Adventures of a Substitute Teacher

History According to Disney, and A Parallel Universe

2010-10-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've posted ... life as a teacher is busy!! A lot of stuff has happened in the last few weeks -- some good and some bad. I'm choosing to write about 2 stories that are rather funny!

Story # 1:

Last week I was teaching about the Mongol Empire in the 13oos. Through the course of this lecture I made the statement, "In order to expand his empire, Genghis Khan and the Mongols invaded China." The following conversation took place...

Student: Hang on a sec. Ms. Patterson. I'm confused. I thought the Huns invaded China.
Me: No, sorry. The Huns invaded Rome."
Student: Wait, that doesn't make sense Ms. Patterson.
Me: Why?
Student: In the movie Mulan they said the Huns invaded China
Me: (frankly surprised a student would reference a Disney cartoon as a source of legitimate information) Well...that's the movie Mulan, this is actually real history. The Huns invaded Rome, the Mongols invaded China...moving along.

That was a new one for me.

Story # 2:

I will preface this story with the fact that this situation did not actually happen to me. This event took place in another classroom with another teacher, but nonetheless was worth sharing, and since this other teacher is also a Substitute...it fits :) (Names have been changed to protect the innocent and not so innocent)

Sally (the teacher) had experienced a respectful reception by Savannah (student). However, recently Savannah had been acting out in Sally's class and so Sally decided to confront Savannah to find out what happened. The following conversation took place

Sally: I'm concerned Savannah. You used to be so quiet and well behaved in class and now you're being rude and disrespectful and just not paying attention.
Savannah: Well at the beginning, I was trying to be the perfect student, but you didn't pay any extra attention to me and it didn't get me any special things, so I've decided it's not worth my time.
Sally: (thinking...wait am I in the same classroom, or have I been sucked into a parallel universe?) So, let me get this straight... you want me to treat you different, special because you are doing what I expect you to do?
Savannah: Yes
Sally: I'm actually out of words...there are no words.

I don't know how the conversation actually ended, but needless to say this kid is clearly not all together "with it."

The Small Affairs...

2010-09-03T06:14:00.000-07:00

I receive the "quote of the day" email from someone...Google I think (yeah I'm a nerd). I get 3 random quotes about all kinds of things. Some are funny, and some are inspirational. One of today's quotes really moved me, especially when it comes to the idea of subbing.

"In great affairs men show themselves as they wish to be seen' in small things they show themselves as they are."~~Nicholas Chamfort

Anyone who is a sub will tell you that we are often an invisible group. Some take it seriously while others simply don't. I don't really have a point to this I guess. I just...well, I wish others took subbing as seriously and viewed it as a way to help students!

A New Year...

2010-08-28T11:18:00.000-07:00

I realized today that I have not posted anything on my blog since March 11th. Probably because grad school went into full swing, and I was working full time in a long term sub position, and life generally got CRAZY!! However, someone posted a comment on one of my older blogs (Thank you Kat) and it has encouraged me to blog again. I will attempt to be more faithful at this because I think there are a lot of people in my position, and well, it keeps me sane some days!

So, a new school year is about to start and yet again, I find myself without a full time teaching job. Frustrating is an understatement. Defeated, discontented, discouraged, disheartened, embittered, irked, resentful, stonewalled, stymied, ungratified, unsated, unslaked are probably better adjectives to describe how I feel. For those of you who don't know, this is summer number 4 that I have filled out applications, sent out resumes, and applied for jobs all over the country. Some school, somewhere must need a Social Studies teacher. I keep thinking that there is some reason, some greater position waiting for me at the end of this tunnel. I hope I'm right. Filling out applications is almost sucking the very life out of me. I literally cannot do it anymore!! I wish someone would have told me to major in Science 7 years ago!

However, this blog is not about to be a "debbie downer" blog. I enjoy subbing, it's fun, it's different, and I love the kids I work with. It makes me feel loved and needed when I walk down the hallways at school and kids run up to hug me or high five me, or give me some variation on a handshake. It makes me feel appreciated when teachers are bummed because I'm already booked for another assignment when they wanted me to sub for their classrooms (not that I'm happy they feel disappointed). So, what will this school year bring for me...

I will be filling another long-term position for a teacher who is having a baby. I will be teaching WHAG (World History & Geography) for 9th graders and APUSH (Advanced Placement U.S. History) for 10th graders. I'm pretty excited about this prospect. I certainly love being in the same classroom everyday, with the same kids, and knowing what I'm teaching. I also think this will motivate me to not give up on teaching as a profession. I go through these phases of, "Maybe I shouldn't be a teacher. Maybe the universe is telling me to find a different profession." Then I get these long-term jobs and I fall in love with teaching all over again and I KNOW...this is what I'm supposed to be doing. I LOVE this job way too much to think about doing something else.

I hope this shows through in my classroom, in my teaching, and in my relationships with the students and teachers I work with!

So cheers to another year...lets get it started!!

The Wisdom of Solomon

2010-03-11T13:51:00.001-08:00

This will be brief. It's really more humorous than anything else. Not really a big laugh, but kinda funny and worth sharing.

Today 2 of my students were fighting over one pencil. Honestly, I have no idea what was so special about this one pencil, why they both had to have it is beyond my understanding, but they were arguing over it nonetheless. I attempted to ascertain who's pencil it really was. However, much to my dismay, I was unable to root out who's pencil it really belonged to. So, in my finite wisdom, I said, "give me the pencil." The students handed me the pencil. I promptly broke the pencil in two pieces and gave each student a half of the pencil.

Argument Over and I maintained my sanity!

Just when I thought that I had heard it all...

2010-02-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

As a substitute teacher I take a lot of crap from students. Believe it or not, all students are NOT nice. I have had my fair share of insults in my time as a sub, but today was an all new level of insult.

I am going to quote word for word what this student said to me today...

"You are a sad sad person. You probably have no life, but that's ok. I can bring my chainsaw to school tomorrow and end your life if that will make you happy."

Mostly, this kid desperately wanted me to kick him out of class so he wouldn't have to do any work. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of that one. I think he figured if he threatened to kill me I'd kick him out. He was wrong! The thing is, he started out with a small insult and then just escalated into absurdity. Maybe if he said, "I'm gonna shank ya in the lunch line." I might have been more frightened, but he went straight into the impractical. Seriously, no one is going to let a chainsaw wielding freshman into a school. Come on...where you gonna hide that one during lunch? Your trench coat isn't big enough.

For those who are curious, I made that kid sit in his seat the entire hour and he had to sit their quietly without talking, and no ipod (poor kid) and read a book. After class was over, I did make a trip down to the student's counselor and shared what happened in class. So, there shouldn't be any fear of chainsaw wielding students breaking down the school doors anytime soon!

The idea that I'm forcing myself to be happy...

2010-02-11T13:51:00.000-08:00

Today, on my way to Wayne Memorial High School, to work on this federal grant I'm involved in, I heard an interesting story on the radio. It was about a study that the British Psychological Society did on the fact that people are happier than they think they are. They had signs you could look for in your life on how to determine how happy you are. It was rather interesting. I'd like to actually read the research, but anyone who knows me, knows I don't have time to hunt down research that doesn't pertain to my own research. Interestingly, one of the signs of happiness is that you have one or more sisters. If that's the case, I have 3...I should be abounding with joy! Lets just say, I have my days and leave it there...

All day, this concept of happiness kind of plagued me. I was really thinking about the things that make me happy and I realized something. This insane schedule that I have thrust myself into makes me happy. But, not right out happy...it keeps me from being desolate (I actually looked up depressed in a thesaurus because I didn't think depressed was the right word...desolate is!).

I've always had this ideal in mind that I am supposed to somehow contribute to the universe...give part of myself back. I'm always trying to be that good person. You know the one that everyone knows they can depend on to be there and help when the shit hits the fan! I don't want to be the one that people think of as being lazy or 'unemployed.' I think that is why subbing is so hard for me. There are days when I really feel I've contributed, and then there are days when I feel like a damn babysitter. I hate those days! When those days come, I think of the 12 other projects I'm involved in and I focus on the people in the future I will help.

A few weeks ago, someone asked me if I had a job yet, and I almost blew my stack. The idea that this person didn't think I had a job boggled me. I didn't blow my stack. I kept it together...I maintained my cool and politely told this moron that I have the equivalent of 1 full time job, 2 part-time jobs and an odd job (less than 10 hrs. a week)That I'm basically working 85 hrs. a week! Sometimes some of this work doesn't get me money, but it gives me the satisfaction that I'm putting 'good' back into the universe. I told this mother of 2 that there is no way she would be able to keep up with my schedule, even if she didn't have kids! I suppose in the long run that wasn't very nice, but I was pissed!

So for Nancy and everyone else out there, but mostly for myself, here is a complete list of all that I'm doing now!!

1. Substitute teaching almost full-time (a few days I don't have jobs, but they are very rare)
2. I have 3 clients that I tutor 6 hrs. a week
3. I babysit 3 days a week for the wonderful Nobles
4. I am a full-time grad student--involved in 3 classes and a research project
5. I'm working on a Federal Grant proposal for EMU helping 'At-Risk' Students in the greater Detroit area.
6. I'm taking Guitar lessons (although this is more for my benefit than anyone else's)
7. I voluntarily run a study group for students who wish to perform better in their history classes.
8. I voluntarily tutor Foreign students who have just come to America to study. I help them with their English and general adjustment to this country...because I know how they feel!

AND...

I still make time for my friends and family!

So for all of you out there (myself included) who don't think I'm doing enough to contribute to this society...read it and weep!! I'm crazy busy, and I choose to be because it does make me happy!!!!

Subbing Sucks!!

2010-01-28T07:10:00.003-08:00

I think the title says it all. Today has not been a good day. I just want a real teaching job. Then, I actually have a little bit of leverage over some of these kids!!

Did You Ever Consider that Perhaps YOU Might be Wrong?

2010-01-21T06:57:00.001-08:00

This is going to be a venting blog. Obviously as a teacher, I come across kids who think they know E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G!!! These kids are by and large pretty smart and they do know a lot, but they, contrary to their own personal beliefs, don't know everything. In fact, they can frequently be wrong (shocking, I know!!) I have one such student in my own life and today she really pushed me beyond the edge of professional reason!! We'll call her Jane (for the sake of professionalism).

Jane is a freshman. Normally I love freshmen because they're so young and malleable, and impressionable, and they haven't been tainted by years of drug use and promiscuous sex. They're still relatively innocent. In short, they're still a pleasant group of students. This isn't to say that upperclassmen aren't pleasant as well, they can be. However, they tend to be more worldly, and don't listen in general. They also can have an air of "I'm cooler than you" about them. Jane has skipped right past all of this. She is already much cooler than me. She already knows much more than I do...in her own opinion at least!

I have known Jane now for 6 months. In that 6 months she hasn't once had a kind word for me. In fact I am generally greeted with animosity from her. I have yet to pinpoint why. Mostly, I think she's miserably unhappy and doesn't know how to deal with it. I actually feel very bad for her. I really wish she felt comfortable to talk to me about what is bothering her. However, after today I am past feeling sorry for her. I've tried to reach out. I've been kind, professional, explained things in a way that's non-judgmental, non-threatening, but she just doesn't get it. I've even gone so far as to personally talk with her to find out why she has such an animosity towards me. She ain't buyin!! Which brings me to today...

Today, I was subbing for, we'll say, Ms. Jones, again for professionalism's sake. Ms. Jones gave me an answer key and to go over the student's homework from last night. So, we did this as a class. One student, not Jane, gave an answer, and rather than out right saying, "You're wrong" I just said, "O.K., that's not what Ms. Jones has written down." I didn't berate the student, I didn't call him an idiot, I didn't even say, you suck, try again. Jane apparently took this as a personal affront. Maybe she had similar answers, or maybe she just wanted to be a pain in my ass. Either way, she decided to have an argument with me right in front of the entire class.

I really wanted to tell this idiot that she is a moron and that I really wanted to pitch her out of the 4th story window. However, I did not. I simply told her, "you are being EXTREMELY disrespectful right now. You will stop talking or you can take yourself into the hallway until you can come back into this classroom in a better spirit." We moved onto the next topic.

Maybe I'm being petty, maybe I'm taking it too personally. Whatever...I reached the end of my rope today and I'm writing it out!!

Insert witty title here...

2010-01-11T11:09:00.000-08:00

I think that is probably going to turn out more like a journal entry than anything else. I wanted to blog because I haven't done it in a while and I wanted to put something up here regarding Winter Break and being back to work..

My Winter Break was far from very restful. I had a boatload of people staying in my house which was fun, but a little crazy. I did get some well needed sleep!

However, now school is back in session and I am back to the grind of encouraging young minds to think :) Recently a group of students told me the next time I sub for them they're going to make me cookies. That really made my day honestly. Just to be appreciated is such a great feeling. Even if I don't really get to teach these kids full time, it's nice that they appreciate the job I do and want to show recognition.

On a completely different side note...I met this guy today (he's a sub) who is completely FIIINNNEE!!! He was very nice to look at!!

Skyline, Huron, and a Happy Holidays...

2009-12-18T14:56:00.000-08:00

I realized yesterday that it has been quite awhile since I've posted anything, so I was trying to think of something festive (given the season) to write when this topic fell into my lap courtesy of Gavin, Dianna, Ms. Vincent's 4th hr. Science class, James, both Maddies, and Ms. Wade's 1st & 3rd hr APUSH classes (APUSH= Advanced Placement United States History...for those who don't know)...probably unbeknown to any of these students you have all inspired this blog...so thank you :)

The job of a sub kind of sucks to be honest. I get to see kids that I really enjoy and like working with, but not everyday, sometimes not even every week. I get to talk with them, but not really influence their lives a whole lot which is kind of why I really became a teacher. Mostly subbing is glorified babysitting, and if you don't like the sound of your own voice saying, "sit down, please do your work, and guys lets focus" you should probably refrain from the substitute teaching profession. Some days I walk out of school and I am so sick of hearing my own voice, I really don't speak to anyone. I feel that sometimes subbing is just me nagging these students until they'd rather stab me with their pencils than actually acknowledge that I care about what happens to them or their futures.

However, this week I was shown a great deal of gratitude and kindness by a group of students and it has made me realize that subbing has it's pros. This week I subbed for Ms. Vincent's science classes. Upon getting the class started several students expressed the opinion that I was the best sub ever. When I asked them why they said, "well, you remember our names, and you don't nag us to death, and well...you're just cool." Aside from this all going straight to my head it was really great to hear that I am appreciated.

This week I also subbed for Ms. Wade's history classes. I have subbed for Ms. Wade quite a bit and I know all of her students very well. These students are all angels. They behave like no other group of kids I've ever worked with. They are fun, and I am honestly very excited when I get to work with them. This week being the last week before winter break, on Thursday, I told these students how grateful I was for their behavior when I am with them, how much I enjoy working with them and how I truly hope that they have a Happy Holiday, however they choose to celebrate the season. This announcement was met with several " We love you too Ms. P." which honestly almost made me cry and in fact sitting here typing this has made me a little teary!!

So, I share all of that to say this, this week these students have shown me that my good natured subbing has not gone unnoticed, that I am making a bit of a difference in my own small way, and that despite the low pay and the crappy situation, I truly love working with these kids and I can't wait to jump back in next year.

For my Huron kids who read this, I miss all of you dearly, and I have not abandoned you for a shinier school. I will be back to visit you again soon. And since I did not get to see any of you before break I will say here..."You are all truly an amazing bunch of students and I care so much for your futures. I appreciate the excellent behavior you portray when I am with you, and I wish you a truly Happy Holidays and a wonderful break. Hopefully you get to spend sometime sleeping in until 2 pm cause let me tell ya...once you hit my age your body wakes you up at 8 am sharp...it sucks!!"

Happy Holidays :)

Every once in a while...

2009-11-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is going to be a short one :)

Today, I had the awesome privilege of meeting 2 exchange students from Sweden. It was a rare class today in that I only had 3 students, (the rest of the class was with their counselor) so I got to sit and talk with these 2 girls. It was so interesting to talk with them and hear their life experiences! I really enjoyed this.

One of the perks of being a substitute!

How Rude....

2009-10-21T08:33:00.000-07:00

This one will be a short one in that I'm really just venting.

There is a certain high school that I sub for rather infrequently. Mostly because I almost never get sub requests from there, so I'm not there very often. However, I get the random assignment there and I of course take it because it's money.

I realized today why this have never really bothered me. The teachers here are so rude! I don't understand it. They're not helpful, or welcoming. They don't offer to help you with anything, and when you do ask them a random question it's like you're asking them to give up their first born child. I very rarely need help as a substitute because I know my way around just about every school in this district, but today I needed some paper towel to wipe up some water I spilled during lunchtime. Out of 4 teachers not a one of them was nice about it. Seriously, it's paper towel!! I've encountered 7 teachers today. 2 of them were actually friendly/nice. And when I say friendly/nice, they smiled and/or said hello. The rest pretended that they didn't see me, like I was invisible.

I just don't get why people can't be HUMAN!!

Substitute Teaching Doesn't Always Come with Instructions

2009-10-19T05:59:00.000-07:00

I am not one who really enjoys walking into unknown situations. I always like to be prepared for whatever life throws at me. Substitute teaching is not one of those situations that is easily planned out. I generally have no idea what I'm walking into. Except on the rare days where I actually know the teacher I'm subbing for, I generally have no idea what to expect.

To ease this unknown situation teachers are SUPPOSED to leave detailed instructions for what should take place in their classes during their absence. Generally teachers leave me fairly good lesson plans that are easy to follow. However, I get the really random teachers who will leave me post-it notes for what should take place in their absence. One teacher even left her lesson plans in Spanish...I don't speak Spanish. That was a fun day!

However, I have to write about a teacher I subbed for recently. It was the most amazing day of my substituting life. The notes he left were extremely detailed with specific instructions about each individual class. The notes were color coded to the corresponding handouts for each class. The handouts were laid out neatly on his desk and paper clipped together with color coded post it notes that corresponded to the instructions! I was in heaven!!!! Anyone who knows me well, knows that I am a little OCD when it comes to organization and neatness! I wanted to hug this teacher and tell the rest of the "post-it note" teachers (as I call them) ...THIS IS HOW IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE!!!

A Tale of Two Classes....

2009-10-06T05:49:00.000-07:00

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness...Juussst Kidding :) Only Dickens could pull off those words.

This week I have been shown a new level of laziness by some students. I have realized that some students are just not going to make it through life if they cannot perform the simplest of tasks. These two classes are really just a sample of the many classes I've had similar experiences with.

Class # 1

This was a class of seniors in an African-American Humanities course. The students were required to put both the state and capital on a blank map of the United States. They were allowed to use an atlas to help them accomplish this task. After 10 minutes of not really working I was met with the resounding cry of..."This is too hard, we can't do this!" So I made a bet with the kids.

Me: "If you can finish the map before I do, I'll help you complete the assignment."

Kids: "We can't do that, it's not fair. You'll beat us."

Me: "I won't use the book, and if even one of you finishes before me, I'll help you fill out the sheet." (Keep in mind that these kids had a 10 minute head start.)

Not a single one of those 25 kids beat me, and they had a book to help them. I just don't understand how someone can't copy from one page to the next. It's just plain laziness.

Class # 2

The second class was a class of freshmen. They were required to fill out a timeline of Modern Chinese history. The events that they needed to plot were on a separate handout, arranged in order by year with the dates provided to them. So literally they had to copy the events from one sheet onto the timeline. Very simple assignment. Very little thought required. Yet 80% of the class didn't get word one on the timeline despite constant nagging by me to get their work done.

I really have no questions as to why America is behind in Academic Achievement. Students can't even copy and paste simple assignments. It's quite disturbing! A friend of mine calls this the 'tea cup generation.' That these kids are so fragile, they can't handle even simple assignments, their parents handle everything for them--even at the college level. And these are the people that will be caring for my generation in another 50 years. I'm a little frightened!

5th hour Econ...

2009-09-24T10:07:00.000-07:00

I've made no secret of how much I love Huron High. I really do. Other subs who know the school have dumped on it saying the kids are bad, it's the 'ghetto' high school in Ann Arbor, but I disagree. Sure there are a group of students there who dislike my management style, find me annoying, and generally try to make my life miserable. Well, they are few and far between. I have always held the motto..."Huron days are always good days."

This week I had the joy of spending 2 days with the same classes and here is why I love subbing at Huron.

First, I always check the attendance list when I'm at Huron. Because I know so many students there it generally tells me the kind of day I'm going to have! Some days I start out dreading because there are names I recognize and not for good reasons. This week was one of those weeks. 3 out of the 5 classes I knew the students in those classes and I dreaded being in those classrooms. Luckily, this teacher has a student teacher this semester and I didn't really have to deal with the behavior!! The one bright spot in this day was 5th hour Economics!! (I should mention, that I know some of "my" students read this blog and I was requested to specifically mention them in my blog at some point... so this blog is really for Olivia AND Micah--because they asked...)

So 5th hour Econ. Generally a good bunch of kids. A little chatty, but I suppose I can deal with 'chatty' as a sub as long as it's funny and entertaining. This class though took it to the next level. They have been learning about Economic Enigmas (Why does Starbucks build so many stores so close together? Why do people drink bottled water when tap water is cheaper? etc.) This line of questioning fostered quite the heated discussion between Micah and Nabeel. At one point, Micah was standing on top of desk. I still have yet to figure out the purpose for that! They took it to the point of ridiculousness, but it made me laugh and at least they were thinking creatively. I suppose I can't complain. They did the work and they followed the rules and I didn't want to kill them by the end of the hour :)

One of the purposes of this blog is to talk about Olivia and Micah, but really they are just representative of why I love Huron. They represent a larger community of students who I really care about, that I love seeing everyday, that I love teaching, and working with, and hearing about their adventures in life. So...

Olivia-- we go way back :)

~ I taught Olivia for three weeks during her freshman year and as long as I live I will never forget Olivia, Tori, Taylor, and Alexandra. These four girls giggled their way right out of just about anything. However, after the giggling, they really had excellent logical reasoning for why they should be given the grade they were arguing for.

~ I don't really know why, but whenever I see Olivia I think..."Taylor Swift." I don't even know if Olivia likes country music, or can sing very well. She just reminds me of Taylor Swift for some reason. Perhaps it's because she's blond and young and generally a small person.

~ I could probably know more about Olivia than I really do, but I do know she has a twin brother.

~ I know that last year she got hit with a bat in the head while playing softball and had to get 12 staples in her head!

~ However, despite my lack of knowledge. I think Olivia is a great person, and I'm proud of her. She is definitely one of the students that I would love to see in 10 years and find out what she's up to and what she's doing with her life!

Micah -- the first time I ever saw Micah...he was in a play.

~ He is very good at taking HIS voice and turning into a completely different character. It was quite delightful to watch him use his craft to entertain his audience.

~ Micah is certainly a dynamic kid. He's funny, in a lot of ways he is his own person and I don't really think he lets what other people think motivate his actions/behavior. It's pretty rare to see such a self-assured teenager.

~ On Thursday he told me about his entire trip to Mexico in 3 minutes.

~ I think he really needs to play the role of Algernon in "The Importance of Being Earnest."

~ I'm not really sure Micah has a very serious side. I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. On the one hand...he's in high school and this is the time in his life when he should have as much fun as possible. Plus, I think that a great sense of humor will carry him far and make him a great adult! However, there are times in life -- even as a teenager when he should be a bit more serious ;) On the whole though Micah's humor is quite contagious and I enjoy the presence he exudes.

So, for Micah and Olivia and the other 2,100 students at Huron they represent...I love every last one of yas :)

I've reached that age...

2009-09-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

I recently celebrated my 30th birthday amid the good natured jokes of "you're climbin up that hill." or, "Oh it's the big 3-0!" Really, it didn't seem that big of a deal. It was just like every other year, feeling no different or older. However, 2 things happened recently that have had a bigger impact on me and the realization that time has passed.

1. During the summer, I didn't have a job, and with little else to do, I decided to take on a project. My parents and grandparents were obsessive about taking photos when my sisters and I were children. As a result we have hundreds of old school photos. The back in the day, 1970s and 80s 3" x 3" photos. These photos are starting to fade and show age, so I have decided to scan them all and save them electronically. I'm not really sure for what since I have no 'posterity' and don't plan on having it either :) Mostly for myself since I love pictures and some of them are quite hilarious! Anyways, during my walk down memory lane, I realized I have reached the age where I look back at my Jr. High photos and think, "What on earth possessed me to wear that?" and "Why did my mother let me walk out of the house with my hair like that?" I did have a good laugh at myself though ~~

2. Yesterday (9/15) was my first day subbing for the 2009-2010 school year. I was subbing for a Jr. High French class (I'm so glad I took 2 years of French in college!). The day went really well and I was glad to be back to work, especially working with kids. It was a great feeling. I didn't realize how much I missed it. Anyways...the point of my story...

What many people probably don't know about me is that many years ago, I used to teach pre-school/kindergarten. I realized it wasn't for me and I moved on to Jr. High and High School. Yesterday, as I was getting ready for another class to begin a very familiar girl walks into my classroom. I was actually rudely staring at her trying to figure out where I knew her from (I don't know many middle schoolers personally) when it dawned on me... This girl and her younger sister used to be in my pre-school classroom!! She is now is 7th grade. The first thought through my mind was "OMG, I'm old!" But I sat down and chatted with Alexis for a little bit and found out about her family and how she was doing. It was so great to chat with her and see her all grown up (well not grown up, but older and more mature than when I saw her last)

Which brings me to my encouraging thought of the day for myself...

If 7 years from now I run into my high school students and get to chat with them like I did with Alexis and find out how they are doing and see they have become successful adults...I will have accomplished my goals as a teacher!

How are some people teachers?

2009-07-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have worked with children of various ages in a teaching capacity in 2 different countries for well over 9 years . Most recently I've been substitute teaching for several schools in my area. So, I have had the opportunity to see the inner workings of many schools. It has been interesting. Recently, I had a conversation with several teachers and I'm a little bit disturbed by their attitude. I realize that this is not how all teachers feel, that the opinions of this teacher are solely the opinions of one person, however I'm really frustrated and I have to express myself and this is how I've chosen to do so.

First, I have been applying for teaching jobs in earnest since my return to America. Most teacher applications have several essay questions ranging from "Why did you become a teacher?" to "What do you feel is the role of a teacher within the school community?" The frustrating part of this process is that every administrator is looking for something different and one wrong statement can really ruin your chances of even getting an interview. That is if the hiring administrator even chooses to read the essay that you've poured yourself into. I say all of that to say this...

During my adventures in substitute teaching, I recently ate lunch with 3 full time teachers. The application process was brought up during our conversation (not by me) and so, I asked these 'seasoned' teachers what they thought was the pillar of a good application essay. One of these teachers happened to be the head of a department. This is what she had to say (all of this is a paraphrase, but the main ideas have been accurately projected.).

Me: What are Principals really looking for when they ask "Why did you become a teacher?"
Teacher: Well, last year I was involved in hiring a new teacher. 300 people applied for the job and I read 30 applications.
Me: How many did the other administrators read?
Teacher: OH, I was responsible to read them all. But anyone who wrote, "I became a teacher because I love kids or I want to change the future." I automatically threw out their application. I don't want to work with those morons.
Me:( sits dumbfounded, a little angry, and over all very surprised.) Oh, I see.
Teacher: I was looking for people who said, "I became a teacher because it was a life calling, and it's more than just an occupation for me."
Me: Thanks, I'll keep that in mind.

So, why am I sharing this with you. Well, the more I thought about what this woman said, and the more I contemplated the real reasons I have chosen to become a teacher, the angrier I got. I realize that I have very little experience teaching high school students inside this country. However, despite my inexperience, I do know that teaching is a hard job. I know that being a teacher takes every ounce of concentration and effort, and that teaching is not for the faint of heart. I became a teacher for a lot of reasons. I love teaching. I love learning and I want to instill in the youth of America that education can unlock so many opportunities for them. Teaching really is part of the person I am and it's not just an occupation. I honestly do not picture myself being anything but a teacher. In light of the recent economic situation and my lack of actually procuring a job, I have begun to contemplate doing something else for a living. It felt like someone had plunged a knife into my heart. I cannot imagine doing anything else.

I also became a teacher because I want to change the future. I love working with struggling students. I also really do love kids. They have so much life in front of them and I have a lot of life experience to share with them. I enjoy having challenging students in my classroom and working with them so that they can become more successful in school. I realize I'm a substitute teacher and that I don't have a classroom of my own, but even as a substitute I know I make a difference in student's lives. I love when I walk into Huron High School and I see so many kids that I know and they know me and I get the opportunity to hear how their lives are going. I love that they feel comfortable enough to talk with me and share the hopes they have for their futures. Most of the time they make me laugh and it really does make my day when I am with these kids! There are students that I have worked so hard to gain their trust and as a result, they respect me and behave when I'm in their classrooms. I really feel that this is because I have shown that I actually care about what happens to them.

I don't believe that you have to love kids to be an effective teacher, but I do believe it makes the job a lot easier! For me being a teacher is so much more than just imparting information, or even just the love of teaching. I truly love and want the best things for the kids I work with. Perhaps I'm disallusioned and that after 5 years of 'real' teaching I'll have something different to say, but I sincerely hope not. I can't imagine teaching without caring for the kids in my classroom!

What's the Point?

2009-06-30T10:24:00.000-07:00

I am a substitute teacher.

Many people have asked me why I don't try to get a real job. I've asked myself the same question many times. However, no matter what profession you find yourself in, invariably "it's not what you know, it's who you know." So, in effort to get to know the right people, I continue to substitute teach. It has been my hope that my sincere dedication to substitute teaching would garner me a position somewhere. This has yet to pay off.

I have been so frustrated with the job application process because it really hasn't panned out for me. So, I continue to substitute teach. This job provides me a great deal of humor and situations that are enough for me to write about. This blog is about my adventures in substitute teaching because everyday is an adventure.