Who else is a Substitute Teacher?

[lovetoscrap]

I thought it might be nice to have a thread for us Subs to gather and get support and ideas and share our unique experiences!

I am returning to subbing after about 14 years. I absolutely love it. I usually only do Elementary Schools but took the plunge and have also signed up for the Middle School. I am up there a lot anyway because of my PTA stuff so I know the teachers and administrators so I feel comfortable. I am not really sure how that will go.

I am not looking for a full time teaching position, and really only want to work a few days a week. I have 3 elementary schools and the Middle School on my list of places I will work.

So anyone else spend their morning looking for the Sub Folder???

 

[dopeysgirl01]

Hi! I subbed at my kids' elementary school last year and I'm subbing again this year. I taught for years before having my kids. I like the flexiblity of subbing. When I work I go in with my kids and leave with them at the end of their day. I'll only do their school for now since I'm their ride. I also like the variety of something new each time.

 

[mickaholic4077]

Well,be prepared for being woefully unprepared by the teacher. More often than not,the teacher doesn't tell you nearly the info you need to run the class. And I also can't tell you how many times when the teacher actually knew they would be out that they didn't even leave a class roster for me to use!

 

[MushyMushy]

I am, but I haven't been to work in a while. I'm going to try to get back sometime this month hopefully for 2-3 days a week.

I really don't like it. I love teaching and having my own classroom, but I hate just feeling like a babysitter. My favorite classes to sub for are special ed classes because the teachers always leave plans!

Unfortunately, the schools here are notoriously bad for not hiring their subs. So until anything opens up in my subject matter, I'm going to try to find something else for now.

 

[Pikester]

I'm a substitute at my DS8 school, K-4. The only thing is, I'm not a teacher. To sub in my district you only need finger prints and a background check. I love the hours because they are the same as the kids and when they have a snow day or vacation I don't have to worry about finding a sitter. I'm actually subbing tomorrow for the Guidance teacher.

 

[BuffettFan]

I am a sub too !!
I prefer to work in the middle schools, though I do sometimes work in the elementary schools. I like the energy of working with young teens! And I like having a different group of kids every 50 minutes! In the elementary grades you have the same students all day, so when you have a rough bunch....its a rough day !! In middle school you teach the same lesson multiple times, and the students arent with you long enough to really give you a hard time.

 

[flying_babyb]

Im a preschool sub. I like one teacher who awalys leaves me a list (usally two pages) of to do's and to knows. The other two just dump there class on me. I hate being a sub. I work 20 hours a week and am expected to live on it. I do like the fact Im never in one place too often, which is great when the kids are crabby (our center had kids from 6 weeks to 6 years).

 

[lovetoscrap]

Bummed. I was called this morning to sub at DD's school which I would have loved! But I am not feeling well and just couldn't do it. I really would have liked to have worked today.

 

[hentob]

I have been subbing for many, many years.

I love it. It has been a wonderful job for me as a mom. I say no when I can't go in and get a nice pick of classes when I am able to work.

The best part of my job is I get to take my children to work with me and take them home at the end of the day

I have met so many wonderful, lifelong friends that I love very much since I began substituting. Many of them are retiring this year They have included me in so much and I will never forget how they have made me feel welcome throughout the years.

I am moving to another state in the near future. I hope to make new friends through subbing once I move. It has been the perfect job for me

 

[Disney87]

delete

 

[lovetoscrap]

Lots of tips! What grades will you teach?

I think the biggest advice I can give is to be prepared to fly by the seat of your pants when there are no lesson plans or not enough work is left by the teacher.

I have had it all. A class with absolutely NO lesson plans left whatsoever.

A class where the teacher left very detailed plans of all worksheets she wanted the kids to do, but NO worksheets! (3 of us tore her room apart and never found them!)

The class I had on Tuesday had plans but we were done with all the morning stuff and 1/2 the afternoon by midmorning. I had to improvise for 2 hours to keep them busy.

( helpful tip-most textbooks have "practice" pages in the back-- you can always have them do some extra math or Language practice from that)


2nd: Ask questions of the other teachers. Particularly about the daily routines. If you have a teacher that leaves a sub folder that explains all the general rountines , bless her! But I am finding that very rare. Starting from the minute they enter the class you need to know about lunch money, lunch count, attendance, nurse passes, bathroom rules, discipline methods, lunch routine, recess, after school etc.. There is so much and while you will have some kids that are great helpers, you will have others that will try to pull one over on you at every turn!

3rd: USE the discipline system in the classroom. The best piece of advice I got during my first year subbing from an experienced teacher is that they don't tend to call back subs that they kids say were "nice". If the kids think you were mean then that means they didn't get away with anything and you kept order and control in the classroom. I am not saying you need to be a wicked witch, but don't get lulled into thinking they are so cute and precious that you don't want any of them to get into trouble. If the teacher comes back and sees that "Sally"--who ALWAYS has her card on orange by the end of the day didn't turn her card once, then they will assume you had no control over the class and the kids just ran over you.


I like to bring in my own stickers as rewards (don't bring candy--too many food issues) and use lots of praise. I always start out the morning by introducing myself and reminding the kids that I will be letting the teacher know how our day went and the names of any great helpers and the names of those that had problems. I also tell them that since I am NOT their teacher I may do things differently than she does. Sometimes I will ask them how their teacher does it, and other times we will just do it my way. Elementary kids particularly love their routine but it is just not always possible to keep things exactly the same.


Have fun! I really enjoy subbing. I like the fact that I can turn down a job if I have other plans. I enjoy meeting the kids and getting to teach. But I also enjoy being able to just go home and not worry about it--unlike when I was full time teacher.

 

[hentob]

If the kids think you were mean then that means they didn't get away with anything and you kept order and control in the classroom. .

If the students think that I am a mean person, I have failed.


I never, ever want a child to think I am mean. A professional never needs to come off as a mean person to gain respect and control of a classroom.


Your other advice was GREAT!

 

[wdwgirl03]

I am but I'm still looking for a full-time job. I finished student teaching in Jan. of 2008 and have subbed ever since. I am soooo ready to get my own classroom. Every time I sub I get jealous of all the teachers who have their own class.

 

[MushyMushy]

I'm about to start subbing! I'm actually pretty nervous about it. Any tips?

The district where I sub requires us to have emergency lesson plans. Now I usually stick to middle school and/or high school, so I'm with different classes all day long. I bought a book called The Questions Book and it has a lot of different "What would you do" type of scenarios. WHen I'm in a class with no plans, I pull that little book out and start asking random questions. I'm sure you could just find questions on the internet as well.

 

[mickaholic4077]

The district where I sub requires us to have emergency lesson plans. Now I usually stick to middle school and/or high school, so I'm with different classes all day long. I bought a book called The Questions Book and it has a lot of different "What would you do" type of scenarios. WHen I'm in a class with no plans, I pull that little book out and start asking random questions. I'm sure you could just find questions on the internet as well.

Great idea!!


What I do sometimes with 4th through 6th grade is I'll put a phrase on the board and tell them to make as many words as they can from all the letters in that phrase.(I do Walt Disney World a lot!! )

 

[PollyannaMom]

Hi! I'm a sub, too.

I feel like it's the perfect job for me right now - part time, flexibile, and I love the kids. Plus, one of my schools is DS's, and I really like being involved there.

I'm supposedly Pre-K to 8th, but actually did a half-day at the high school a couple of weeks ago and survived. I like something different about each grade, but I think my favorites are probably 2nd and 3rd.

 

[Cindy B]

I subbed for 6 years and I loved it! I did everything from PreK to high school. My home district had 19 schools and I also signed up at four other districts--some in different counties just for a change of pace.

I actually really enjoyed the middle and high school classes. Now that I have a full time job (regrettably not teaching ) I am not subbing anymore but I do miss the flexibility.

 

[lovetoscrap]

If the students think that I am a mean person, I have failed.


I never, ever want a child to think I am mean. A professional never needs to come off as a mean person to gain respect and control of a classroom.


Your other advice was GREAT!

Elementary age children don't have a lot of adjectives to describe things. As I said, I don't use the word "mean" to be the wicked witch. But to be in control, not not be taken advantage of by the kids, to make them behave and to make them do their work and follow the rules. If you do that then very often the kids will think you are "mean".


I see it with my own kids. The tell me the substitute they had was really "nice", and with further questioning I find out they had extra recess, she let them play games in the class, she gave them the answers to the assigned work, passed out candy and no one got in trouble. For my middle schooler the nice sub is the one that gives them the assignment and then lets them do whatevery they want the rest of class time -- talk, play, draw, wander etc... That is NOT an effective sub.

The subs they say are "mean" are the ones that didn't let them wander around, made them work quietly, made them turn their card if they were talking, and kept the class in control. DD13 keeps complaining that the sub they have had the last week is "mean"--when I ask her what she does that is mean all she can tell me is that it is because she won't let them talk, she makes them sit in their assigned seats and they have to do their work the entire class. Gee, that is so mean-- a teacher making them work!

I had a boy "turn his card" in the class I was in the other day after repeated warnings. By his reaction I was pretty sure he hadn't had to do that very often. I am very sure he told his mom that I was "mean". But he also behaved the rest of the day. Had I been "nice" he would have continued to disrupt the class the rest of the day, not completed his work and distracted those around him. Now I am also pretty sure the girl that was having a bad that I gave several hugs to, and took to the counselor when she needed will say that I was nice.

I give to the class what they give to me. If they behave and do their work and don't act like having a sub means party time then we have a great day, maybe some extra free time or some other type of reward. Those that are full of themselves and want to "play games" and think it is just a free for all since the teacher is gone will get me "mean"--they will put their heads on the desk, they will have the discipline system fully and strictly enforced, they may lose privileges and sometimes they will be sent to the principal.

Even in the young grades, kids see a sub and start thinking of all the ways to cause trouble and get away with things. I have seen it start in Kindergarten! All the sudden they need to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes, even after it was bathroom break time. They all need to line up to sharpen their pencils as soon as work is assigned--when they know pencils had to be sharpened before school. They decide to pull toys out of their desks to play with during work time. It seems like little stuff, but it is these little things that add up to major distractions and that their regular teacher would never tolerate and they know it. They just want to see how far they can push the line. . .

 

[Pikester]

Elementary age children don't have a lot of adjectives to describe things. As I said, I don't use the word "mean" to be the wicked witch. But to be in control, not not be taken advantage of by the kids, to make them behave and to make them do their work and follow the rules. If you do that then very often the kids will think you are "mean".


I see it with my own kids. The tell me the substitute they had was really "nice", and with further questioning I find out they had extra recess, she let them play games in the class, she gave them the answers to the assigned work, passed out candy and no one got in trouble. For my middle schooler the nice sub is the one that gives them the assignment and then lets them do whatevery they want the rest of class time -- talk, play, draw, wander etc... That is NOT an effective sub.

The subs they say are "mean" are the ones that didn't let them wander around, made them work quietly, made them turn their card if they were talking, and kept the class in control. DD13 keeps complaining that the sub they have had the last week is "mean"--when I ask her what she does that is mean all she can tell me is that it is because she won't let them talk, she makes them sit in their assigned seats and they have to do their work the entire class. Gee, that is so mean-- a teacher making them work!

I had a boy "turn his card" in the class I was in the other day after repeated warnings. By his reaction I was pretty sure he hadn't had to do that very often. I am very sure he told his mom that I was "mean". But he also behaved the rest of the day. Had I been "nice" he would have continued to disrupt the class the rest of the day, not completed his work and distracted those around him. Now I am also pretty sure the girl that was having a bad that I gave several hugs to, and took to the counselor when she needed will say that I was nice.

I give to the class what they give to me. If they behave and do their work and don't act like having a sub means party time then we have a great day, maybe some extra free time or some other type of reward. Those that are full of themselves and want to "play games" and think it is just a free for all since the teacher is gone will get me "mean"--they will put their heads on the desk, they will have the discipline system fully and strictly enforced, they may lose privileges and sometimes they will be sent to the principal.

Even in the young grades, kids see a sub and start thinking of all the ways to cause trouble and get away with things. I have seen it start in Kindergarten! All the sudden they need to go to the bathroom every 10 minutes, even after it was bathroom break time. They all need to line up to sharpen their pencils as soon as work is assigned--when they know pencils had to be sharpened before school. They decide to pull toys out of their desks to play with during work time. It seems like little stuff, but it is these little things that add up to major distractions and that their regular teacher would never tolerate and they know it. They just want to see how far they can push the line. . .

I subbed today and had a few try these things on me. No way! Yesterday I subbed(for Guidance 4th grade) and had two classes put thier heads down because they were being disrespectful (Not all but sometimes a few can ruin it for the bunch). Our school has 3 big rules: Saftey, Respect, Learning. Anything that they do should fall under those 3 headings. When they are talking they are not being Respectful and that interferes not only with their Learning but their friends Learning. It's also not Safe to be talking when the teacher is because I need to hear if an announcement is made over the speaker system if there is an emergency.

 

[flying_babyb]

I was told im mean today cause I made a child wash her hands!