tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post7235744293755293566..comments2024-03-29T04:34:05.185-04:00Comments on CURMUDGUCATION: The Substitute ShortagePeter Greenehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16511193640285760299noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-35051842484522501442018-02-20T14:15:57.013-05:002018-02-20T14:15:57.013-05:00You can't touch kids. They'll nail you on ...You can't touch kids. They'll nail you on that alone.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16355354407318686417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-33783125872394925082015-08-04T06:53:50.297-04:002015-08-04T06:53:50.297-04:00I have a masters in elementary childhood education...I have a masters in elementary childhood education; therefore, I can't get hired as a classroom teacher in a public school as my pay will be higher than a teacher with only a bachelor's degree. I also have a bachelor's degree in liberal arts and know four foreign languages. It means nothing. So I was resigned to sub. Even that didn't turn out well. I was professional in showing up well on time, treating the students and faculty and administration with respect, being proficient in instruction, doing more than babysitting. I liked it well enough. I said and did nothing controversial. Then out of the blue, the tide changed. I was charged with "sleeping in class". I never ever slept or napped or nodded. Wide awake every minute and no witnesses even if I were. I was put on the "No Call" list in more than one district. The nail in the coffin came with an accusation that I physically harmed a child. Specifically she was one of three girls who were sitting in butterfly chairs in a cluster and kicking each other for sport. I broke it up (appropriately), didn't yell, and told them to leave their butterfly chairs and to sit at library tables. One girl remained and I gently took her by the wrist and got her on her feet, and walked her over to a table. I didn't report her to her teacher or to the office because it was the week-end before Christmas and I didn't want to get her in trouble. Just the opposite. Her parents reported to the principal that faint red marks on her arm was due to me. I was investigated by the state's child protection, the charges were found to be baseless. But it doesn't matter. I am on yet another "No Call" list permanently. I am beyond dismayed. I am a good teacher, care about the children, and worked *hard* as even a substitute. I even excelled in special education as a substitute. I miss teaching more than I can say.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06594859772537456418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-32962611288101473602015-08-02T22:51:19.770-04:002015-08-02T22:51:19.770-04:00Sub pay is definitely an issue in Fort Wayne. One ...Sub pay is definitely an issue in Fort Wayne. One of the many long-term subs that has left the school district that will remain nameless asked why she would put up with what she does in that classroom when she can make more and have better benefits working for Costco. I even heard that Walmart paid better (ironic as it is given who is funding school reform). The Obamacare 30 hour mandate is definitely a factor, though. It effects long-term subs and aides mostly. Often times aides are pulled to sub as teachers creating a cascade effect that it now leaving more and more teachers without aides. Just look up "More School Districts Cutting Part-Time Worker Hours Ahead Of Insurance Law" which was a StateImpact Indiana report to see its effects. However, giving subs insurance wouldn’t be a problem if the legislators weren’t underfunding education so much; many superintendents and school board members have said that they would give health insurance to subs if they could, but can’t, because of funding constraints, and I would say that is a fair assessment. Jorfer88https://www.blogger.com/profile/17289208076043248169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-6693088476368726282015-07-31T16:26:52.289-04:002015-07-31T16:26:52.289-04:00Are you supposed to "make a living" as a...Are you supposed to "make a living" as a substitute? In Florida, it's always been seen as a job for someone with flexible hours who is looking for a little extra money (grad students, retirees, housewives, etc.) or, more rarely, those who are looking to break into teaching. I say more rarely because until the economy crashed a few years back we were faced with teacher shortages, so there was no need to go the substitute route; they were hiring anyone with a college degree. And, even now, most people looking to get into the teaching profession who can't get in right away opt for being paraprofessionals (teacher aides). Talk about a position that is underpaid! <br /><br />In any event, there is a sub shortage in my county, but it is not because of the low pay. Over the years, the district has made it progressively more difficult to become a substitute teacher, mostly in the form of beaurocratic hoops that must be jumped through. Nothing about the process is simple. Whenever I hear subs complaining, it's always about the process or the behavior of the students. I've yet to hear them complain about pay (which is a bit odd since they really do deserve more compensation than they get).<br /><br />The behavior of the students is another issue for subs. When I went to elementary school, the biggest problems were talking in class and chewing gum. It was unheard of for a student to yell at a teacher. The job of a substitute today is definitely more difficult than it was a few decades ago.<br /><br />The flip side of the lack of substitutes coin is that teachers are taking more sick days. I think there are two reasons for this. Never easy, the jobs of teachers have steadily increased in difficulty, exacting a heavier toll on the mind, body, and spirit of teachers than it once did. The other reason is that the payment for unused sick leave hours upon retirement is periodically threatened to be done away with. <br /><br />Fewer substitutes + teachers using more sick leave = not good.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12080355510309347815noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-10433314192027005252015-07-30T20:25:05.003-04:002015-07-30T20:25:05.003-04:00Ain't that trueAin't that trueDetankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04708585324454510284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-43000184611261631072015-07-29T20:02:22.016-04:002015-07-29T20:02:22.016-04:00To add to Thorup's premise: The reason it does...To add to Thorup's premise: The reason it doesn't lead to teaching jobs anymore is, in part, because the sub system has been privatized. Contractually, when a sub works for the district for 60 days (a third of a school year) they are no longer a sub, but a full time teacher. With private companies hiring the subs they don't technically work for the district. Also, subs would get years of service in the pension system, but again, don't work directly for the school, so mo YOS. <br /><br />If you are going to pay a professional a crappy wage, there should be other benefits or they will, as we've seem, go elsewhere. MrChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15834292039619837268noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-86929810345428956342015-07-28T13:54:01.397-04:002015-07-28T13:54:01.397-04:00Another problem not mentioned is that daily sub jo...Another problem not mentioned is that daily sub jobs don't lead to teaching jobs like they might have in the past, at least in my area.<br /><br />If you're a paraprofessional/teacher's aide/whatever they call it in your district, it's similar crap pay, but you get reliable hours and people get to know you, so you have a better shot at a full-time job later.Thoruphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06920942947587151565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-76079204401253448152015-07-28T06:32:30.975-04:002015-07-28T06:32:30.975-04:00I meant $35/day, of course.I meant $35/day, of course.Rebecca deCocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168718846105012814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-86276598345976169982015-07-27T21:04:01.257-04:002015-07-27T21:04:01.257-04:00I think one of the biggest problems is probably la...I think one of the biggest problems is probably lack of teacher graduates. I, too, substituted when I graduated. I think pay was, like, $35/hr, but it was the only way to get into the system and I think it helped me learn classroom management. What I hated was long-term positions less than 4 months (when they started giving you base pay) because having to make lesson plans and doing grades (maybe for something that wasn't my area) was SO worth a whole lot more than what I was making.<br /><br />Another pool we always used to draw on was retired teachers. Now that they keep raising the retirement age, that's more difficult, and the way things are nowadays, it's not an atmosphere you want to go back into.<br /><br />Permanent subs is probably a good idea. We used to have a couple of them in our building. I think they stopped that though.Rebecca deCocahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13168718846105012814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-19184482813018025502015-07-27T20:39:55.896-04:002015-07-27T20:39:55.896-04:00You can't make a living substitute teaching.
...You can't make a living substitute teaching.<br /><br />After the recession and before I got my current teaching job I substituted for 2 years.<br /><br />It's a hard life. I worked almost every day. I survived by living with my parents and having the social life of a monk. (a fun life for a 30 year old.)<br /><br />A secondary issue is, you know that no one cares about you. You are there as a stop gap. Occasionally a school would accidentally book me. I show up and after a few minutes of the secretary trying to figure out why I was there, she would tell me to just go home. They don't care that their screw up just cost me a day's pay.<br /><br />In my current district the sub issue is trickier. We are a tourist community. During the winter we're ok, but the spring and fall are a nightmare. On multiple occasions the school has sent out emails stating that they were out of subs. (sometimes a week or two in advance.) As you might imagine, with such desperation quality was never a question.Detankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04708585324454510284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6534665086749553287.post-29135871005972171712015-07-27T12:58:38.796-04:002015-07-27T12:58:38.796-04:00Right on as usual. The school I left when my prin...Right on as usual. The school I left when my principal dared me to find greener grass elsewhere was paying substitute teachers the lowest wages in the county, and by the hour. When my substitute traveled my daily 4 mile trek from one of my art rooms to the other, she was not paid for that 15 minutes. By the time I left, admin was begging us not to take days off if we could help it.Mrs.S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/06459882623910067594noreply@blogger.com