We appreciate good subs

[Penny]

My guess is that anyone posting on this board is probably a good sub. You're interested in being better and many of you want to get a full time job. I appreciate good subs--especially after having a bad one.

Yesterday I got pulled for a half day meeting. I walked back into my room at the tail end of the last period. My 6th period kids rushed to tell me "It wasn't us!" That's always a bad sign.

My room was completely trashed. Someone from the previous class period had dumped a crate full of books on the floor. The sub did not get the kids to pick them up, nor did she move to pick them up herself--they had been on the floor for an hour at least. Hopefully no one stepped on them. I have tapes in there also.

There were books and junk all over my tables. Again, no move to clean up. The worksheets were scattered all over. I asked if she had separated them by class periods and she told me, "I didn't know what to do with them." Granted, I forgot to tell her where to put the worksheets, but in some obvious location grouped by class would have been nice.

I could forgive her for not really following my lesson plans and can even forgive the discipline problems she had--I have some really difficult kids, but is it too much to expect that the room is fairly clean and organized before I come back?

I'm not anti-sub, in fact I was a sub at one point. I just want you all to know that teachers really do appreciate subs who can do a good job because there are terrible ones out there.

 

[wig]

Our school - a small one - has been blessed with the most fantastic subs. Many of them even grade papers for us if we leave the key. But, one day we used a new sub. She totally ignored my lesson plans and had every class just read the entire time. Now that was OK (sort of) for my afternoon 45 minute classes. But I have one group of kids all morning long. If they hadn't had Spanish to break things up, they would have had 3 straight hours of reading instead of two. I then got a note stating she didn't understand my lesson plans (I write very thorough ones) so she decided that reading wouldn't hurt them.

But, I will say that considering that I have been teaching 33 years, one bad sub is not too bad.

To all you great subs out there, know that you are very much appreciated. When I read about or hear the horror stories of subs going into a classroom with no lesson plans, no class schedule, out of control kids, etc. I know that I would not last as a sub.

 

[Augustus]

no excuse for that

sometimes I have had to literally stand in the doorway in order for the "students" to pick up the room before they are allowed to leave. I have even had to endure threats for doing this. "We'll go right over the top of you mister." Yeh, yeh, yeh, just pick up the garbage. (said in a real bored, blase manner)
As a teacher the best thing you can do is to support your sub. But, in order for you to do that, the sub must make good choices. that is where school policy comes into play. I always try to follow each school's rules and the teacher's lesson plans. You will never get into trouble at least trying to follow SOP. I can't imagine at least not trying to follow the plans.