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At our school, subs are routinely stopped by the sub coordinator (the attendance clerk on our campus) as soon as they sign in for the day and given an alternate assignment for any "prep" periods the teacher they're subbing for might have. Which makes sense if you think about it, since the subs don't have anything to "prep." They aren't responsible for grade entry, writing lesson plans, calling parents, etc. So often that's working in the office doing secretarial type stuff, or monitoring the lunch room (they do get a 30 minute lunch no matter what as it's state law for all teachers) during the prep, or subbing in another teacher's room (maybe that teacher just needed a half day sub and they could get two subs to cover the half day because of the way their preps fall.)
In something like special ed (which at our school depending on what kind of special ed is often team taught) yes, the sub would be expected to help out, not take a break and read the newspaper or whatever. Or at least offer. Sometimes there's nothing they need help with (some of my classes are team taught too) but I know my preps never result in me having enough time to just take a break, and if the sub had no lesson plans to write, no responsibilities beyond being there for the 8 hours of the school day, and I were teaching the whole day in a co-teaching scenario, I would expect them to be "on" and helping the whole time I was teaching, not just taking a break to chill and read the paper, go to the bathroom when I couldn't, etc. And certain kinds of sub jobs do result in a lot of down time (if the teacher has a movie/worksheet for the kids, etc) but I know I've put subs on the "do not call" list if every time I gave them a task in a co-teaching situation (while I taught), they did it and then hid in back and read the paper rather than coming to see what they could do next. My view has always been if I don't get any downtime, why would they? I'm not getting downtime during my prep either. I'm always on the move to prep for the next class.
Because the average new teacher gets paid between 2.5 to 4 times as much as the average sub per work day, along with benefits. You should work more.
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I've subbed at nine different high schools andI was never expected to askother teachers if they need help during the prep time.
Quote:
Originally Posted by kitkatbar
At our school, subs are routinely stopped by the sub coordinator (the attendance clerk on our campus) as soon as they sign in for the day and given an alternate assignment for any "prep" periods the teacher they're subbing for might have.
In something like special ed (which at our school depending on what kind of special ed is often team taught) yes, the sub would be expected to help out, not take a break and read the newspaper or whatever. Or at least offer.
Thank you for the imput. I've learned from one poster they were never expected to ask if other teachers needed help and from another poster that subs were always expected to ask and to do work during all of their prep times as sub. teachers.
I'm thinking that I may not have been informed about the "unwritten rules" at that particular HS. I went by the written rules that were in force in the other HS where I subbed (unless the office asks you to cover another class you have free time during that teachers prep time. If Irecall it correctly there was nothing in the written rules in the new building that said that I needed to ask for more work during prep time/free time. Since it was my first time there I did try to read the packet very carefully. And, I do recall asking the office if there was anything that I needed to know that was new and not written in the sub teacher packet.
And now a few more teachers are posting that their schools also expect subs to go to the office or a department chair to be assigned extra work.
I certainly hope that is written in the sub teacher information and not just "assumed" that everyone would automatically know that detail.
I hope that they give me a second chance, especially if was "unwritten" but expected to be done 100% of the time.
Last edited by germaine2626; 04-14-2014 at 07:40 PM..
At our elementary school, subs are expected to check in with the grade level chair for any assistance needed during conference time. If they are not needed on the grade level, then they are expected to report to the office to help as needed.
This is spelled out in a form in the Sub folder they receive when they check in in the morning.
... My view has always been if I don't get any downtime, why would they? I'm not getting downtime during my prep either. I'm always on the move to prep for the next class.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
Because the average new teacher gets paid between 2.5 to 4 times as much as the average sub per work day, along with benefits. You should work more.
My last year as a full time teacher I made over $400 each dayplus had many, many benefits, health insurance, life insurance, dental insurance, money going into my retirement fund, short term & long term disability insurance, sick days, a personal day plus a bunch of other benefits.
As a sub teacher I earn $100 a day and no sick days and absolutely no benefits. (Some schools in my area only pay $75 a day).
I notice a definite difference in compensation. Maybe that is why, at least in the two districts where I usually work, sub teachers are allowed to correct papers/go over the plans for the next classes/go the bathroom/and even chill out for a few minutes unless the office specifically assigns them to cover another class during the prep time assigned to the teacher that they are replacing that day.
As I learned today other districts may be different.
I'll let everyone what happens with the last district once I know the result.
Last edited by germaine2626; 04-14-2014 at 08:27 PM..
Because the average new teacher gets paid between 2.5 to 4 times as much as the average sub per work day, along with benefits. You should work more.
And I do work more. There's a lot of work that goes into being a teacher, as you probably know since if I recall, you used to teach as well. Germaine, I'm sure, is aware of that having taught full time for 33 years. And she could certainly have continued it for another year if she chose. Subbing brings with it the advantage of having flexibility for days you can't come in (if health is a concern as you get older, or you're caring for a family member, or you just want to travel!) and you don't have to do night stuff, grade papers on the weekend, plan lessons, hold parent conferences. It's 8 hours a day but then you get to let go of it at the end of the day. Very different responsibilities we're talking about.
As I said before, my "preps" are spent prepping, grading, writing lesson plans... never do I get time to sit on my tush and have 'downtime.' Ten whole minutes to go to the bathroom? I'm not sure what I'd do with myself. I grade through my lunch break and return parent emails. Subs are paid for 8 hours of work which includes a 30 minute lunch. The sub has nothing to "prep" and shouldn't be paid just to sit around and do nothing when there is work to be done and the school is paying them to be there.
If a sub came in with the attitude you suggest of "you're getting paid more so it's fine for me to sit around on my tush while you run around working hard and I get paid to have a 45 minute leisurely break" I would most definitely put them on my "do not call" list and would let the sub coordinator know as well.
Last edited by kitkatbar; 04-14-2014 at 08:11 PM..
Thank you for the imput. I've learned from one poster they were never expected to ask if other teachers needed help and from another poster that subs were always expected to ask and to do work during all of their prep times as sub. teachers.
I'm thinking that I may not have been informed about the "unwritten rules" at that particular HS. I went by the written rules that were in force in the other HS where I subbed (unless the office asks you to cover another class you have free time during that teachers prep time. If Irecall it correctly there was nothing in the written rules in the new building that said that I needed to ask for more work during prep time/free time. Since it was my first time there I did try to read the packet very carefully. And, I do recall asking the office if there was anything that I needed to know that was new and not written in the sub teacher packet.
And now a few more teachers are posting that their schools also expect subs to go to the office or a department chair to be assigned extra work.
I certainly hope that is written in the sub teacher information and not just "assumed" that everyone would automatically know that detail.
I hope that they give me a second chance, especially if was "unwritten" but expected to be done 100% of the time.
Well, sounds like different people have differing ideas on what it is to be expected. I think it can't hurt to go and speak with them and see if they'll give you another chance.
When I sub I appreciate when the teacher has a planning period at the beginning of the day. I have read through a biology lesson that I will be teaching or read through the instructions for a science lab. I have also used the prep period and my lunch to correct papers. I've stayed beyond the end of the day to finish correcting tests and write a memo on what occurred that day.
If I don't have anything to do and I don't get called by the office to cover a class in an emergency, then I don't feel one bit guilty about reading a book or the newspaper. For what they pay subs, I consider it volunteer work. If a school or teacher doesn't appreciate my volunteer work, I cross them off the list. Several teachers and schools have been crossed off. I stopped subbing at one elementary school because the secretary was extremely rude.
And I do work more. There's a lot of work that goes into being a teacher, as you probably know since if I recall, you used to teach as well. Germaine, I'm sure, is aware of that having taught full time for 33 years. And she could certainly have continued it for another year if she chose. Subbing brings with it the advantage of having flexibility for days you can't come in (if health is a concern as you get older, or you're caring for a family member, or you just want to travel!) and you don't have to do night stuff, grade papers on the weekend, plan lessons, hold parent conferences. It's 8 hours a day but then you get to let go of it at the end of the day. Very different responsibilities we're talking about.
As I said before, my "preps" are spent prepping, grading, writing lesson plans... never do I get time to sit on my tush and have 'downtime.' Ten whole minutes to go to the bathroom? I'm not sure what I'd do with myself. I grade through my lunch break and return parent emails. Subs are paid for 8 hours of work which includes a 30 minute lunch. The sub has nothing to "prep" and shouldn't be paid just to sit around and do nothing when there is work to be done and the school is paying them to be there.
If a sub came in with the attitude you suggest of "you're getting paid more so it's fine for me to sit around on my tush while you run around working hard and I get paid to have a 45 minute leisurely break" I wouldmost definitely put them on my "do not call" list and would let the sub coordinator know as well.
Yes, I needed to retired because I could not handle the 60-70-80-90 hour weeks anymore due to serious health problems. In addition, I could not do the mandatory one person fifty pound student lift and carry any more. There were also many special education students who needed very strong and very fit staff to do restraints and two person lift & carries.
If your school district requests that sub teachers work the entire day I would be very happy to do that. However, if an individual teacher demands it, in direct opposition to what the school/school board/negotiation team has determined, I would probably not return to that classroom. And, I would probably report that teacher to school administration.
BTW I hope that people are not getting the idea that I am a "lazy, entitled person". A few years ago I was doing a lot of subbing in HS English. I asked each of the teachers what was the name of their upcoming unit. I read or reread almost all of the required books/novels/texts for every English class over the course of the year during my prep times and on weekends and evenings.
It is very common for English teachers, in my district, to leave plans such as "Discuss Chapter 5 of Lord of the Flies. Be sure to mention important symbolism and how it related to the book's key themes". A sub needs to be pretty familiar with all of the literature mentioned to handle something like that.
If I have advanced notice of a job I will normally go to that teacher and ask about the topic (usually in history/philosophy/government) and frequently borrow a textbook and other materials overnight to read in depth on the subjects that I will be discussing. I do this because sometimes it is difficulty to read through multiple chapters in a history book before first hour arrives and you, as the sub, need to lead an accurate, engaging discussion.
...
Back to the topic of my thread, I realize now that I have not been asking about "unwritten but expected rules" as much I should be doing. I will now do that in the front office and also with other teachers.
I'm not perfect but I really do try to be the very best sub teacher that I can be. It was just so very upsetting to me to discover that I was being penalized for not following a rule that was not writtendown, was not told to me verbally and is not followed in neighboring school districts. I am a sub teacher not a mind reader.
Last edited by germaine2626; 04-14-2014 at 09:34 PM..
And I do work more. There's a lot of work that goes into being a teacher, as you probably know since if I recall, you used to teach as well. Germaine, I'm sure, is aware of that having taught full time for 33 years. And she could certainly have continued it for another year if she chose. Subbing brings with it the advantage of having flexibility for days you can't come in (if health is a concern as you get older, or you're caring for a family member, or you just want to travel!) and you don't have to do night stuff, grade papers on the weekend, plan lessons, hold parent conferences. It's 8 hours a day but then you get to let go of it at the end of the day. Very different responsibilities we're talking about.
As I said before, my "preps" are spent prepping, grading, writing lesson plans... never do I get time to sit on my tush and have 'downtime.' Ten whole minutes to go to the bathroom? I'm not sure what I'd do with myself. I grade through my lunch break and return parent emails. Subs are paid for 8 hours of work which includes a 30 minute lunch. The sub has nothing to "prep" and shouldn't be paid just to sit around and do nothing when there is work to be done and the school is paying them to be there.
If a sub came in with the attitude you suggest of "you're getting paid more so it's fine for me to sit around on my tush while you run around working hard and I get paid to have a 45 minute leisurely break" I would most definitely put them on my "do not call" list and would let the sub coordinator know as well.
I taught for 27 years. In all those years whenever I had a sub - and I had a lot the last couple of years before I retired and hence why I retired - my lesson plans always said: Prep - breath deeply, go to the bathroom, read the paper, or just relax. The school is paying them to teach the classes in the place of the absent teacher, not do a bunch of busy work. And you might want to look at the sub contracts, most are paid for less than 8 hours. Look at it this way, as a non-salaried employee they are by law entitled to two 10 minute breaks plus a 30 minute lunch in a 7 hour day. So the school OWES them at least a 20 minute break during prep. Time between classes doesn't count as they are expected to supervise students during that time.
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Interesting: I looked up the policy in our sub handbook and it specifically states substitute teachers are hired to supervise and teach students and that they are not expected to do clerical work not directly related to their assignment, nor are they expected to grade papers not a part of the day's assignment, although they can be asked to cover a class during their prep period. It goes on to talk about what can be asked of substitute teacher's aides - they are allowed to be asked to do clerical work, however, they are entitled to two 15 minute breaks. It also says neither can be required to do anything that will require them to stay beyond the contracted hours. Sounds like they have run into issues before.
And Germaine, it says in our handbook that in our district substitutes placed on the "do not call' list must be notified in writing that they have been and given a brief explanation of why. The sub may write a rebuttal, and although it will not change the situation at that school it can prevent the sub from getting a negative mark on the district record.
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When I post in bold red that is moderator action and, per the TOS, can only be discussed through Direct Message.
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