Filler time...

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Filler time...
By Amber

I don't see anything wrong with showing an appropriate video after a limited amount of work has been done. What exactly did you mean by "high school kids are used to violence and profanity anyway"? Surely you didn't mean
to show a movie of that sort, did you? I hope not! There are lots of movies out there without stuff like that! This issue is one that I am really involved in, because when I went to a conference for three days, I had a sub who just put my elementary aged sped kids on the computer for three days. I didn't have just "busy work" planned either. There were educational games, a lesson where the

students were to take a digital camera outside and snap pictures to write about (which they were all very excited about and were upset that they didn't get to that when I was gone, but after I returned). For the three days there were only one sheet per student per day just to keep some skills up that needed drill and practice. I realize that some sped kids really get out of control when the regular teacher is not there, but last year my kids had lots of subs (before I was their teacher) and I saw the notes left behind by past subs saying how hard they worked, how good they were, ect. I left all sorts of activities to do in case someone threw a fit, one was even a movie about wacky animals, something my sped kids love to watch! There was NO NEED to shove these kids on a stinking computer for three days!!! I am realistic enough to know that my kids won't learn as well with a sub as with me, but this was way out of line!!! She never even tried to get them to work. I was so mad when I heard from an aid in my room that one of my girls went to the sub asking to do her writing assignment and the sub told her to get back on the computer, that that was all I had planned for her! What a joke! I am probably going to catch a lot of flack for this next statement, but I was a sub once..I know how hard it can be BUT: subs are not simply just babysitters!! I have been lucky enough for when I had to next be gone to get some wonderful subs who did their jobs! A substitute teacher is a TEACHER, not a babysitter who just throws in videos or computer games around unless they have tried other options. I wouldn't have cared if my kids got nothing done for three days if that sub had TRIED. There are wonderful subs out there, who are lifelines! And subs are very underappreciated, I know that. They have a VERY HARD job and need to be commended for their hard work. But, just like there are bad teachers, there are bad subs...one's who want to collect a paycheck for nothing short of babysitting instead of even showing a little effort. Substitute teaching is a career and demands professionalism. I would be fired if all I did was show vidoes for crying out loud instead of trying to do my job! I am also not so unrealistic to think that a sub should get everything done I lay out, or that it will work when I am gone. I do expect a little effort, however. Am I wrong in this? Not all sped kids are monsters, not all subs are good, not all teachers are good, not all subs are bad and not all teachers are bad either. I read a post on here earlier that said something I agree with. If you think you can't handle an assignment involving sped kid, don't take it. You are setting yourself up for a bad time, the kids for a bad time, ect. That's professionalism; not taking on what you KNOW you can't do.

I am sorry if I upset anyone, however, this is how I feel. Please know I am not down on subs, and I am not down on venting. As a past sub, I am guilty of it, too. However, keep in mind these things are your JOB as a sub. If you don't want to do the work...do something else. You will be much happier!