Substitutions Allowed

After I finished college in the eighties (see The World’s Most Unusual University), I spent two years substitute teaching in various school districts close to where I lived at the time. From the onset, substitute teaching is not an easy job. I admire those special individuals as a prequel to teaching, or also as a regular career.

For those of you who may not know, a substitute teacher is brought in when the regular teacher (for any reason) cannot teach her class. Before the regular teacher exits the school, she is to leave lesson plans for the substitute teacher so that learning can proceed at a normal rate with as few interruptions as possible.

To many students, a substitute teacher equals free fun day. Even though I was the adult in charge, I was immediately at a disadvantage. The students knew the teacher’s regular routine, and how to disobey it if necessary. How would you feel going to a different work place every day. The unique adult that does this job has to embrace change on a regular basis.

Though most of the students were well-behaved, I always learned the names of the trouble-makers first. (I always had no problem leaving a note of both horrid behavior as well as students that were a joy to be with.)

 I never quite figured out how I was to teach the rest of the class while a few went to the bathroom. There were always a few boys that found it entertaining to swing from the bathroom stalls.

Two of my saving graces (if lesson plans were finished early, or I was fed up with the kids) were an extended recess, or a quiet time for me to read to the group. (I had my own scary Tales from the Weird Zone books that were guaranteed to silence and calm any fidgety kid.)

My best times as a substitute were when I got the opportunity to spend more than a day with the students. The month long assignment resulted in lots of special memories as well as student lives I was able to positively affect. The other positive memory I have of this time period is that I was indirectly responsible for getting one of my young students (and her sister) out of a physically abusive home.

Though it happened in the years leading up to my Lymphoma, the couple of hours I was given each week to volunteer for ColumbusReads for a school nearby gave me a one-on-one connection with both kindergarten and first graders that were having reading problems.

This program was tailor-made for me as I love having children read to me. I enjoy even more having them answer questions that show how much they remember from the book.

If you are considering a career as a teacher, this is a great profession that gives you the ability to make positive changes that will last a lifetime. All careers have their challenges, but if you enjoy being around boundless energy; lots of laughter; curious minds; and being present when an idea clicks in a young mind; instructing as an educator was made for you. As always, pray about it for a while.