Substitute Teaching-- The Dream Job

Everyone knows that substitute teachers are never treated well. Students do their best to get away with anything they can. "Teacher, can I stay inside during recess by myself? I'm sick and my Mom doesn't want me to go outside." Baloney. "Can all three of us go to the teacher's lounge to pick up some more paper?" "Our teacher lets us eat snacks." "We get out at 1:15." These are all things I have heard over the past 3 days as a substitute teacher.

Unlike most people, I actually enjoy being a substitute. Call me weird, I don't care. To me, it is yet another indication that I am doing the right thing by pursuing my degree in Elementary Education. I'm constantly on the website for my school district looking for available substitute teaching jobs. I officially got the job Wednesday morning and immediately rushed to a school to fill in. I'm loving every second of hands-on experience. That being said, there are a few things that do bother me as a substitute....

#1 None of the class knows/cares to learn my name even though I write it on the board and say it. "Teacher... come here." It drives me crazy.  I have been tempted on a number of occasions to say, "Student. Student. Student," but I haven't.

#2 It's shocking that so many people cannot pronounce my last name. "Mrs. Ditoto, etc." I was subing with a full-time employee the other day and after butchering my name in front of the class, he pulled me aside and asked if it was ok to call me Mrs. D. Mrs. D seems much easier for students to say.

#3 I have gotten quite a few comments about how young I am by other teachers. "So, have you been to school at all?" "What year did you graduate High School?" I know the teachers aren't being mean, but it's kind of weird to me. I almost want to fire back, "How old are you?" I should probably just take it as a compliment and move on. 

So far, I have done Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and a behavioral unit that included students from grades 1-3. 3rd grade is by far my favorite and the grade I someday hope to teach. That being said, I will take a job in whatever grade they want me, but I'm hoping it's around 3rd grade. Kindergarten is not my favorite. "Our teacher doesn't do it that way..." "Teacher, he called me a name..." etc. The main reason I don't want to teach Kindergarten is because I do not want to be held responsible for teaching children to read. It seems like a daunting task to me and I don't want to be the teacher that parents blame for their students lack of reading ability. 

I am so blessed to even be a substitute teacher right now. I need to take advantage of every day I have because I won't be doing this long at all. I honestly had no idea what I would do until June 2 when my internship finally starts, and this whole substitute thing fell into place. 

Now, back to the Jordan School District website to check for some substitute teaching jobs....