My bag of “Substitute Teacher
Essentials” or “Bag of Tricks (BOT)”, as some subs call it, weighs about 12lbs. I
only have to lug it once from the car to the classroom and then back again at the
end of the day.
Evidentially, the substitute call
system has a hard time finding takers for the generic unstated “Vacancy”
assignment. In this district, “vacancy” is synonymous for the word “roving sub”.
After only one month into this New Year, I’ve already had two roving
assignments with six future assignments on the books.
Roving, as opposed to aimless
wandering, is simply covering for teachers that have scheduled meetings with
school functionaries during school hours. It could be as few as four teachers to
as many as eighteen
in a single day. It’s an easy assignment but not very exciting for those who
sub in hopes of gaining experience for that hopeful full time teacher position…(of
which I’m not one)
Roving, obviously, requires a lot
of walking around the campus from classroom to classroom. That’s when carrying
that bag becomes a real burden, literally! There is also the real possibility
that I could forget
which classroom I left it in.
Now, when I have a “roving”
assignment, the BOT stays in the car. I take only my “roving substitute
essentials” which are: reading glasses, a book to read during break time, a
whistle, sun glasses and a hat. You’ll need the whistle, sunglasses and hat
because frequently the teacher you are covering for has the class outside at
recess or doing P.E.
If you are blessed with good eyesight
and hair follicle genes, you might be able to trim your list to just the remaining three
essentials.
