bad subs

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Home : 2003 : February : 20

bad subs
By rebuttal

I want to respond to the "bad sub" complaint. Yes they are out there but we subs often don't get respect from adults so why should we respect too much from juveniles? My comments are between the ### sign?:
"Why would a
substitute just sit back and..."
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Original Message

"Why would a substitute just sit back and..."
Posted by Sixth Grade Teacher on Feb-15-03 at 01:04 ##Comment one-You didn't see him or her sit back.Maybe he/she stood up and still struggled with the students###
I am a sixth grade teacher.

Yesterday I went to a math inservice all day.
Of course, I left explicit plans for the substitute for the whole day. I had to come back to my class that evening for conferences. Imagine the horror when I walked into my classroom (students were gone) and saw the mess left on the floor by my students. I thought a tornado had hit my room in the middle of the winter.
##Should a sub HAVE to tell students to clean up messes and what would have been the punishment if a child's name had been left for littering?##

There were papers all over the floor, besides books, sweaters etc.
##Sweaters. Hmmm. You might want to assign jobs for students to assist in cleanup and leave such instructions with a sub.##
Yes, the parents came into my room for the conferences. It was embarrassing.
## Tell them you were out and your little guys forgot how to act and then move on with the meeting. Maybe parents should see how some children forget how to clean up after themselves. This beats sending them a letter home!##
I told the custodian not to clean the room as I would have the kids clean up the room this morning. I made them clean up as soon as they walked in. It just took them a few minutes and with no gripes.
##At least you are supportive of the custodial staff something I cannot say for some teachers!!##
My question is "Where was the substitute?"
## I don't know. We will never know.##
Why would anyone let them leave the room like this?
## I don't know. But sometimes you don't want to stay after school when you aren't paid very much just to clean up some mess.##

Granted my kids knew better and I let them know that.
##Amen. But they need to know how to act when your structure isn't there. For one thing, 6th graders should change classes and not stay in the same place for the entire day. This is even more difficult for subs.##
To make a long story short, alot of my teaching
staff let me know how awful my kids were for the substitute.
##Again if class changes took place, other teachers would be more involved and able to know their names and assist with the problem.##

But, they also let me know that it was a lot of her fault as well. She sat at my desk all day and let the kids have a free for all.
##Did she attempt to carry out your plans? I don't know exactly what is meant by a "free for all"?##
The principal even had to come in and try to settle them down.
##He should have came down and made anyone throwing trash have some time in his or her office!!##
My contact student from the local high school told me that the sub asked her what to do next. She had to tell the substitute to read my plans and that everything was on there.
## New subs need more coaching from administrators and they should take a one day all day inservice at beginning of year.##
No, this was not her first experience, but it was her last at least in our school.
##Subs are low paid and have the difficult task of trying to take over somebody else's room for a day which can be a pain in the arse. With the sub shortages in most areas, I think this is being a bit unfair. Sub should be contacted by principal first. And given a second chance.##
Why would a substitute going into a classroom(with well written plans)just sit at the desk and let the sixth graders have a free for all?
## Some students get loud and upset when they don't understand the lesson plans. Make sure you gave real concise lesson plans and didn't ask for anything on the paper that would have confused the students. Confused students often act out.##
This morning(we had a half a day), was wonderful. We had our Valentine's Day breakfast. A mom brought in a lot of food. The kids were well behaved all morning.
##The students in your class are structured and under close supervision and they may not know how to act when it isn't there.##
The mom even made a comment on how good the kids were and offered to help me anytime. They were even quiet for a test after we had a lot of fun. They really are a great bunch of kids.
## This has nothing to do with how they act in your absence. Great kids, quiet kids, all can turn on when a different person is running the class.##
I just think they know they need boundaries and didn't get that from this substitute.
## Possibly true.##
I hope the unnamed sub is worthy of her criticism here. Subs are often low paid, untrained, and lack respect from students, staff and administration. And principals are becoming teacher bosses discussing curriculum instead of school wide discipline. I avoid schools where students misbehave and teachers/principals don't support my efforts. I try to follow the plans the best I can but I don't sweat it. I am there for one day and if I ain't appreciated, then I go elsewhere. There is a limit to how much energy I should use to teach students self control which they either have or they don't have and I can't change them in one day.