Three things about Sub teaching

[learnteach]

1. Lot like icebergs. Mostly underwater. No? Oh, SCHOOL substitute teaching!

1. Every day is like starting over again--where am I, what am I supposed to teach, who do I need to talk to, how will I relate to the students. It's exhausting, mentally.
2. The students will always push. With a sub, they know you don't have the ability to do long term effects, so someone always goes the limit. It's exhausting, emotionally.
3. One of my strong motivators is making people like me. That doesn't work, it's seen as a sign of weakness. I have to get them to respect me, which means imposing disipline hard and fast.

Interesting things to learn. But very tiring...

And, as well:

4. Every day does not have to be perfect. Just learning. Things happen and change.

oh.

5. Stop expecting them to be adults. They're not.

and

6. They don't know you, so they won't respect you.

Ok. Off to think about this, and try to teach a biology class.

Comments

[ermine-rat.livejournal.com]

Making them like you is a trap of our better adult nature. You only get these kids for an hour or two, so start with crisp expectations right from the start. This starts them at the nibbling on your heels much further back. You can ease up on them over the course of the class (if they deserve it), but winning their hearts will take more than an hour. If you start out from a easy-going position, you have to ratchet your behaviour up minute by minute and all the effort is on your mind moment to moment (while you're trying to teach stuff). They effort is titanic.

I'm not asking you to be an ogre, but be fair and firm about what you expect in noise, punctuality, and discipline. Lots of this is easier when you have the kids for more than a day.

Did you hook up with my squire yet?

Great advice

[learnteach.livejournal.com]

Haven't called him yet--need to do that. Thanks!