As an “emergency credentialed” substitute, I’m not allowed to work more than a total of 30 school days for any single teacher in any single school year.
The phrase “long term”, as it applies to substitute teaching, is defined by the district I work for as anything longer than 15 consecutive school days for the same teacher. So technically, I am allowed to substitute for a regular teacher for a month and a half before they legally have to replace me.
After completing this weeks four day assignment in 5th grade, I can categorically say that my personal definition of “long enough term” is anything more than two days.
This class had a clique of six (four boys and two girls) who absolutely drove me nuts from day one. I’m not sure if we even completed half of what was on the lesson plans. It was pretty much a waste of four school days for the other 28 “good kids” in my estimation.
I’m not looking forward to the 6-day assignment I agreed to take at the end of this month and another 4-day assignment the first week of June. All I can hope for is those assignments at different schools might have a better result.
3 comments:
It's tough being a sub. You don't have the leverage you'd have if you were a long-term teacher, and when they give you long assignments like that, especially with a rough group, it can be even tougher.
I don't know if I could do what you do.
I've said many times that when I subbed it was harder in a lot of ways than teaching full-time. I don't envy you. Hang tough.
When you get a group like that you have to make an example out of them. Write out a dean's referral and show it to them. Ask them if they want you to finish it and explain their behavior to the dean. Make sure you write down what they do on the referral even if it's a day later. This will make it easier for the dean to deal with them firmly. Normally just the referral hanging on the wall with their name on it is enough to tame the beasts while you are there.
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