Sub Vision - Returning to work - Chapter 2

 

My previous post described my journey to returning to school after one year of retirement, a journey that started May 2021, and was still going on a year later. In January 2022, I was invited to what I thought was a final interview, to find out that my long one hour trip, each way, was just to submit forms to a lady behind a thick glass, but I was promised that it is just a matter of days now.

So I waited a week, then a second week, and when the third week ended with no signs of communication, I touched base with my latest contact person. It was already mid-February, and I was scheduled to start a jury duty in few days. When, at last, I heard back from them I was well into my jury duty time, followed by few weeks of medical appointments. However, I didn’t waste time, and attempted to complete the next necessary step - some pre-requisite training.

Now, a new adventure started. For some reason the system would not let me log in to the training site. Thus a new, long, correspondence and phone calls, with an extended list of officials, had begun. I was bounced back and forth between the different departments:  IT, HR, Health Office (theorizing that I didn’t upload my vaccination card), Community Health, and supervisors of all the above, alongside with intensive text conversations with a well-intentioned HR employee.

The whole ordeal lasted until May, but with a special permission to postpone my training until the issue is resolved, I was allowed to start working in April. I am still not sure what was the source of the problem, or how it was eventually resolved, but apparently one powerful nurse was able to unblock my access to the training. How and why? I am not sure.

By the time I was able, at last, to start working I was as nervous as if I had never worked before, or been to any of those schools. However, the welcome I received compensated for all the frustration. I found my friends; was delighted to discover that almost every person I care for was still there, including those who told me two years earlier that they would retire. At another school I had a nice lunch reunion with collogues, and here and there reconnected with acquaintances. Best of all –the cafeterias were still the same, run by the same kind ladies, with a c55 coffee and $2.50 lunch, a generous 20 minutes nutrition break and 30-35 lunch break. What else do I need?

Well, I still needed to be paid, of course. Not surprisingly, a new issue surfaced there too. I first assumed that it was related to the previous issue, but when it was not resolved I was wondering what next. This time, however, it was an easy fix. My phone call was answered by an actual person, who was patient enough to listen to my story and knew exactly what to do. It so happened that my previous employee number that worked well for all other functions, was not good for the payroll, and schools needed to use a new assigned number to pay me. Strange, but an easy fix.

Now I was completely ready! Almost a whole year later… And only two short months before summer vacation...

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: Until the Next Summer Vacation…

Summer vacation has this unique quality of passing bye without notice. It was the case when I was a student, of course, but as a teacher, I hoped for some significant pause that would feel joyous, and last for a long time.

Every year, since I became a teacher, I reach the last day of summer vacation with an absolute amazement – is that all? Is it up already? Did I waist again two whole months without knowing it?

This summer was no different. Last day of school in June felt a long, blissful, way from August, and I intended to enjoy every moment of it. We had only short trips and few events planned, so my goal was to enjoy quiet days doing some projects, acquiring new skills, relearning how to operate the sewing machine, visiting bookstores and enjoying leisure time with friends…

I was quite disciplined about waking up at a descent time and talking my morning walks (a bit later than I planned…). The hard part was going to bed early enough so that the mornings would be easier to embrace, but watching a movie, or the news, or reading a book, were too tempting… after all I am on vacation…

I did manage to organize some drawers and shelves, and go through my wardrobe, yet, the more I did, I realized how much more there is to be done… My plans to do art projects, learn music, dive into a computer language, lose weight or mend my dresses were postponed to the next year. Even my plans to get together with friends for a long brunch, or fulfill promised visits were not executed…

I found myself happy enough doing small house chores; vacuuming and dusting, laundering and ironing and occasionally doing small scale house organization. Following the news consumed my early evening hours, and meal times were joyfully stretched and relaxed. I discovered how much I like being home and not having to follow any set schedule, ‘to do’ list, or answer to any demands on my time...

It will be good to go back to a more structured schedule, to see people, to have the thoughts occupied by school events, and to study new subjects with my students, still, it means going to bed on time, and worse – getting up on time…

Ch 19 of 20: Why teachers don't complain

Teachers do complain! They complain all the time. If you sit for lunch at the cafeteria with a group of teachers, this is all you hear – complaints… Teachers who share lunch with few friends in their room complain to each other. Complaining is good. This is an outlet, the only relief from the everyday hopeless grind…

The real question is why don’t teachers voice their complaints in the media, in front of the governor’s office, the white house…Well… they do but only when their livelihood is being threatened, when a last straw is added to their heavy load, like benefits being taken away... When that happens, they express anger not only over the specific issue but over the accumulation of all their aggravation; about their indignity, about every day’s frustration dealing with students, parents, administration. About a system directed by people who had never been teachers in their life, but pretend to know everything about fixing the education system…

The main reason why teachers don’t protest the injustice more often is because they don’t have time… They are working after hours, weekends and vacations; checking work, grading papers, preparing lesson plans. At school, during short breaks or conferences, they are always busy; trapped in an endless cycle of work. When, at last, they have a chance to rest, perhaps few days during summer vacation, they are so exhausted that they don’t even want to talk about school…

Another reason for not voicing their frustration is, having their performance and role being attacked so often, and so harshly, by superiors, politicians and media, that, as one of my colleague once said, a self-doubt is creeping into their heart; lack of confidence in their ability of being real good teachers…

Unfortunately, the system takes advantage of this lack of confidence and lashes on teachers left and right…

So why do teachers come back every year to start over another impossible task? Well, we forget how impossible it is… how tough and thankless the grind is and how impossible it is to please any one at all… we just forget…

I remember my second year of teaching, at a charter school, where I, and two of my friends, swore at the end of the school year never to come back to that school, and for that matter never to teach full time again. It was not even October when we were ready to run back to that same school and beg them to take us back…

You see, we are just a naïve, optimistic group of people who keep believing that next year will be better; we will do a better job and as a result everything will be better… just stupidly naïve group of people…