Being youthful looking can work for you!

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Home : 2005 : May : 10

Being youthful looking can work for you!
By Carol

Yolands,

I've always looked at least a decade younger than my age. When I started subbing twenty years ago and looked like a student, it actually worked to my advantage in some classrooms. I don't know if anything really
works to your advantage today though.
I think what you are worried about has to do with classroom management and that is all about control. Students who are disruptive are trying to get you upset and angry so that you will either give-up or slip-up (i.e., You will say something or do something that is over the top and they can successfully shift the blame from onto you.) are trying

to get control.

When people get emotional they can and often do loose control. If anyone in the classroom looses control it should be the student and not you. Why? Because if they have a melt-down, it is chalked up to immaturity and they get counseled or detention. If subs have a melt-down, we are fired or secretly excluded.

I'm not saying to get the kids mad but if they throw a tantrum or get spiteful because they didn't get their way no harm no foul. They are mad because they don't have control. Everyone knows when kids get mad they often do inappropriate things.

Kids don't really respect subs either no matter what they look like or do. They considers subs in most cases slackers, loosers, not-real-teachers, babysitters, etc. Even some staff will treat you worse than the kids; usually that type of district employee has never subbed or is just a jerk.

Each class is different but you will find some universal dos and don'ts. Do teach, do watch them like hawks, and do enlist the aide of an administrator or another teacher if you feel things are spiraling out of control. The longer you wait to involve school staff members the worse it usually gets.

Don't confront a student in front of the class, don't punish the entire class, don't think that by getting them to like you they will respect you, don't say one thing and do another, and don't allow too much free time or group work (unless it is built into the lesson.)

Students can get into arguments, physical fights, etc. when they interact because they are so immature. They fight over everything from a book to the colored markers. Some students may also have an on-going problem(s) with (an)other classmate(s) that can flare-up when the teacher is not there. We don't know their histories.

Don't put yourself through it because while your settling fights, another student may be busy stealing classroom supplies, your stuff, teacher's personal property, lesson plans, teacher manuals, classroom treats, or some other kids things (inlcuding their money.)

Some kids strategically take advantage of any and all distractions to execute their own agendas. You will find opportunists in the first grade and they are the slickest or the slick and the quickest of the quick! You have to protect yourself. Caution is a sub's best friend.

Good luck.
Carol