Teacher Thoughts: Sub Problems

Last time, I talked about what it's like to be a sick teacher.  For this post, I thought I'd delve a bit deeper into why having a substitute is so much of a problem.

One of the biggest issues in my school district is a severe lack of substitute teachers.  (I am finding out that this is not just an issue in my school district, but it is a problem in many schools in Central PA.)  We use an online system for acquiring our subs.  Openings are listed online, but subs can also be called by phone if jobs are not picked up.

There a few problems with this system:

• Sometimes the jobs do not show up for subs for various reasons
• The school district no longer hires subs directly.  They are hired by the company that runs the system.  These substitutes may not even know where my school district is or live anywhere near it.
• It's easier to not take jobs because there's no live person you feel like you are disappointing.  (When I first started teaching as a substitute, I loved the online system for this reason.  Even when calls are made, it is an automated system.  It's much easier to reject a machine than a real person calling from the school.)

We have quite a few retired teachers from our district who return to sub all of the time.  Due to restrictions, though, they are only allowed to accumulate a certain number of days/hours or it can affect their retirement.

The district has collected data, and we have actually been asked to do our best to avoid missing Fridays because we are highly likely NOT to get a substitute on a Friday.

If we don't have a substitute to cover our absences, my school has a couple of things--none of which are pleasant for anyone.

1. Cancel a special area class (i.e. art, library, music, phys ed, technology) and have that teacher cover the teacher's class for the day.  This means that any teacher whose students were scheduled for that class will not have their planning time.
2. Cancel Title 1 Reading support and have the reading specialist cover for the day (which we are technically not allowed to do).
3. Have a different teacher cover the class each period.  This works by other teachers having to give up their planning time to teach a class for a period.  I have planning time 2nd period, so when this happens, I would go during second period and teach who knows what and who knows what grade.

Of these options, #1 is the most preferred, but we shouldn't have to do this!  A teacher who is out sick shouldn't have to worry or feel bad that someone else might lose their precious planning time to cover his/her class!

IF you are fortunate enough to get a substitute any sort of things can go wrong.

I admit.  I'm a control freak.  I write detailed plans that explain what and how to do things in my classroom so that everything will run smoothly.  All a person needs to do is follow these plans.

Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen.

One of our retired substitutes has been subbing with us for awhile.  When I was teaching first grade, she refused to allow my students to work in their learning centers because she didn't like the "chaos."  A few weeks ago, I was at a professional development conference.  I was out for two days, and I got a text from a teacher on my team the second day.  The sub from Thursday had done ALL of the work I had planned for reading for Thursday AND Friday.  The worst part of it was that she assigned part of the work as homework.  Luckily, the sub for the next day was one I could trust, and we just had the students read for their reading period.

I can't tell you how many times I've come back from an absence--planned or otherwise--to a disaster.  Stuff that should have been done that wasn't.  Stuff that was done that shouldn't have been.  It's not that hard to follow a person's plans.

Subs will inevitably get things done faster than you because they don't know the students or the nuances you add into your lessons.  For my sixth graders, the simple solution is to let them read quietly.  In fact, I usually write in my plans that if they have extra time they should let the kids read!

It's not rocket science.

Teacher Thoughts: What it's Like to Be a Sick Teacher

I came across a pin on Pinterest the other day that really hits the nail on the head.  The pin linked to a blog post about teachers being sick.  Needless to say, I was inspired and decided to share my own thoughts on this matter here on Teacher Thoughts.

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First of all, to clarify for any non-teachers here, teachers are required to write lesson plans about what you will be teaching for each class each day of the week.  Some teachers write very lengthy plans and others are able to communicate what they will be teaching in a condensed manner.  (I am a condensed manner teacher).  BUT when a sub is coming to my classroom, I want to be as detailed as possible.

My first problem is that I am a control freak.  I like things to be done the way I want them done and not how a substitute teacher thinks I want them done.  So I write step-by-step plans to describe to the substitute not only what he/she should be doing but what the students will be doing, as well.

I think this should go without saying, but this takes a lot of time.

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The second issue comes up when you have a lesson (or lessons) planned that only you can teach.  I'm not saying that substitutes are not competent educators (although, some are not).  What I am saying is that there are lessons that I just can't explain to someone else.  For example, I have been attending some professional development conferences recently, and I'm learning new methods for teaching in reading and writing.  I am just trying out some of these things, and I don't have the time required to try to type up a plan explaining it to someone else when I attended a 6 hour conference to learn it myself.

Last year, my principal decided to have us all make up a folder with emergency sub plans to be kept in our mailboxes in the office.  Basically, this is for times when you need to miss work and were not planning to.  Almost every absence I have is a planned one.  My absences are almost always for professional development.  I rarely need/use sick days....mostly for the reasons I've already stated.  These plans are basically only to be used in the event that your sub can't figure out what to do, OR that you would prefer the sub follows those plans instead of trying to follow yours.

Most of the time, if I end up calling off sick and wasn't planning on it (like in October when I woke up and couldn't talk.....), I grab my phone, mentally recall my plans, and email detailed instructions to one of my fellow sixth grade teachers to print out and give to the sub.

Truthfully, this is also about leaving your "kids" in the hands of someone that you probably don't know!  I don't like not knowing what will happen in my classroom while I'm gone, but sometimes, it's just that hard to get out of bed and go.  My school has a severe substitute shortage, and you never know if you'll actually get a sub to fill your absence.

And that, my friends, will be in the next installment of Teacher Thoughts....sub problems!

Teacher Thoughts- 1st Edition

Thank you for joining me for my first official Teaching Thoughts post!

Last week, Kristin posted this article that listed things parents do that drive teachers crazy.  You should take a moment and look over the list.  I'll wait....

*waits*

Now that you're back, she and I agree that this list is completely asinine.  Most of these "problems" are not real problems, and if my problem was that someone brought me a mug on the first day of school, I would be thrilled.  Do I need another mug?  No.  But the simple act of someone welcoming you to a new school year is what really matters.

Would you like to know some things parents do that actually drive teachers crazy?  I'd be happy to share some real world problems with you, in no particular order.  (While I have mentioned some of these things in previous posts, it appears that they need to be shared again.)

1. Take their child's word for it.
Parents love their children.  They should.  But you lied to your parents, and your child probably lies to you.  Who WANTS to tell their parents that they got in trouble at school?  I am willing to bet that if you think the teacher did something unreasonable, you better check with him/her first.  We don't just give consequences to students just because we like it.  Just as you don't like to have to punish your child, neither do we.  Ask your child's teacher for the other side of the story before you get upset.

2. Complain/argue about their child's consequences.
In sixth grade, my team and I send home a 6th grade handbook (in addition to our school district's student handbook) with specific rules and consequences for sixth grade.  Parents are required to look over the information with their child, provide their contact information, and sign a sheet stating that they have seen the handbook.  A copy can be kept for their reference.  At my district, our students leave 6th grade and go to the Jr/Sr high school.  We are preparing them for more responsibility.  If they do not follow the rules, they receive a consequence.  The end.

3. Go over the teacher's head.
If there is a problem, please talk to your child's teacher.  If you are not satisfied with the outcome, then talk to the building principal.  If you are still not satisfied, then go to the Superintendent.  If you continue to remain unsatisfied, take the issue to the school board.  If I don't know that you have a problem with something, I cannot make changes to the situation.  I am human.  I will make mistakes.  I will apologize when I mess up, but I cannot do this and work to resolve the problem unless I know that there is one.  Skipping over us and going straight to our bosses makes us resentful.  I doubt you would like it if I went to your boss and complained about you without talking to you first.

4. Blame the teacher for the child's bad grade.
I don't like to see kids fail, but the reality is that sometimes they do.....even the best students!  We all have "off" days.  If I know that many students failed because I didn't teach something well, I will reteach and give the test again later.  I am doing everything I can to help your child to be successful.  I can't give them the answers to the test.

 5. Expect teachers to be infallible.  
Sometimes, I have to be firm.  Sometimes, I have to give a failing grade.  Sometimes, I have to give a consequence.  Frankly, sometimes, I have to yell.  I am certain that as parents, you are not always perfect, please don't expect me to be.  I will mess up.  I will say the wrong thing.  I may upset your child because they don't like their consequences, or they didn't like being corrected.  But it's my job.  It's my job to prepare your child for the next grade.  It's my job to provide correction when it's needed.  I wish I could be 100% perfect all the time.  Sometimes I'm sick.  Sometimes I'm tired.  Sometimes, I'm all in and completely focused.  Sometimes, I'm annoyed at the behavior of another student or class.  In all, I am a human being with emotions, and sometimes they get the best of me.

These are all things that I have experienced at one point or another in my career.  I take things very personally, and it's hard for me when my character is being attacked.  It weighs very heavy on me, and it makes it hard to stay positive.  The students rarely know that these things are taking place.  They may be mad at me for taking their recess on Monday, but by Tuesday (or even 5 minutes later on Monday), we're good again.  There are times I think parents could take a lesson from their children.

Fellow teachers, what do you think about this list?  Is there anything you would add?

Teacher Thoughts

I've got a lot to say on the subject of teaching and education.

As a teacher, I feel that I am highly qualified to discuss the subject.  I've got so many thoughts floating around in my brain and topics weighing on my heart, and I've decided to make an effort to blog more in order to share my thoughts with all of you.

With that being said, these posts will NOT be just for teachers!  If you've ever been to school, know someone who is in school, have a child in school, know someone who has a child in school, will have a child in school, etc. etc. etc. these posts will be for you, too!

I hope that you will join me as I share what's on my mind regarding teaching and education in today's society.  I'm going to call my little segment "Teacher Thoughts."

As I begin this journey, here are a few of my past posts I've written along these lines...

Things to Remember about Teachers
On Being a Teacher
What Not to Say to a Teacher

"See" you tomorrow for my 1st Edition of Teacher Thoughts!

Stuff & Things 9/10: Education Edition

Hi everyone!

I've been scarce around these parts lately, so I thought I'd take a moment to link up with Kristin this week!

• A new school year is under way, and it's off to a good start.  So far, this is a nice group of kiddos!  Some of them even brought me cards and gifts for my birthday even though I really didn't mention it or make a big deal of it.
• Speaking of school, for the first time, I had a group choose to read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as one of their novels this year!  I'm super excited to be giving this brand-new unit a try! 

  

  I covertly took this picture while the students were working in their groups.  If we're friends on Instagram, you might have seen this with the caption: "Happiness is: Students reading Harry Potter in class!! #hpforever"

• Tonight is our Open House.  I'm stuck here at work until 7:30 tonight.  On the bright side, I get to have dinner with my bestie after work!
• I have decided to take a class.  As per some big wigs in education somewhere, we now only need to have a formal observation in PA every 3 years.  The other two years, we need to do some sort of project.  Last year, I completed a portfolio based on a math strategy I was implementing after attending a conference.  This year, I decided I was in the mood to take a class, and I figured that I would kill two birds with one stone by completing a self-directed research project.  I found a class about working with gifted students in the regular ed classroom through Learners Edge.  One area in which we are lacking at my school is growing and enriching our gifted/advanced learners.  We are focused on our struggling students because that is our largest population, and advanced students get lost in the shuffle because they'll "be fine" no matter what!

With all of that being said, it's time for me to check back in with my reading groups!

What's up with you lately??

Back to School Nightmares (aka #teacherproblems)

Those of you who follow me on social media may have seen me mention having back to school nightmares.

Becky Dougherty

July 15 at 6:35pm · Bellwood, PA · 

In the latest news, I had my first back to school nightmare last night.....‪#‎teacherproblems‬

Recently, I was asked what exactly these nightmares are about.  I don't know what nightmares other teachers have, but I can certainly tell you about mine.  Here are some things that typically happen in my back to school nightmares.

1) No one is listening or paying any attention to what I'm teaching.

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2) We'll call them....challenging....students from the past show back up in my classroom

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3) Nothing I try to do goes right!

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4) Parents come in and yell at me.

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I would say those are some of the main things.  They may not sound that bad, but in nightmares, it's all terrifying!  Some of these things DO actually happen in real life, but fortunately, they're not usually as bad as they are in the nightmares!  

Fellow teachers, what are your back to school nightmares about?