Teacher Shortage II: Special Education

Some of the fields mentioned as having specific teacher shortage were Science and Special Education. One explanation for the shortage, according to the public radio article, was that teaching credentialing programs do not consult with the districts regarding their needs and thus not preparing teachers for areas in demand.

It might be true. I don’t know what kind of communication these institutions have, but facts that I observe are not matching the picture they are trying to paint.

Over the years that I have been in substitute teaching, waiting to come across the big demand for math teachers, I kept hearing about a shortage in science and special education. I even considered going back to school to get special education credentials (meaning starting all over again…). Then I was advised not to do it since others did take this route and still could not find a job. A colleague had suggested taking qualifying tests to become a science teacher, which I did, yet I meet science teachers working as substitutes because they cannot find a position.

Situation may have changed in science, but I don’t think there is a real shortage in special education that is not due to incredible inefficiency in the system.

It is a very sensitive issue, loaded with claims of injustice and lawsuits threats, yet, I would like to hear a good explanation to why a class of general education students should suffer overcrowding of 45 students, while a class of 5-10 special education students may have two full time teachers, and three full time assistants! I am not exaggerating! Many of my assignments are in special education classes, that are usually overstaffed even without me sitting there doing nothing.

In the ‘Mild to Moderate’ Special Day Classes (SDC), there is a known, but an unspoken, agreed lie. These classes are homerooms for a random collection of students, with completely different problems. Since it is impossible to find a common ground for students with behavior problems, learning disabilities, autism, ADD, ADHD and others, the class is just a shell for these individuals. It pretends to teach all the subjects, to do assignments and take tests, but in most cases SDC means permission to do nothing. However, since schools and district are sued for not providing adequate education, they have to play the game and pretend they do.

I was recently called to substitute at a school with block scheduling, two hours a block! It was a special education class with 5 students and two (unhelpful) aids. Teacher’s instruction were scribbled on the board in an untidy manner, with instructions to have students solve problems in a science book that they did not have, from a chapter that they did not read, that included experiments that they have not done, and probably will never do!

As it happens quite often in special education classes, it was a very long day, with very unmotivated students, no clear instruction or lesson plans, yet occupying three adults doing nothing, watching five students doing nothing… sorry… but I don’t call it ‘teacher shortage…’

Teacher Shortage – What a surprise!

Greatest news for teachers and the teaching profession! Shortage of teachers! Are you kidding me?

I completed my Single Subject teaching credentials ten years ago; a second career after losing technical job in early 2000. Math teaching should be safe, I was told…

I, since, was one of many teaching applicants at the district that could not find a permanent job. A year after year I took the long, trying, drive to the headquarters, paying application fees and parking fees, carrying all the precious original papers (Nope! No copies), arguing to no avail that they already have all these docs in their system, as well as my health records, finger prints and picture, just to get ‘oh, we already have those in the system’ (dah!), and then never to hear from them again!

Then there were years of long-term sub assignments in the hope of turning to full-time jobs. At one school, doing some impossible assignments, administrators, at last, felt guilty enough to promise me a permanent job. They almost fulfilled it, but three weeks into the school year, after an early than usual norm-day, and before registration ended, I was let go. A year later, I helped train a new, young, teacher at that school, just to see her let go few weeks later. Poor girl! Her first teaching job!

During the four plus years of long-term assignments at that school, I have seen tens of teachers being riffed every single year. Some were re-instituted, but most not. They either retired or shoved to the sub pool. On the following years, I would meet them in every school I worked, some reassigned, but most working as substitute teachers, trying to hold to their tenure for several more years before retirement.

Many of the young energetic new teachers who came to the system full of hope and enthusiasm, left, disappointed and frustrated. Most are lost forever to the teaching profession. They learned, during their short experience, how frustrating, unfair and even abusive the system is, on top of grueling job with nominal reward. Many friends and siblings of those young people, who planned to be teachers, changed their mind too; watching their peers’ frustration decided not to bother.

And those ‘lucky’ teachers who were not riffed, not reassigned, not relocated, not reprimanded for something that they did not do… They had to deal with No Child Left Behind, Standardized Tests, California Standards, Core Standards, Budget cuts, shortage of discipline deans, shortage of counselors, shortage in janitorial services, Breakfast in Class, Technology ‘progress’ that works only sometimes … to name just a few... Add to that the ever-growing population of ‘entitled’ students and parents, fueled by media and politicians’ agenda…

Funny or sad? I can’t decide…

Substitute Teaching: Back to School

This is the time of the year when decisions need to be made - shall I stay with this unsatisfying path of substitute teaching, or shall I give it up; happily retire, find a different activity that may not bring money but peace of mind, or maybe find a way to help a student completely lost on the way to graduation...

Sadly, substitute teaching has nothing much to do with teaching. In most cases, substitute teaching is not more than a glorified babysitting, especially in middle and high schools.

I randomly move between the attitude of a teacher who is trying to capture any teaching moment to enhance the horizons of the uninformed, uninterested, young crowed, and the attitude of ‘leave me alone…’ feeling that my role is so useless in trying to educate a bunch of screen-addicted youngsters that just don’t care.

Kids will be kids! That’s true enough, and talking to my school-days’ friends, we were not that much different. The difference is in the system. There were boundaries and consequences, and parents that thought that education is important, and teachers too…

Why do I go back, then, to substitute teaching?

First, I still want to work. My last long-term assignment convinced me (one more time!) that full time teaching is just impossible! Being a substitute teacher keeps me close to the profession but with the option to back up any time it gets too crazy.

Second, I enjoy returning to the same schools, watching the changes, see people that I know, meet new people, hear stories, and know that at the end of the day I can leave the problems behind and go back to the serenity of my own home…

The heartbeat of a school is the cafeteria. I always go there when I work. Unhappy schools have gloomy cafeterias with very few, isolated, customers. Lively cafeteria hints of supportive staff members finding relief in each other’s company. There is nothing like commiserating with colleagues at lunch. To me this is a happy school.

Having experienced both sides of the employment circumstances; being a full-time teacher as well as a daily substitute, gives me some sensitivity and insight to what I hear and see, and it adds to my understanding as an outside observer.

Watching and writing about it is another reason why I am still doing it…