Books to Read

One thing that this year of teaching has done for me is that it has really helped me with my classroom management skills. I was ok during student teaching, but I was nervous, insecure, afraid of alienating the students... the list goes on. As a sub, or guest teacher, you can't afford to have weak classroom management skills. It makes your day exhausting.

I am big on studying a problem to death when faced with one. Mine this past year was, ' How on Earth am I going to do this?'

I read a TON of books. The two I found my helpful were " Substitute teaching from A to Z' By Barbara Pressman and

Setting Limits in the Classroom: How to move beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classroom by Robert Mackenzie

Advice one year out

Well I have finished my first year subbing. I admit, when school started, and I didn't have a job I was CRUSHED. I thought I was a failure. I was terrified of subbing. I have my own memories of subs, and have heard horror stories from my own kids. Could I do it?

My husband had been unemployed for about 6 months at that point, which in a way was good because it pushed me to sub as much as I could. It forced me to get over my fear in order to take care of my family.

Our state was experiencing severe budget cutbacks and few districts had even opened up their sub pools so it was tough to even get onto sub lists. I contacted the substitute coordinators at my 3 closest districts, and all districts I had either volunteered in, done an internship or student teaching in. All three told me I could get a principal to override it and recommend me for the sub pool and I was in.

I subbed 155 days our 180 last year. I didn't get entered into the sub pool for the first district I worked until 10 days into school. There were only 5 days that I wanted to work but couldn't find a job.

How did I work so much? How did I get my foot in the door? Networking. I printed up business cards, and flyers with my picture on it. I hate pictures of myself, so this was a huge step for me, but one I think helped. I started with teachers I know. Teachers I had volunteered in class for, teachers my kids had, teachers at where I student taught. I contacted everyone I know.

Next, I stalked the substitute online service. Some districts do have a phone call service, but you only get that call if a)someone has requested you b)someone has put you on their favorites list c) they have found no one else. The phone can be a very lonely companion for a sub starting out. When you stalk the sub site, hitting refresh every 20 seconds, you can catch a job between calls, if it a phone service district, or catch it as it pops first pops up. At first I would look, think, bite nails -- can I do this? and by the time I decided yes - poof -- it was gone. Snapped up by some other sub. I needed the jobs so desperately that I took anything at first.

I think that willingness to take anything is a key to success. You get your foot in the door.

Once in the school , make sure you are VERY nice to the school secretary. She can be your key to a year full of jobs. She can also put you on the black list. Make sure you introduce yourself to EVERYONE! The classes on either side, people in the breakroom, teachers at the copy machine, principal. Pass out your cards like you are entering a drawing for a free lunch. You are.

Flyers -- I have heard mixed feedback on the flyers. Some don't think they are professional. Mine has my picture on it. I feel like this helped put a name to a face. People could see it and think , "hmmmm... I have seen her around. She must be ok. I'll call her." I had several people mention the flyers when they contacted me. It just depends on your comfort level.

At the end of the day always leave the classroom better than it was when you got there. Do whatever you can to make the teachers life easier. Write a nice letter telling them what happened during the day. Try to stay positive. No one wants to come back to a list of complaints after a day off.

Lastly - when you next come to that school, seek out the people you have subbed for, say hi, introduce yourself. Ask them something about their students, their curriculum, compliment something you liked about their classroom. This is how you get added to their favorites list and get that first chance at the next job.

Good Luck!

Subbing -- the First 100 Days

This week is the 100th day of school. I have worked 75 days, and considering I didn't get added to the sub list until the 15th day of school, I think that is pretty successful.

I have subbed in 3 districts, numerous schools, kindergarten through 12th grade. Music, PE, special ed, regular classrooms, behaviorally challenged, adult special ed transition center and more. I have gone into classrooms with elaborately laid out plans, uber-organized teachers, classrooms with no plans at all, unorganized teachers -- it has run the gamut.

And I have really loved it all. I really have loved the kids in every classroom. Sure they aren't always perfect, but I'm not either.


I was really petrified to sub. I thought of all the scary stories I have heard. I was so crushed not to have my own class. I was worried about getting jobs. I worried about kids treating me terribly, misbehaving, not knowing what I was teaching.

I am so glad that I have been able to sub this year. It has taught me so much . My classroom management skills are improving every day. I am still trying to determine if I go into a class and the kids are good for me, is it because of the regular teacher and the systems they have in place? Or is it me? Alternatively, if the class is crazy and I really need to come down hard on them is it the regular teachers lack of something or is it me? What can I do when I am a classroom teacher to have those well behaved classrooms? Or are the kids the variable? Maybe that teacher just has a tough group this year? Or maybe the kids are having a bad day, or maybe I am. I have yet to figure that out.

My motto this year has been taking risks. Stretching, growing, trying new things - taking all sorts of classroom jobs I wouldn't normally try.

When I was student teaching I would get so nervous, sweating, sure I was going to do something to ruin their lives forever. I have gained a great deal of confidence in being in front of the kids too. The biggest thing for me is learning to admit when I don't know something or if I have made a mistake. Being in so many classrooms, where I don't now the routines, the habits, the rules -- I make lots of mistakes. The kids are always very helpful and understanding. Why wouldn't they be? If I see someone makes a mistake, I try to helpful and understanding. I don't expect everyone to be perfect. Why shouldn't the kids see that I am human. It has been a relief.

Subbing

It is even hard to get called up for sub jobs right now in the great Northwest. The district I would really like to work at, where my kids go to school, is only accepting sub applicants if you have a special ed, music or PE Endorsement, or secondary math or science endorsements. Most of my fellow graduates that I have talked to haven't heard any information about subbing either.

I decided to be proactive, and went to visit the human resources dept in person to find out what I needed to do to at least get on the sub list. I was prepared to beg, to give them my first born child, offer up my kidney, just to get on the sub list. You think I jest, but with a husband who has been without a job since February, and the teacher job market the way it is, I really want a job. So after talking to the ladies there, I only had to ask and plead a little bit( I think I was I little pathetic so they took pity on me. Amazingly they didn't want my first born or my kidney.) They said if I could get a principal in the district to request an override for me, they would enter me into the system.

Next step -- offering up my kidney or first born to the principal I know the best to see if she would add me. Luckily, she couldn't use either of them , and took pity on my as well. I would love to say that they were all dazzled by my stunning resume, my numerous accomplishments, my inner light shining through, and my desire to teach which made them realize that they just had to have me. However, since I don't have anyone banging down my door to come teach full time for them, I'm thinking not.

So while I still haven't given up hope of getting my own classroom, I am trying to wrap my arms around subbing. Frankly I am terrified. I remember having subs when I was a kid. The stories you hear from your own kids. The jokes, the lack of respect, the pranks... am I tough enough to make sure they listen and respect me? And never knowing what you are going to teach? Not having days or weeks to think out how you are going to present something? Not knowing which kid needs extra help in which area.

So I am doing the same thing I do whenever I have something new in my life that scares me. I am researching it. I have books on subbing requested at the library and at Paperbackswap , i have been looking up websites and reading all sorts of tips I can find. Next I will start asking friends who teach all about subbing. Will educating myself help my fear? Only time will tell.