Sub Vision: Considering a Charter School? Think Again…

This time it is about an affiliated charter school. While most charter schools are independent, some are affiliated with the district. They choose to turn charter to be able to control the funds they receive from the state. Many of them keep the school intact and continue to operate it as before, at least for a while. Few of these ventures are successful, but many are not.

The charter school I had visited the other day used to be a department of a big public school, one of the better ones in the area. Its major part became an independent charter school, but some parts of it broke into small, district affiliated, charter schools. This was one of them.

I have been there several times before, and never quite liked it; there is always something unprofessional in these schools. The Spanish teacher for whom I substituted several times back then had not been at the school for a while, and it didn’t sound like she was coming back anytime soon. This time, however, I was called for an English teacher (that I later learned was absent a lot too), and since I have not been there for a while I decided to give it a second chance.

The main office person who “welcomed me”, had asked me what I was doing there. When I told her the name of the teacher I was sent for, she told me that she had asked for someone else. I felt that the right thing to do was to apologize for my presence, and I asked her if she wanted me to go away. That irritated her even more and she told me to give her a break; it is too early in the morning (as if I didn’t know that).

At last, it seemed apparent that the preferred special sub decided to cancel his job, and I don’t blame him… It is just that he could have let the school know. I would have…

That was how my day started. And it didn’t get any better…

The first period was relatively OK. They were doing an AP test example. I didn’t think they should be working together, nor that they should use their notes, but I tried, except in extreme cases, to stay out of it, since I didn’t have any specific instructions.

From there on it went downhill; disrespectful students with the confidence of not facing any consequences, flatly refuse to do what I told them to do, and other students who would have been more cooperative had they had some real assignment to keep them busty.

As a substitute teacher, I don’t have to return to a school that I don’t like, but the permanent teacher has to face this reality every day (no wonder he chooses to be absent). But this is not the real problem... The real problem is for the eighty percent of the students, who could have done so much better had the school had a real discipline plan. And further more, it is about those few who really want to learn…

One of these students told me to get rid of those hooligans, and I did… buy only for that one period…

However, it is not that easy to get rid of the hooligans. They are part of the school’s resources. Every small, mediocre, school, depends on every student on their roll, as tough as he/she might be, for the money from the state. This money is not enough, though, for the school to hire additional administrator or a dean of discipline to help with those tough students…   

Sub Vision: Computers in Education II

I was called again to cover a computer class few weeks later, at another school. This time I was less tensed, hoping to serve only one of the two-days assignment. It happened to be a class with tablets and not desktops, which made students’ mobility easier, to their advantage, and to my disadvantage…

As before, assignment seemed to be clear and well defined, but students immediately informed me that they are done with their task and have nothing else to do, and thus will be watching movies and do computer games…

I contacted the teacher to get her advice on the new, students’ defined’ situation. To my surprise she said it is OK; students know what they are doing, and she is NOT really expecting me, the substitute, to monitor their activities. I timidly said ‘fine’, and patiently listened to her real worry – a math class at 5th period. I promised her it will be ok and did not contact her anymore…

Students were having a ball… They defied all the rules, ate and drank next to the computers, and did nothing for two days but watching movies, playing games and texting their friends in other classes. All I could do was to try to somewhat contain the chaos. The teacher didn’t expect me to interfere…

The only class that was productive was that ‘worry some’ math class. The assistant was excellent (I have known her for years), and we worked together keeping students on task, and making sure they have plenty to do. And although this was potentially the more problematic class, it was good and productive.

I, sometimes, imagine writing a letter to class teachers: ‘Dear Mr/Ms Teacher, as a substitute I can’t evaluate your students, so don’t expect me to grade them! Also, don’t ask me to enter comments to your grading book! It is not my responsibility! But, please, do not leave things to students’ judgment as to what they supposed to do. They won’t! They will do nothing, and mostly in a noisy and chaotic manner.

Students need a specific assignment to do on a piece of paper, something I will be able to see they are doing, and collect at the end of the period. Something they will be immediately accountable for, not only on your future returned date.’

I should compose the letter! Maybe even leave it on a teacher’s desk one day…

Sub Vision: Computers in Education

One of the ideas that float among education ‘wannabe’ is that technology will solve all our educational illnesses. Students with a connection to the internet will have an unlimited access to knowledge resources, and will be able to research every topic to their youthful curiosity, independent of a tiresome teacher…

Good idea? Of course! Does it work? Not necessarily…

I have seen it time and again, at public and private school, high level as well as low level classes. Whenever students have free approach to internet during their class time, they use it for entertainment, not to broaden their scholastic horizons…

As a math teacher, I am convinced that technology introduced at a too young of an age, during learning of basics, ruins the ability of students to build their own mental tools to conquer simple tasks, let along challenging ones. Their imagination is being limited, and their young brain is incapable of making easy connections.

There are tools available to portray more advanced concept in math, and I have seen nice concept applications, but if these tools are presented too early, they prevent the brain from developing ability of abstract thinking.

In different subjects, where learning consists of knowledge acquiring, like history and social studies, computers could be very helpful in looking up facts and researching events. However, as good as it sounds, these usages are not commonly utilized; as soon as students are able, they are off to their interests; Facebook, fashion, tabloid, games, even full length movies or football playoffs…

I recently clarify that fact to a group of our friends, who discussed, during a social event, the benefit students may enjoy by having a computer available in each class and subject. I made a strong argument that every internet access is soon becomes a source of distraction. Less than a week later, a new situation highlighted my point...

I was assigned to a computer application class, the perfect place to merge computer capabilities learning with fun skills practicing. No sooner than the class started, it happened again... Despite the fact that assignment was clear, creative and enjoyable, students, instead, chose immediately games, movies and social media…

Unfortunately, once more I was proven right…

Sub Vision: The Price of the Freedom to Choose

It is the dream of every full time employee to be able to choose, spontaneously, days to be absent from work. Working full time at a software company, and later as a full time teacher, I didn’t have that luxury. For a teacher, taking a day off, for any good reason, is often more of a headache than going to works…

As a substitute teacher, I do have this privilege. I can plan ahead my vacation days, and even decide not to accept a job the evening before, or the morning of. I don’t usually take advantage of that when I am committed to an assignment, but when I am on daily calls it is just too tempting to say ‘No’ to a job…

However, there is a price for that. A day not worked is a day not paid. It is hard to plan a schedule, as there is no guarantee to getting a job on the next day. So, I am left to gamble on my financial situation.

Many of our trips are coordinated by friends overseas, and according to their holidays and days off. It helps the expense of the trips since these are not necessarily at top US travel season, but then it costs workdays. A trip in September caused me to miss work at the start of the school year, and a second trip, carefully crafted not to miss quality time with my family here, and keep flight prices low, left me with only few working days both in November and in December.

I chose to travel at the end of November, thus working half of the month, enjoying Thanksgivings with my family, and then taking off, planning to return early enough in December to work for at least ten days.

It almost worked. I had a job planned for right after I arrived, and were hoping to work more on the following week, before the holidays’ vacation starts. However, I arrived at the midst of a bad fire season and school was cancelled, and the following week was finals week and my services were not needed...

It would have not been as alarming had it not been for the fact that I needed at least one working day a month to keep my health insurance, and I was worried I won’t get even that one day. Luckily, a friend had asked me to cover her class on the Monday of the last week of the semester. During the following days of finals, the phone was completely silent...

By Friday of that week, I realized I am now in a long stretch of school vacation that started on the week of Thanksgiving and would end after the first week of January… seven weeks of vacation, with only one day of work… (almost) by my choice…

Sub Vision: Long Term Assignment – Part II

Following my ‘success’ at the science and physics classes, and due to another, not unforeseen, situation at school, I was asked to fill an English vacancy. It is quite funny, Not only because English is not my first language and every other substitute would better serve the school, but also because as far as I know, there is no lack of English teachers (unlike physics). Never the less I agreed to try the new adventure.

Even though I am not really qualified to teach English, and absolutely not the 12th grades I was assigned, I know few things about teaching, and about putting some order into unruly, and unmotivated, students. The problem was that those exact skills turned the whole 12th grades community against me…

Starting with my basic tool of creating seating charts for better control and learning names, I had to fight students to sit at a seat and stay there, not to switch and not to wonder around. This first battle cost me a wide spread hostility, even from students who knew me from before and originally favored me.

The next rule of thumb, keeping them busy, was met with no less hostility. I was their 5th or 6th sub for the past two month, and they didn’t think, not unjustifiably, that they should take me / my assignments any more seriously than those of all the prior subs. I had to send several students to the dean before getting any students’ cooperation, which helped, but did further harm to my popularity with them…

It was a Friday when I started, and the prospect was to stay there for at least three weeks, so I thought I did what I needed to do to set the ground to an easier job. Over the weekend I created an orderly seating charts, typed all the 200 names of my new students to my computer, getting ready to record work assignment and any other project that will be useful in evaluating students in case I need to grade them (quite unsettling, considering the fact that the end of the semester was approaching)…

Monday seemed to be somewhat better. I had some handle on the read material, and students who reported back from the dean knew I was serious. At the end of the day I had two visitors, the heads of the English department. They didn’t seem to be too interested in what I was doing, and even less interested in how the students were doing (more than 160 seniors). I told them what my plan was, to have students write, and then exchange papers and critic each other, which they approved, but mostly to assure me that these were THEIR students, and are excellent and capable of doing that.

By Tuesday I already recorded most of the work students handed to me, starting to collect information as a base for a grade, even just to pass it to the next teacher. I worked diligently to put an order in the papers, in the messy classroom, installing procedures, trying to prove how serious I am. Never the less I had a feeling that my efforts are futile, and students, although taking their assignments more seriously, are hostile and not cooperating. I was pretty exhausted and discouraged when I stopped at the office at the end of day. There I discovered that my assignment is over and another teacher is replacing me the next day. I was asked, however, to stay there for another day, to direct him and help him settle down.

Two conflicting feelings overcame me all of at once, a huge relief that I don’t need to do it anymore, and a rage of anger and frustration. Why was I put through this nightmare just for three days, and why did I take it so seriously. Back at home I collapsed into my chair and ate everything in a reasonable radius…

The following day was just as frustrating. The expected teacher had arrived, a substitute (not a pool teacher as I was told), with English credentials (according to his account). I was not a bit impressed, but students were. He told them cute stories about himself (to which I listened five times) and they adored him! At the end of the day the two esteemed department chairs reappeared, threw a contemptuous hand wave at me as I approached, pointing to the new teacher, the one they wanted to talk to. Later I learned they knew each other from past years, but he has not been there for five years (I wonder why).

During that next day I kept up with recording papers and finalizing seating charts, and at the end of the day I showed him my procedures and recording. But then I learned that the department chairs had told him to disregard everything that was done earlier and start over. If that was not infuriating enough, I saw how friendly the coaches were to him and much students liked him. It did hurt…

so much for taking my assignment seriously and orderly… so much for putting students and school’s interest ahead of my own, and so much for doing the right thing and paying the price of students’ hostility, instead of the adoration we are all so yearning to earn…

Sub Vision:How to Survive a Long-Term Assignment

After a long summer vacation, the last thing a substitute teacher wants to do is obligating to a long-term assignment. Of course, it helps the summer money drought, but who wants to get back to a daily 6:00 AM wake-up commitment and an ongoing effort of restraining a bunch of unwilling teenagers...

My first inclination was to refuse, easing into the new school year with few daily assignments a week. A long-term assignment at the same classroom required more energy than I had to offer.However, more for the sake of keeping good standings with the school that I like than for the badly needed money, I consented, and promised myself to take it as easy as possible…

Yet, there is nothing easy about keeping a class of 30-40 students under control for more than few days without investment. The older students can be contained for a little longer, but with the younger ones, just fresh from the unruly middle school world, immediate time investment in planning is needed.

The first-aid for a teacher in a new class is mastering students’ names. Without a proof that one can be identified any mischief can happen, and if your memory is as slow as mine in digesting 180 names then you need a system. Seating charts is a good way to start. One way to do it is to draw a chart and fill in the names while taking a roll. I, usually, jot down the students’ roster number and fill the names later.

The next challenge is to keep students busy, and it should come with incentives and penalties, and a recording system. A sub briefly replacing a permanent teacher, is completely different from a case of a substitute starting the school year where students are aware of the temporary situation. This is when a plan is badly needed to convince students that their efforts do count toward a grade...

Out of the five classes to which I was assigned, two were Physics. I am no physics expert by any means, but with enough knowledge of math, mature students, and easy first two chapters still in my capability, I tried to study with my students, do homework together and learn from them. As I did not get much help from the department, I found an unexpected ally in an administrator, who secretly supplied me with teacher's edition book, to direct me to the right direction. I even had a quiz planned for them…

Academically, it was somewhat easier with the younger students at the general science class. There I could fake knowledge more easily. However, motivating them to work was harder. We read sections of the text book and I assigned class and homework from the book, added additional tasks for learning terms and locations, gave a map lab from another teacher, and assign a project with deadlines.

It somehow worked for almost three weeks, and then came a real deadline, grades for the report cards. But then I was called to the principal’s office and was informed that the whole plan is changing, although not all the details were clear yet. Two days later my classes were switched to a different teacher, who was not interested in my wonderful planning, and I received a new set of students, all physics.

At that point I gave up my physics efforts, as all my new classes were AP and honors classes. I just assigned them work and vaguely recorded their efforts for the next teacher. Fortunately, by that time I had grades ready for my general science students, which I submitted with the hope they will appear in the first quarter’s report card. At least I could prove I was not bluffing.

The message here is not about my, or my students’, achievements, but about how much work it takes to sustain a class that is yours only temporarily, for few days or weeks. How no compensation is paid for the extra hours of work, and no appreciation for the extra efforts to expand students’ knowledge. How little help you get from anyone, if at all, and how, never the less, you do your best, invest many unpaid extra hours, that no one will ever acknowledge, let alone appreciate…

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…