Reality
Yes, I have been working. I let myself get suckered into another continuing sub job. The job has stolen my blogging thunder.
I've been filling in for Mr. Catchings for 3 weeks now and there are 3 more to go until the last day of classes. My life as a continuing sub is a far cry from my carefree existence as an unattached, day to day sub. Gone are the 4 hour novel reading sessions and 90 minute lunches. They've been replaced with lesson planning and paper grading. Being a teacher sucks.
When I first got into subbing I thought it would be a good way to see if I might want to be a real teacher. I quickly realized that being a sub is no way try out teaching. Subbing isn't teaching, its maintaining an acceptable adult to student ratio for insurance purposes.
I've had continuing jobs before, I started this year with a month in a Math classroom. I've also had continuing jobs 'teaching' Chemistry and Engineering. Mr. Catchings teaches English and Journalism. It's the first time I've felt qualified to teach what I'm supposed to be teaching. When the principal approached my about the job, it was supposed to last for 2 weeks. I jumped at the chance to get my feet wet in a classroom I felt qualified to teach. What a mistake.
Did you know that 10th graders in the St. Louis Public Schools can hardly read and write? Its true. But to be fair, they are remarkably adept at copying and pasting entire Wikipedia entries and signing their names to them.
I think that a reasonable goal for the rest of the year might be to teach my students why only an idiot, a real world class shit for brains, would turn in a Wikipedia entry with their name on it.
I'm working on a lecture for the last day of a class with a working title of "How to do 10 hours of actual school work all year long and graduate Valedictorian." I may still make an impression on these kids yet.
I've been filling in for Mr. Catchings for 3 weeks now and there are 3 more to go until the last day of classes. My life as a continuing sub is a far cry from my carefree existence as an unattached, day to day sub. Gone are the 4 hour novel reading sessions and 90 minute lunches. They've been replaced with lesson planning and paper grading. Being a teacher sucks.
When I first got into subbing I thought it would be a good way to see if I might want to be a real teacher. I quickly realized that being a sub is no way try out teaching. Subbing isn't teaching, its maintaining an acceptable adult to student ratio for insurance purposes.
I've had continuing jobs before, I started this year with a month in a Math classroom. I've also had continuing jobs 'teaching' Chemistry and Engineering. Mr. Catchings teaches English and Journalism. It's the first time I've felt qualified to teach what I'm supposed to be teaching. When the principal approached my about the job, it was supposed to last for 2 weeks. I jumped at the chance to get my feet wet in a classroom I felt qualified to teach. What a mistake.
Did you know that 10th graders in the St. Louis Public Schools can hardly read and write? Its true. But to be fair, they are remarkably adept at copying and pasting entire Wikipedia entries and signing their names to them.
I think that a reasonable goal for the rest of the year might be to teach my students why only an idiot, a real world class shit for brains, would turn in a Wikipedia entry with their name on it.
I'm working on a lecture for the last day of a class with a working title of "How to do 10 hours of actual school work all year long and graduate Valedictorian." I may still make an impression on these kids yet.
posted by mr. awesome at 11:52 AM
3 comments
