Wishing you well in this new adventure!

Hey Bob.

I spent a lot of time educating young people in various situations (education \ community services and outreach and detached)...

I also have my issues.

I can tell you if you don't put your personal experience up front you will share it softly and the kids will feel it.

Young people experience a less certain life and disabled people often experience a more fragile life..

I think that similarity between a less certain and more fragile life can be a great way to connect.

Don't let your managers put you in situations you are not comfortable with.

Your age or experience will mean nothing to young people.

Your way of being will win their hearts.

Have fun with your students. Tease them gently into the subject and trusting you.

xx

To add my own feelings about what cRunchy said, I would love to be one of the students in your class, and that is because I know from your posts over the years here that you are a wise and kind soul.

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Well, I have now been called in as a substitute three times and the reality of the situation is sinking in. Despite the grandiose claims during the training sessions substitute teaching is still only glorified babysitting. So far none of the classes has been exactly what I expected. And in all three cases so far the most I have been tasked to do is hand out sheets of paper with instructions to the students about what was expected of them during the class. The general science classes turned out to be first aid training with cpr being the subject of the day. It hasn't required me to do anything more than take the roll call at the beginning of each class and to make sure they more or less behave.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

How much notice do you get as a sub? Do they call you in the wee hours of the morning and tell you they need you?

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

Ideally, a teacher who will be out gives as much notice as possible to the system. One of my jobs was assigned three days in advance. But generally a teacher who will be absent calls the evening before which allows the system to call for a substitute the evening before he/she is needed. In some cases though, the teacher doesn't know he/she will be out until that morning and in that case they call for a substitute as early as 6:00 AM and as late as 9:30 AM. As a substitute I have the option to refuse the subbing opportunity having only to accept one job per month to stay on their active roster. There is an automated system that allows a substitute to log in online and select which days he/she is available to sub and whether or not it is OK to call early in the morning. The online system also allows the sub to select which schools he/she is willing to work at and which subjects he/she prefers. The subject criteria has the least priority. So far I have turned down two opportunities that were presented at 6:00 AM as it takes me quite a while to get out of bed and ready to leave the house. Also, using the online system a substitute can log in and check for available future opportunities that are available up to a week in advance. That's how it works in Volusia County, Florida. Some other school districts use temp services like Kelly Girls.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

I'm starting my third month of substitute teaching and I'm still alive. Yesterday, Friday the 6th of April was my most difficult day so far. I was called in to substitute for a middle school social studies teacher who had two periods of 6th grade world history and four periods of 7th grade civics. The 6th graders were supposed to be honors students and for the most part they were well behaved. They were studying early Chinese history. I pointed out to them that it may turn out to be very important to understand China. When I told them that as much as 80% of their electronic devices are manufactured in China they started showing a little interest. I told them that unless the leadership of the USA is very careful China just might end up controlling the USA, if not politically then economically. They all expressed their opinions that there is no way that could happen. My response was that they might want to pay more attention to the news feeds on their gizmos than the mindless games they are mostly all hooked on.

Two of the four 7th grade classes were the worst behaving group of students I have ever seen. One of the classes had 6 boys and 18 girls and it was the girls that created all the turmoil. They had just come from lunch and two groups of girls brought a heated argument into the classroom which I was only temporarily able to put a lid on. About midway into the period all hell broke out between the same two groups of girls and I ended up pushing the office call (panic) button when it appeared that a real fight was on the verge of happening. Things quieted down a bit when the students realized that I had actually called for help and three of the girls fled the classroom. It took over 5 minutes for someone from the office to arrive and esort some of the offenders back to the office. It is a good thing there were no weapons involved as I believe it might have gone that far.

This particular school has a reputation for having a large contingent of Latino and black students with behavior that is almost out of control. At the end of the day one of the other teachers in an adjacent class reassured me that I had probably done as good as anyone could have in that situation. I also found out there was supposed to have been a teachers aid in that class too. I was raised attending public schools in Florida 55 years ago and I don't recall any situations anywhere near this severe.

I sincerely doubt that I will accept any more assignments at this particular school. I don't need the money that much. I think a substitute that goes into a classroom environment like I did today needs extra hazardous duty pay. The other regular teacher I talked to told me that back in November almost 70 out of the 100 teachers assigned to that school called in sick one day. And this story didn't make it onto the local news.
I was so glad when Friday's last bell rang.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

That sounds crazy, Bob. I can't imagine trying to teach in that environment, not to mention trying to learn. I don't see how kids manage to graduate like that.

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

That sounds crazy, Bob. I can't imagine trying to teach in that environment, not to mention trying to learn. I don't see how kids manage to graduate like that.

And perhaps now you begin to understand why China makes so much of what we consume.

That sounds crazy, Bob. I can't imagine trying to teach in that environment, not to mention trying to learn. I don't see how kids manage to graduate like that.

And perhaps now you begin to understand why China makes so much of what we consume.

I don't exactly see the connection but it wasn't my intention to turn this thread into a political discussion about China.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

That sounds crazy, Bob. I can't imagine trying to teach in that environment, not to mention trying to learn. I don't see how kids manage to graduate like that.

And perhaps now you begin to understand why China makes so much of what we consume.

I don't exactly see the connection but it wasn't my intention to turn this thread into a political discussion about China.

Not about China, but about how bad a job the USA does in bringing up the next generation. But politics belongs elsewhere.

Actually, I believe the public schools are putting out about as many college ready students as they always have. Good students find a way to get the information they need outside of the classroom, especially now with the availability of computers and the internet at home. The average students are probably suffering the most from the lack of control teachers have over the disruptive segment of the student body. The disruptors know that for the most part their behavior will not result in any action that frightens them. But that is the way the modern public school system works. In the old days the disruptive elements would be expelled repeatedly until reaching the age when they could drop out. Now they are kept in school and allowed to interfere with the learning process of the other students who are trying.

---

Bob DeWoody

My motto: Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow as it may not be required. This no longer applies in light of current events.

Actually, I believe the public schools are putting out about as many college ready students as they always have. Good students find a way to get the information they need outside of the classroom, especially now with the availability of computers and the internet at home. The average students are probably suffering the most from the lack of control teachers have over the disruptive segment of the student body. The disruptors know that for the most part their behavior will not result in any action that frightens them. But that is the way the modern public school system works. In the old days the disruptive elements would be expelled repeatedly until reaching the age when they could drop out. Now they are kept in school and allowed to interfere with the learning process of the other students who are trying.

I have a friend who teaches at an inner city high school. He also feels that it is the "average" student who suffers most. He spends far too much teaching time dealing with discipline issues. He can't get any cooperation from parents. They ignore requests for meetings. He does send the problems to the office but ... He has even had a gun pulled on him. That child found out fast he was a retired security officer. I know at least one year he had an advanced class and he said that was a joy to teach.

I know when I went to school, the paddle was still in use. That kept most of the issues under control without it ever being used. The other issues went to a continuation school.

I know when I went to school, the paddle was still in use.

I was sent to the principal's office a few times over things, and always heard about the paddle but never got it.

I went to private Catholic school for grade school and high school, and then the local public University for college, and I never saw any drama, but the crazy things I hear nowadays really makes me glad I don't have kids.

---

The mind is a weird and mysterious place

I'd be horrified sending kids to school today, at the same time I would not like to teach them either as there is very little respect for authority now :(

I take my hat off to you Bob!

I'm starting my third month of substitute teaching and I'm still alive. .....................

......I sincerely doubt that I will accept any more assignments at this particular school.....

You tried but not every situation or job suits everyone.

There are a lot of teachers who stay in unreasonable situations because either they think they should (doing the right thing) or because they need the money.

There are some who have the mindset and ability to work in place where others would not. (My respect to them.)

You go wherever you feel you can do the best job.

There are other ways of explaining the history of China without trying to make your young people feel personally responsible for the last 50 years of China's history as a growing capitalist society.

Just teach them European industrialization and then move on to talking about a world that wants what we have and then about the issues our world are facing. (Step by step each country follows.)

As to the other problems. It sounds like you have been having a real hard time with some disenfranchised young people.

I don't care what anybody says. Educating young people is a political task.

For me it's not about teaching young people 'my politics'..

It is about politicizing them.

It's about helping them to become part of our world.

To become interested in being a citizen with skills even if they differ from me or you.

Sounds like you are stressed and you've had a hard time.

What's the team like around you?

Are they strong and supportive?

xxx