The Challenges and Joys of Substitute Teaching

We recently moved from California to Pennsylvania and I am subbing until I find another job to keep busy and earn some money. The first challenge is the paperwork, including fingerprints, transcripts, and background checks.  Once you get that out of the way, next is accepting jobs. You either get called at 9:00 or night, or 6:30 in the morning. I prefer the night calls, because you can better prepare, instead of scrambling around in the dark in the morning. For me, because I don’t know the area, I need to go to map quest to locate the school. Once you get to the school, be prepared for anything. They may tell you on the phone that you will sub for a resource teacher, only to be redirected to a third grade classroom at the last minute. In the best case scenario, the teacher will have left lesson plans. Sometimes, you have nothing.  If so, you have very little time to review them and to gather your thoughts as you are standing in front of a classroom of noisy children. You literally have to wing it and think on your feet. 

In elementary grades, be prepared to spend the day trying to maintain control in a very loud voice. The kids tell you almost proudly that they always misbehave for subs. It’s like a free day for them. Imagine the little darlings screaming, hitting, throwing, running in the halls and asking to go to the bathroom every five minutes. They will also point out to you when you are deviating from the teacher’s normal routine.  And then there are the snitches. They love to point out the misbehavior of others, even though they are not angels themselves. Sounds like a war zone, doesn’t it?

Joy comes unexpectedly. In the middle of chaos, a student raised her hand and said, “you are so pretty”.  On the playground, I am warmed by little bodies hugging me. I solve crises, like “she doesn’t want to be my friend”.  I call another little girl over and ask if she can be her friend and the problem is solved! I wish it could all be that easy. And the best reward comes at the end of the day when kids say to you, “I love you – you are the best teacher”.  This comes after yelling at them all day. How puzzling.  I probably will not see these kids again, but I feel satisfied that maybe I made a small bit of difference in their lives.