diem pay. You are doing all of the lesson planning, teaching, grading etc, where as a daily sub just implements the lesson plan that has been left for them.

 

[Ceila]

I was a long-term sub for a school ibrarian going on maternity leave - 3 1/2 months. Since it was a planned leave, I was able to come in for 2 days before she went out to shadow her and go over her plans for the remainder of the year. She left me with her plan for the remainder of the year and some specific lesson plans, especially for projects that involved other teachers. I was able to create my own day-to-day lessons for much of the time I was there, though, which was a great learning experience for me.

 

[paintnolish]

Thanks for the advice so far. Excuse my initial typos or any further you might see- I have a huge lag between when I type something and when it actually appears on my screen! Annoying!
Anyway, it is a maternity leave. I still have to be interviewed. It is a somewhat rural school about 30 minutes from me. I know the job market is tough, so I think I'd sell my soul for 10 weeks at any school!
I am calling the principal now!

 

[Pixiedust34]

I've had two long term sub positions. Issues such as salary probably vary greatly depending upon individual school systems. I also think that the teacher you're subbing for can vary in how much she wants to remain involved with your day to day activities.

One teacher had me 100% take over eveything involved with teaching. I did the planning, grades, parent meetings, etc. I would give her occasional updates, but she wasn't too involved with anything while I covered her classes. I followed the school district's lesson plans, but extra materials (the "just for fun" stuff or the additional learning boosters) were things I had to provide. I had total control of the gradebook.

The other teacher kept a pretty active role with the classroom even though she wasn't there. She called frequently to see how I was doing, we traded off the gradebook so she could contact parents about grades, and although I did the planning myself (following the school district's standard lesson plans) she would provide additional material for me to use.