Treatment of Substitute Teacher

[D_Lord]

I not having that great a day. Ok, I'm a Substitute because were I'm at its almost dead man's shoes for the type of teaching my major is for. Well after putting up with some bad kiss that kept on arguing back to me, I sent them to the Office. So when I call I find out that not all of them made it there.

However here is the bad part, after I got home, I get called by the sub agency and told not to come back to the school. Then I do more research and it seems that subs can't even send any kid to the office for misbehaving because the office doesn't want to deal with it and will ask the sub agency not to have you come back rather than tell you that to your face or even give you a chance to defend yourself. I worked at the school more than once but it seems like any one complaint and it seems your out of it.

I could use a little cheering up.

[TheThan]

I not having that great a day. Ok, I'm a Substitute because were I'm at its almost dead man's shoes for the type of teaching my major is for. Well after putting up with some bad kiss that kept on arguing back to me, I sent them to the Office. So when I call I find out that not all of them made it there.

However here is the bad part, after I got home, I get called by the sub agency and told not to come back to the school. Then I do more research and it seems that subs can't even send any kid to the office for misbehaving because the office doesn't want to deal with it and will ask the sub agency not to have you come back rather than tell you that to your face or even give you a chance to defend yourself. I worked at the school more than once but it seems like any one complaint and it seems your out of it.

I could use a little cheering up.

the bright side:
You don't have to deal with those kids anymore.

I don't get why a substitute can't punish students for misbehaving. It makes perfect sense to do it. Parents put trust in the school system to look after and teach their children, shouldn't they also give them the trust to punish misbehaving students appropriately? How are kids supposed to learn when they won't sit down, shut up and study? osmosis? Seriously, sometimes teachers have to be a little mean to get the kids to digest the information their supposed to be learning.

Not being respected by the students means that they won't learn, since the teacher doesn't have any control to make them learn (that's right, sometimes you've just gotta make someone learn things). Then we'll have a whole generation of people going out into the world that are stupid. Since there's no respect (or fear in some cases); then those students are free to run amok since they won't submit to authority and those that should have it in the first place don't. Do we really want that?

Plus the faculty doesn't want to deal with them? phh that's sort of their freaking job. Whats the point in having a school system run by people that can't or don't want to deal with students. It sounds like the kids at these schools are better off being home schooled. Speaking of which you should totally find some alternative way to teach; private/charter school, home school tutor; online classes anything sounds like a better option than working for these folks. Teaching is an important occupation with responsibilities that honestly seem like few people really consider. It really frustrates me to hear stories like this.

[nooblade]

Well, cheer up.

I'm curious about how to deal with young people. I've hardly spoken to anyone younger than about 18 in maybe like 5 years? And when I have work some of the people compare me (going on 30) to their 20-ish grown-up-children.

I wonder if there is some way you could compensate for the students doing the wrong things? Maybe it's unfair to ask of you, but otherwise I think you'd be looking for some other line of work. Is it motivating to sympathize with the other students who don't cause much trouble? I spent a lot of time in school just hoping to graduate and escape and so far the outside has been much better. I really don't have much sympathy for the people who say that school should be the best time of your life. If I were more in control or powerful or unafraid or something, I wonder if I would've been something similar.

Sometimes I hear parents complain about their kids talking back. There was some kind of drug or brainwashing 5-step program advertised on the radio/TV a few years back that sounded a little frightening with their "make it stop" rhetoric. And then there are other groups inciting young people against all authority figures (and by the way, buy our t-shirt). I remember one young lady kept asking "why?" in an impossibly long chain, but she didn't seem to remember any of the answers. Anything related to young people seems a little messed up, really.

I think I've completely failed to cheer anyone.

Anyone else have a shot?

[Dire Moose]

Not really much in terms of advice, but just something to be aware of.

From my experience in high school, students treat substitute teachers as targets and toy with them mercilessly. They will do things like switch each other's names around and give out false information to the substitute, who will be none the wiser due to not having met them before.

The whole policy of "substitutes can't give out punishments?" The students are almost certainly well aware of that, and in fact are counting on it to give them a license for abuse. Again, I can't say what the solution is, but it is important to keep this in mind.

[cobaltstarfire]

Substituting is one of the harder jobs out there precisely because your hands are tied. I've heard stories of people who had worked in Juvi and such quitting because substituting is one of those jobs that will try to consume your soul if you can't gain the trust/respect of the students. At least if you're a permanent teacher you get to build a proper rapport with your classes, and you have more disciplinary tools at your disposal.

Though I was taught to never send students to the office as a teacher or a substitute because the student is unlikely to go where they are told.


I've never had any really serious problems as a substitute (though I have had some bad students), but I always took notes on class progress and conduct to leave behind for the teacher. Meaning that any trouble classes or students are going to be punished, even if it isn't directly by myself, and with any luck they will behave better for future subs. If you can't get a students name, or a decent description of them, what usually ends up happening is the entire class gets punished. Students hate that more than anything, and usually learn something from it.

Really it sounds like in general the school and the agency don't have good policies in place. Usually when a teacher leaves they warn their student in advance that if they get any poor reports there will be consequences, and that's enough to keep the students under control. One of the schools I student taught at, the vice principles for each grade level would also patrol around and pop their heads in on subs to remind students that they better behave. (that was an "inner city" type of school though)

[MrConsideration]

I'm a teacher. 90% of my ability to manage a classroom is my relationships with kids and my ability to consistently follow up misbehaviour with sanctions so that expectations are clear. Noone just 'has it' and can control a class without time spent building their rep or a supportive school.

A substitute doesn't have access to any of that. If the school didn't support you, and in fact undermined you and your position, it's them that made the mistake - would they like you to not follow through with behaviour expectations and allow people's learning to be disrupted? Were you supposed to tolerate disrespect in this instance thus undermining school-wide discipline and policies? Their approach is completely wrong-headead.

They put you in an impossible situation and they behaved unprofessionally - they wanted you to babysit those kids for legal reasons, not educate them as a professional. You have nothing to feel glum about and it doesn't reflect on your teaching.

[danzibr]

Sounds like you're in a crappy situation.

I'm a high school teacher. Math. I subbed for a year when I was getting my degree. Sometimes the students were terrific, sometimes dreadful. Almost all the schools I went to supported subs disciplining students. Being asked to not return because you sent some kids to the office? That's total bullcrap. Sounds like a terrible building. I wouldn't want to sub there (or teach for that matter).

As was said, subs have it rough. My students know if they misbehave they get punished, because I've done it. With a sub you probably don't have that background. But then again, you might. I live in a small town where pretty much all the students know pretty much all the subs. Some of the subs don't follow my instructions, and while the students love it I request to never have them again. Some subs are super strict and nobody dares act out.

Anyway. Long story short, yeah subbing can suck, especially when the building doesn't support you.

[Jak]

I have an anime for you. Great Teacher Onizuka.

It has an English dub, it's funny and uplifting, teaches good morals, and shows you how to deal with problem students. (And problem bosses, for that matter.)

Here's the opening. I'd bet good money that this anime will indeed cheer you up, and possibly give you a greater passion for teaching.

Spoiler

Show

https://youtu.be/phAoChN1nC4

[Scarlet Knight]

See if you can watch Teachers from 1984. Not a classic film, but a good cast & Richard Mulligan's role as a substitute teacher may give you a reason to press on.

[danzibr]

I have an anime for you. Great Teacher Onizuka.

It has an English dub, it's funny and uplifting, teaches good morals, and shows you how to deal with problem students. (And problem bosses, for that matter.)

Here's the opening. I'd bet good money that this anime will indeed cheer you up, and possibly give you a greater passion for teaching.

Spoiler

Show

https://youtu.be/phAoChN1nC4

Love that anime!

I wonder how they handle the tiger-horse thing in the dub...

EDIT: Found it. So much humor lost...