Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Substitute DRAMA!!
Last week I was feeling a little ill and so I went to the doctor to find out I had strep throat. I haven't had strep throat since middle school and I had forgotten how annoying and painful it was. My doctor required that I take at least 2 days off from work and that I could go back on the 3rd day if I refrained from talking. So obviously, I took 3 unexpected days off in a row which definitely threw me and my students for a loop. Thankfully, my emergency lesson plans were extremely helpful. Finding a substitute at the last minute can be stressful but I was able to get one... ahh relief... NOT! Little did I know that the substitute would be old as the hills and very grumpy. The assignments I left were interactive activities that I knew the students wouldn't mind doing. From the stories I heard the substitute was miserable even walking and grunted and moaned with each step. She wouldn't allow anyone to use the restroom, she didn't take any roll or turn in attendance sheets and wrote 25% of my students up. She left me sub notes that included, "Student with black shirt farted several times and stank up the classroom." Really.... Like I knew which student was wearing a black shirt, not to mention a not about a student farting. The students even video taped her sleeping and snoring for 7 minutes. Is this real life? I was in complete shock. My students were very upset with me when I returned but at least now I think the appreciate me a little more. I've kept them calm and under control this week by threatening them with that substitute again. LOL! I really do have a great group of students give or take a few that I enjoy teaching. I bet I missed them almost as much as they missed me.
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3 comments:
Isn’t it amazing how you form a bond with some of your classes like that? Your students know you are the expert in your field and when someone else comes in they see the differences. Most of these kids are smart enough to know when you are subject proficient and when someone else isn’t. Unfortunately, you may not have the ability to exclude this sub in the future but if you can I bet your students would appreciate it. The best teacher in the class during your absence was your emergency lesson plan.
I'm sorry, but your post made me laugh. I know it is not funny, but I felt like I was in the middle of a sit-com when I was reading it. Over time you may be able to develop a relationship with a good sub who you can call or recommend when you are ill. Unfortunately, throughout my 20+ years in the field, I have heard similar sub stories. I know your students were so glad you were back!
I wonder why so many substitute teachers fall asleep on the job. My students have said the same thing when I returned to school. It's a shame that substitute teachers have everything they need and they still don't do what they are instructed to do. Not only does it make them look bad, but it makes me look bad because my students will think that I didn't care about them to leave any meaningful activities for them. I would be excited to be a substitute because a lot of substitutes want to be full time teachers. With their lack of concern to attention to detail, a career in teaching might not be the best thing for them.
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