How long is too long to sub?

[hanna26]

Hi, I'm new here to the board and have been wondering how long everyone has subbed? I've started my 5th year and am beginning to wonder if I'm looked down upon because I'm still subbing. I do it mainly for the extra income as my husband works but I do hold a valid teaching license. I sub in the district where my children attend school and it has really worked out well. I'm just not ready for a full time teaching position yet. But, I often wonder if the students and teachers are thinking, "That poor woman is still subbing?" Any thoughts on this or has anyone felt the same way?

 

[Chris0381]

Im saying poor teachers.

After reading 2 books on teaching and the fact that its a step or 2 below air traffic contolling for stress and they have loads of homework, I'm saying poor teachers!!

Anyone who looks down on another for working as a sub is not worth worrying about. I'm sure you have other things in your life to fall back on. Subs are essential as my school district here in Hartford, CT is desperate for them.

In America, you have the freedome to chose your profession, don't feel inadequate for earning an honest living or performing a job to pay your bills.

I would assume teachers are too educated to stoop as low as to be looking down on people. Then hypocracy is being performed as we teach our youth to look thru our differences and to be respectful of each other. And if not, then there is a problem in the way we are bringing up our future Americans as we must go forward to make this challenging world a better place for our youth.

As teachers and educators, there is a responsibility to maintain integrity and practice as we preach.

 

[Sublime]

subbing

Just last week I ran into a teacher I had met when I was student teaching about 10 years ago. The inevitable question, "Why aren't you teaching?" came up and the thoughts went through my mind...why aren't I? It took me 6 years part-time to get my credential. Am I going to do this forever? Actually I've been subbing about 7 years, I love it, I have 2 young children and don't want to work full time, and when I see what the teachers have to deal with, I don't want to be in their position!! So if I am still subbing 20 years from now, it means I am still enjoying the children, the flexibility, the lack of stress, and the luck of not having to work full-time...and I don't care what people think about me and my life in that regard!

 

[katiepotatie]

I completely agree with Sublime.

 

[hanna26]

Thankyou

Thankyou for your gracious replies as you've made me feel better about my subbing situtaion. It's nice to know what others subs are thinking and feeling. I've also been asked when I'm going to be getting a full time position. When I tell them I'm happy subbing at the moment they look at me like I'm insane. I didn't realize that subbing is nearly as stressful as air traffic controlling!! Good gracious! Sublime: You put it all in perspective for me so thankyou!

 

[Chris0381]

Teaching is.....

Those books were based on teaching not Subbin Hannah. One of the reasons to sub it to get involved in teaching without having to go thru the daily grind of teaching which is almost as stressful as Air Traffic Control. I appreciate fully what teachers go thru now. I have a new undestanding of them I never had till this day.

Health is affected more if the stress is constant and you can't back away from it. Although we have stress, some of us can submerge and wait out the depth charge attack (till bell rings) then raise to the surface and sneak away to recooperate. I try not to schedule back to back subbing days and aim for 2-3 a week until I get more proficient.

Our stress may also be dependent on how well we manage a class and I feel I need to build my skills gradually (step back - absorb-learn-go forward). This forum is a great segway into doing that.

 

[i-sub-2]

I am closing in on 20 years of subbing, and I still enjoy it. I started out subbing because there were not jobs in my town, and I did not have the ability to commute long distances at the time. Then I had some personal family issues to come up, and I never did take a long-time teaching job. I have taken a yearly fill in position from time to time, but I have been happy subbing.

 

[Rachelle]

4 years

This is my 4th year subbing. I Love it. With my husbands hours I can't really get a F/T job elsewhere because we would'nt have anyone to watch our kids if they weren't in school. Especially in the summer. I sub at my kids school and I get to take them to school and bring them home. It's great! My Ultimate goal is to get a Permnant job at the school but they are So very hard to come by

 

[hindypo]

I choose to sub

Because I do other jobs and I really do not want to be in a classroom every single day....I don't feel that I have to justify my decisions to anyone and that the schools should just be darn glad that they get to have such a talented person for the day!

 

[xiaoshan]

I personally think it's a normal thing. Some of the subs I met told me they had teaching credential and that they are subbing because they did not want to go through all those painful days of preparing the lesson plans. Anyway, I'm still trying to get into the teaching credential program, but I got my BA and also passed the CBEST and that's how I could teach. So since you have a busy life, and still thinking about just subbing. I think it's normal for you to keep the job still.