Monday, November 1, 2010

Subbing.... (not meant to be quite as pessimistic as it will certainly seem)

Being a long-term substitute teacher is like renting someone else's house and living in it 'til they decide to come back.  Being a long-term bstitute teacher who actually knows how to teach, is endorsed, and has taught a long time is like renting someone else's house when you don't want to rent the stupid house but you don't have a choice even though you've got $100,000 in the freaking bank.

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This afternoon--I don't remember the circumstances or what I said--I muttered something to myself and a student caught me.  "Are you talking to yourself?" she asked.  "You bet," I answered.  "About the only intelligent conversation I get all day."

4 comments:

  1. Hang in there. As your video said, "Things will get better." I don't know if this counts as "intelligent" conversation, but I'm always up for East of Eden discussion, if that provides any sort of escape from the doldrums of substitute teaching. In the meantime, try not to be TOO snarky to these kids, although I certainly laughed at the comment. It's not entirely their fault that they are the way they are.

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  2. Thanks, James. I was actually really good at school today. I've done pretty well not being snarky, no matter how much I often I have to fight it back. Actually, today started a lot better than I thought it would (I do, on principal, after all hate 8th grade). Some kids came in and said, "Oh, hey, my friend told me about you. You're that cool sub!" Things shouldn't be terrible.... :)

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  3. i remember the cool subs and i think had you been a sub of mine at dhs you would've been the cool sub there as well. what i find funny about your remark is i'm pretty sure we were all, at some point in time, the students the teachers grumbled about, buchanan and peeper for sure, maybe not necessarily gunther or andreas. anyway, cherish the comment that you're the cool sub. it should help carry you through.

    note: you must've been typing as fast as you think (which would've caused sparks on the keys because i know how fast the gears upstairs move) because you're missing a couple letters--"Being a long-term bstitute..."

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  4. Yeah, everytime the computer autosaves I lose a couple letters. Unfortunately, I don't always have time (which is just an excuse which means I don't MAKE THE TIME) to proofread. I'm such a hypocrite!

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