Sub Vision: School Closure 3 - Social Distancing

During the last week of school before the closure, we started to be aware of social distancing, but not quite.

On the last day I worked at school, I was at one of my favorite classes, with one of my favorite assistants, and after a short hesitation we hugged. Later that day, at lunch, I saw a friend, a teacher, and this time I hesitated a little longer as I know her to be quite anxious about germs, but she did not seem to mind a hug. There were six of us at a small lunch room, around a small table, not too aware or worried about social distancing.

In one instance that day, when I worked at a different part of the school where I seldom go, I saw a staff member I haven’t seen in a while. When I offered a hug I noticed a clear hesitation, and this time I thought that I should be more careful not to make people uncomfortable invading their space.

Everything has drastically changed few days later. Schools were closed. People were distancing. Neighbors stopped casual meeting, friends stopped socializing. Media warned us not to get close to anyone, and I started to take it seriously.

Students are now at home, as well as all my friends from school. Occasionally we text each other, or talk, nostalgically, about our fun routine gatherings. We know it will be a while before we congregate for another casual lunch break. Ironically, now even the most frustrating working moments at school are remembered fondly.

I am paid for doing nothing, and feel guilty about that. What about students’ families, many of whom cannot afford staying at home and missing a paycheck? Hopefully feeding programs will continue, but would it be enough? And what about their other needs?

It is a strange and worrisome time, where wonderful people are doing wonderful things, especially health workers, and all I am doing is staying at home and worrying… And at a time when everyone needs at least few warm hugs a day, we are all asked to shelter in place and social distance…

Sub Vision: School Closure 2

On the last week of school before closure, I was at one of my favorite special education classes. This school has the best special education program, with the most qualified and dedicated teachers, most of whom I had known for years, since I worked there.

This group of students I was teaching just before the closure, are 12^th graders now.  I had taught this same group, for several weeks, four years ago, when they were 9th graders, as the school lost their permanent teacher and before they hired a new one.

This was quite a difficult group of students, smart but resentful, especially because their previous substitute teacher was much more lenient…

Over the years, I had seen them in different classrooms and watched them growing up. Some of them gained a foot in height, boys added facial hair and deeper voices, and the girls became young, smart looking, ladies. Most of them are now thoughtful young adults, taking responsibilities and seriously planning for their future.

With time, even the students who resented me most, became more friendly and appreciative, and just on that same week, the assistant told me, to my surprise, that one of the boys, with whom I  had many discipline issues, said he likes that I am their substitute teacher.

If the closure continues until the end of the school year, as they predict, it means I would not see this group of students at the school any more. I was already feeling sad every time I saw them, knowing they will graduate this year. Now I may not even see them before graduation…

Of course, I feel for them too. They will miss the thrill that comes with being the graduating class, respected by the younger students, befriended by teachers and staff, as they absorb the last memories of school days, realizing they will be leaving soon. And what about graduation ceremony, prom, senior activities and pranks? all those memories that carry you throughout life…

All through the school year students, teachers and staff are waiting for few days off, and the more the better. Now that we have them in abundance we wish we didn’t…

Sub Vision: School Closure

As soon as schools closed, everything got a new perspective… all of a sudden the irritating routines, the inefficient staff, the strict administrators, the rowdy students, all becomes near and dear…

Last week was just another week, with the bright spots of getting some agreeable comments from students, working with a good assistant, having lunch with friends, but also with some of the usual annoyances like miscommunications, misunderstandings, huge classrooms crowded with rude students…

Now that there are talks about possibly closing schools until the summer, it is depressing even for people who love staying at home, let alone for students who strive on social connection, and parents whose livelihood depends on going to work to provide for their families…

Last time I was employed was the week just before the closure. As I was working in different classrooms, I noticed the new types of desks most classes had. They are shaped like a trapezoid but with curvy sides, and can be put together in various forms. Different teachers combine them in diverse ways. Some put them in threes or more, the conservative teachers arrange them in twos, and the progressive ones arrange full circles, which makes me feel like I am in a summer camp…

As an old-fashioned teacher, I always liked the conservative arrangement of one student per desk, or two at the most, to break the social connections and make students pay attention to the teacher…

Now, like probably most of the students , I feel nostalgic for the combined desks, where students do communicate and socialize, and sometimes even help each other… because maybe socializing is the most important thing they do learn at school, after all…

Sub Vision: Dear Substitute Teacher

 It is the start of a new school year and whether you are excited to go back to work or wish you had a longer vacation, your summer vacation will probably last a little longer, as most teachers are still present in class. By the time calls start coming you will be mentally ready…

When that happens, be prepared with few items to help you in case you are sent to a class that is not ready for you. Think ahead of some activities that would occupy students in case they don’t have anything to do. Although many of them would not want to participate, some will, and it will make a difference.

I usually carry with me Sudoku to draw on the board and challenge students to solve it. If they are too lazy to copy it (occasionally I copy for them), some will be happy to do it on the board. You may also look for various brain puzzles. I recently found one with symbols representing expressions, and students really enjoy it...

Most classrooms are equipped with an electronic device that can run a movie. You may want to fetch few DVDs, as they are easy to carry. I usually bring a classic, not anything students would watch on their own, to introduce them to good old, yet entertaining, movies, like Charlie Chaplin’s or the Marx Brothers’.

For your own entertainment, bring something to read in case students are busy. Try not to use your cell phone, as it looks unprofessional. Reading a book or magazine will make you look professional, and will give students a good example. I usually carry with me the Time Magazine; it contains current news, fun facts and stories…

Take with you a snack and a bottle of water; you never know what the school cafeteria provides. Bring a hat in case you are to supervise an outside action, and a light sweater in case air-conditioning is too chilly.

Make sure you are cozy and mobile. Use a light handbag, comfortable shoes and be as self-sustained as possible; you may be at an unfamiliar school, or doing unplanned activity at the gym, out on the field, or in an office filing papers...

And my favorite… go to the cafeteria for nutrition and lunch (make sure you have few one dollar bills), and talk to someone; There is nothing as effective in relieving daily stress as talking to another adult who deals with similar situations...

Sub Vision: Dear Teacher...

I know, I am just a substitute and what do I know about your unique style, your great students, and your special relationship with them. You do want a good substitute to guard your precious learners and protect that distinct dynamic. I do understand that, and would love to follow your heart, however it is not that simple... I know the endless hours you invest in your profession; I used to do that too. I see both sides. However, I learned from experience that the special balance you have with your students exists only when you are there. As soon as a replacement is present, students become the rebellious kids, who want to play, not to learn…

No matter how much you trust those perfect students of yours, please leave them with some distinct work, to be completed by the end of the period; not tomorrow, not next week. It cannot be an ongoing project they are working on this week, or a paragraph to read, or studying for a test. They won’t do it! If the work you assign is not on a paper, collectible by me, the preferred way of accountability, if it is electronic, make sure that the deadline is by the end of the period. Make sure they know it, they know you are going to check, and please do so. If they don’t have to show a completed work by the end of the period, trust me, they would NOT do it.

Please leave with me a seating chart. There is nothing as magical for behavior control as seating charts. As long as they know I can find out their names, and they will be answerable for their behavior, they will behave. Don’t just leave me a note to report to you the misbehaving people. They know I don’t know their names and they trust their friends not to tell me.

Please leave me some space on your white, or black, board, where I can find room to put on the date and my name. I would also like, if possible, to write your instructions on the board, just in case someone will claim I never told them…

Whatever instructions you gave the students before I came, please give them to me too. I would like to be informed of what I am supervising, and what your expectations are. I want to be able to tell students to do their work, and to know they really do have work, otherwise I will have to trust their word that they have nothing to do…

And… when they tell you I was mean, it is OK to sympathize with them, if you need their affection, but please be assured in your heart that I was doing my job…

Sub Vision: Re-checking Full-time Teaching

For the past several months, I am looking for any new view or interesting occurrence while substituting. I had few long terms assignments, one to three weeks long, and many daily jobs, mainly at good high schools, mostly close to home, in many cases at schools that I know, and for teachers I identify, but nothing seems to change my mind of the likelihood of becoming an effective teacher.

I keep asking myself; would I be able to do things better next time around? 

Working at different classrooms I observe what other teachers do, how they handle discipline, how they make sure students are on task, and how they verify their knowledge, and I still can’t see an effective way to do a good job.

With an average of forty students in class, no assistants at the General-Ed track, lack of students’ motivation to succeed, absence of bar to meet, minimal parents involvement, or even care, and with budget cuts to all the support staff, there is just no way to succeed; no way to achieve real academic results, no way to motivate, or to compel, students to strive to a goal.

I am in good schools, with excellent staff, fine student body, and yet I don’t feel I could be successful as a teacher, and worse, that any of the other teachers meet my definition of success. Some of them are effective with some of the students, yet the majority of the student population is still untouched by the light …

Sub Vision: Strike Rationale

I would never cross a picket line, let alone interfere with teachers’ strike, even if I miss workdays for which I won’t be paid... and despite my somewhat differ views…

Teachers are hard working professionals, whose quality of work is judged, unlike other office and industry professionals, daily, by over 200 students, almost double that number of parents and guardians, peers, supervisors, administrators …

When it comes to earnings, do I want a six percent salary increase? Of course I do, but is it the most important part of the dispute? Teachers are arguing now for far more valuable claims, and to fulfilling them, they should stress resources over salary; funds to reduce class size, increase art and vocational education, counselors, deans.

I don’t know much about elementary school teachers’ job, but I can’t imagine their work load in preparation, and in grabbing so many young students’ attention…

I do know, however, what it means for middle and high school teachers to manage over 200 students a day, keep them focused, follow their progress, spot students who need aid and help them, and evaluate everyone’s achievements…

I do know about the need for extra curriculum classes where students can experience success even when their academic accomplishments are lagging…

I do know about the system’s demand on a teacher to be an educator, discipliner, psychologist, social-worker, special needs expert and parental like figure…

And I do see the damage that charter schools are doing to our community schools, draining their resources, reducing their able bodies, and all of that with very little to show as superiority in education; most of them are concealed pro-profit institutes, with false promises, deprived performance and poor results…

If I were a Union decision maker, I would stress the need to solve first all the other budgetary needs for good education. And to show good faith I would compromise on smaller raise in favor of larger funds, funds that would also include appropriate compensation for teachers working in inner city and lower performing schools…