Posted by Wendy B. on September 8, 2001, at 23:12:10
In reply to Re: I Enjoy You *You too, have you been listening , posted by susan C on September 8, 2001, at 17:52:26
Dear Elz and Susan and anyone else who's there,
Are we all leading the same lives??? I am substitute teaching too.. Personally, I like it. The pay in this district is $80 per day, so I figure it's never more than 6 hrs per day, which would be $13.33 an hour, which is pretty ok. Usually it's like babysitting, and you only really 'work' for about 3 of the 6 hours, so if you look at it that way, then I can tell myself I'm making $26.66 an hour. Yea! See, it's all in how you look at things, like mom used to say. 'Every day is a new day!' Maybe this was why I never became a mathmetician... or an astro-physicist.
So, I figure the subbing fits my multiple personality disorder (not really my dx, but it sounds funny). During the busy times (not now, school just started), I go in every day and it's a new group of kids who need to be won over. I just go in, do my little dance, and go home, no worrying about the curriculum planning, no getting over-involved in the kids' lives. I do all age groups and all subjects, basically, music and art are my specialities. I have done vocal music with middle schoolers one day (age 11-14), and actually got them to sing, and then english to high schoolers, and then special ed for elementary the day after that.
The middle schoolers like to be bribed, so I bring in candy, and whomever speaks or reads or answers questions in class gets to pick up a candy at the end of class. Bribery can get you almost anywhere with that age group. The high school kids like to push you, so you have to stand up to them. I got one group of kids who were supposed to be watching a video in social studies, and these two kinda tough dudes ask for a hall pass to go to the men's room, and come back 25 minutes later! When they walked in, I just said: see me after class. And they say: what? what? we didn't do nothin'! And I wrote them up and they had to stay after in detention. I half expected to see them in the school parking lot later, but it was alright...
I guess I like a challenge... and I liked a different scene every day, maybe I just hate routine, fits the bipolar dx, actually. I'm very flighty... So I'll do it again this year...
Susan, you're right, it makes my blood boil too, to see how much people get paid to work with kids. Teacher aides and assistants here start at $6.72 per hour. And what gives with the supposed teacher shortage? If that were the case, why won't the state encourage more people to get into it, like pay for the college credits I need to get certification? Get this: with a master's degree already in hand, I have to take 18 *more* credit hours in 'education' courses, all undergrad level... Does this make sense? They won't even look at your application if you aren't certified around here... ok now I'm off on a rant, and I should quit now... ! More later...
Elzabeth, I hope you are feeling better now that you've punted a couple of things that were hanging heavily on you. When I did, it felt like a great weight lifted off me.
more anon,
Wendy
poster:Wendy B.
thread:10888
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010901/msgs/10994.html