Well, of this weblog anyway.
Hi! Until it’s underway a while, we won’t know what this blog will be, but now, at the time of its inception, I hope that it will become a great resource for all substitutes (especially those here in Clay County), and a place where substitute teachers and regular teachers can share best practices and what each can do to help the other. I have been on two sides of this triangle (as a student with a substitute teacher in the room, and as a teacher needing a teacher to substitute while I was out). I am currently endeavoring to explore the third side - becoming a substitute teacher.
“I just need a warm body to fill the seat.”
That is what my mom used to say when she owned a small business, and she was desperate for personnel. Of course she was joking, but sometimes a hiring process can make you wonder…. Just as when I became a teacher, I am shocked at how little they (the county or school board) need to know about me before giving me total control of 20-35 of our children.
They did require a fingerprint and pulled a background check which tells them I was never arrested. So that I can qualify for the slightly higher rate of pay, I submitted my college transcripts, which tell them a little something about my education (as you and I both know much of that happens outside of classroom doors), my interests, and my ability to work hard. But no one ever SPOKE to me. (See more on communication in the next post.) There was never an interview of any kind. No one had me perform a role play (like when I was promoted to Compensation Analyst in the corporate world) to ensure I could handle even one of myriad issues that could arise in the classroom. No one in Clay County knows if I can project my voice (yes, with much effort) or if I like or despise children (love them). In my past life working in HR, most of the interviews I conducted included asking situational questions. “Give an example of a time when something did not go your way and explain what you did in response.” “When you are busy on a task, and something interrupts you (like another teacher), how do you get back on task minimizing the amount of time wasted?” “How do you deal with ambiguous situations (like having no lesson plans)?” It seems to me that a few questions like this could give them a lot of useful information about the candidates.
Don’t get me wrong. I do understand the reasons why this level of scrutiny is not applied to the substitute pool – cost of time spent interviewing and small supply of applicants. I just feel like, yet again, the students lose in this deal. When people who lack flexibility, are less than passionate about children and their education, and lose control easily are hired to be substitute teachers, the students sense this and respond by disengaging and misbehaving. It molds their perception of substitutes into something resembling an ineffective babysitter. This, in turn, causes problems for the regular teacher and for the next substitute – no matter how qualified, his/her job will be harder. And the cycle continues. School systems (and ultimately the students) would benefit from remembering substitutes are teachers, too, and doing a better job of attracting and selecting candidates who are more qualified and have a great attitude toward students.
My sincere hope is that you find something useful within these posts, that you comment when you agree or disagree meaningfully, and that if you know of anything that would benefit the rest of us, you will let me know. And if we are lucky, our efforts will improve the educational experience of the children in all our care. Enjoy.
