at the school part time - i am a substitute

I have always said that I would never be a substitute. I do not envy their job whatsoever. They are in an environment where they may not know the bell schedule, constantly in different classrooms where different teachers have different expectations and working with a large diverse population that for the most part is trying to get out of doing work and take advantage of an authority figure that really has questionable at best authority.

So where does that put me? I have been a substitute the last two days and I am putting in more time tomorrow. I have an extreme advantage over most substitutes. One, I have been a teacher at LCHS. That means I know the schedule, I know a lot of the students, I know how to write a referral and who to give it to, I know the system. It is really hard to take advantage of me. It is really hard not to respect the authority of someone (no matter how young they may seem) who knows what they are doing. I am doing an excellent job of being a substitute.

First, I was a government teacher. The kids had book assignments, a tedious and boring day for me and them. But they were seniors, so I did know more than half of them and that helped me keep them on task. Plus I got to catch up with a few of them and tell a few stories. Day two, I was an earth science teacher. And you know what? I taught class. Heck, it was my powerpoint anyway (we share a lot). Patti did not even lose a day by being absent and those kids benefited by being able to ask questions and get real explanations and answers. I also filled in on a turf management class – meaning I made sure the kids didn’t do anything stupid.

Sometimes it is nice to be the sub. I only have to put up with them for one day. I can leave at 3:30 bc there is absolutely no reason for me to be there any later. I don’t have to do any grades. I am not worried about how they will do on their SOL. It’s freeing. But weird for me.

It is a long day to be back in the school. It is weird sometimes running into people. Everyone wants to know where I have been and if I am coming back. A lot of the kids think I was in Africa. I laugh and tell them that no I was in Australia and New Zealand, but not to worry, Africa is on the list. Will I be back? Yep. Which school has yet to be determined.