Make it easier to become a substitute teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:" oh look at me. I'm better than those dumb esl people so I don't need my transcripts or a recommendation. I'm so SPECIAL."

A reference doesn't tell you anything about the quality of the candidate. Hold a Sub day and meet the candidates in person. Put out a call to anyone in the community willing to help. Remember, last year absolutely anyone who could breathe was recruited this way to sit in classrooms while teachers worked from home. Do this again for subs. Maybe FCPS doesn't want Subs so they can have a reason to close again.

I don’t disagree that references aren’t necessarily useful, but everyone is acting like this is some shocking, stringent requirement. It’s been required for every job I’ve ever held (excepting my first one scooping ice cream).

Were your previous jobs actively recruiting stay at home parents?

Why do you think SAHPs should be exempt from basic requirements just because they are being recruited? Presumably, they worked at some point and can get a reference from a previous employer. If they haven't worked and can't get that letter, they may not be a good fit. You all seem to believe that the act of parenting and staying home is enough to qualify you. I know several SAHMs who are or have subbed over the years. Somehow, they managed to pull the necessary s%t together to get the job.

But…but…PPs are screaming that they’re automatically qualified because they’ve “had children” (oh good, their plumbing works) and are pArT oF tHe cOmMuNiTy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

I was a SPED teacher in a different district and I developed a list of subs to contact. Usually they were retired teachers or subs from other classes who I saw were good and invited to check out my class so they knew what they were getting into.
If I just posted a job into the system it was highly unlikely to get picked up.

There are so many SPED openings in the sub system right now. And Learning Disabilities. Very, very few people (if anyone) pick up these jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is there a limit to how many hours a retired teacher can sub without it affecting their pension?

Bump

Are there any retired teachers on this thread who has an answer?

I don’t believe that this is an issue, but there are certainly a lot of barriers to subbing after retirement. Most retirees do not want to sub every day and only want to sub at their former school/in their former department. The sub office requires subs to work a certain number of days over a period of time. If subs don’t work enough, they get booted. Retirees also have to jump through paperwork hoops to sub, despite being employees several months prior to subbing. Very few recent retirees are coming back to sub.

Thanks. The other things you mentioned are understood. I’m retiring at the end of this school year and want to work doing something part time, so I’m considering subbing. I wouldn’t be concerned about not working enough. I’d be willing to sub at a number of nearby ESs and trying MS or HS would be interesting, at least initially.

This year it's only 10 total days you have to sub to avoid going through fingerprinting the next year.

I am a former (but not retired) teacher that only subs a few days a week at a few schools but am already at 20 days for the year.

Would you say it is fairly easy to pick up 3 days a week between 5 or 6 nearby elementary schools?

If you can get on the "preferred" list at those schools then they will most likely pre-arrange jobs for you. It might be slow the first few weeks and you won't be able to be picky about jobs, but once you've survived one day and made a good impression, you will be golden. Almost all (all but 3) of my 20 jobs have been pre-arranged by teachers emailing me in advance. I think our local elementary has a list of people they call first (outside the automated system), if they can't find someone then it goes in the system.

I don't take morning of jobs because it doesn't work for our family at this time in terms of childcare coordination.

I'm retiring as an ES teacher at the end of this SY, but only from full-time teaching. I still want to work part-time and while I've started browsing online to see what is available (I've seen some interesting possibilities), I think subbing might work well. 12 or 13 days a month would bring in the extra $ I would like and I'd still be able to keep my summers open since my DW will still be teaching full-time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

[Anonymous]

A question I have about subbing is why don't they just have the IA who is already there sub? I've subbed in a few classes where there is also an IA and it's really awkward. Obviously, the IA knows the routine, the kids, and the material - why do they need me there again??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A question I have about subbing is why don't they just have the IA who is already there sub? I've subbed in a few classes where there is also an IA and it's really awkward. Obviously, the IA knows the routine, the kids, and the material - why do they need me there again??

If there is an IA in the room there is probably a 2nd teacher required in that room based on some students IEPs. Your needed as that 2nd teacher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

Because the sub plan is written the day before. I don’t have it all planned when I requested the day off 2-3 weeks prior.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

What does the "opening notice" look like on your end? For example, does it show "Grades 1-3" for example? I honestly don't know what it looks like on the sub's end. My absences are almost always pre-arranged. Rarely have I had to call off with a late notice (knock on wood).

ES Teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

Because the sub plan is written the day before. I don’t have it all planned when I requested the day off 2-3 weeks prior.

20:13 here. That's true. Since it's pre-arranged I usually will email my sub plans to the substitute. I never have the plans attached to the SmartFind absence that far in advance.

Are we able to edit the absence and attach plans after the job is created?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

Because the sub plan is written the day before. I don’t have it all planned when I requested the day off 2-3 weeks prior.

20:13 here. That's true. Since it's pre-arranged I usually will email my sub plans to the substitute. I never have the plans attached to the SmartFind absence that far in advance.

Are we able to edit the absence and attach plans after the job is created?

I only think we can delete and create new - I don’t believe edit is an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

What does the "opening notice" look like on your end? For example, does it show "Grades 1-3" for example? I honestly don't know what it looks like on the sub's end. My absences are almost always pre-arranged. Rarely have I had to call off with a late notice (knock on wood).

ES Teacher

PP here. It will list the date, time, school, teacher, and position (Special Ed, music, PE, Elementary lower or Elementary upper, etc.). I wish that it would specify the grade, rather than just a range. Then if you click on the position, it may or may not have special instructions. Those that include instructions and/or more details are the ones I invariably will accept. I understand that a teacher wouldn't know their lesson plan weeks in advance, but even the positions open the next day rarely have instructions included.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

Because the sub plan is written the day before. I don’t have it all planned when I requested the day off 2-3 weeks prior.

I see this issue all the time for Special Ed needs. A content area teacher I have less concern - it's a little more straightforward. Knowing a special ed teacher's parking space is great, but is it a small class of students that just need 1:1 help but no disruptive students? Or is there an actual physical danger that I may be walking into? I know that because of IEP and FERPA what can be written down and publicly communicated is minimal, but if there is a more than remote chance of physical danger (knowing 2 people who suffered concussions while teaching), I'm not going to take the risk for $130 (before FICA and taxes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub and constantly see sub vacancies for Special Ed positions. In fact, that's mostly what's advertised. I never accept those jobs because I haven't been trained in Special Ed, and I imagine many subs feel similarly. So who is filling in for these teachers?

Same. There is rarely more information than "sub plans are on the desk," so I don't know what I would be walking into. I have subbed for content-area Learning Disabilities teachers (team taught or self-contained) and enjoy it (they contact me because I sub in their content area and can teach), but SPED is such a wide range that I have absolutely no idea what the day would look like.

+2
I definitely don't want to walk into a situation I'm not prepared for.

+3
I was just perusing the sub openings and have to say - I'm very unlikely to accept a job that doesn't have the instructions/description right there in the opening notice. Or text instructions like this: "Please see lesson plans for detailed instruction and information on class." Why not put all the detailed instructions and information right there on the website? I don't want to walk into a classroom and scramble to read instructions, get set up, right before the kids arrive. Give subs the chance to check out your instructions ahead of time! Inevitably, there is an issue with the computer, connecting, etc. Last minute scrambling in an unfamiliar class is the worst.

Because the sub plan is written the day before. I don’t have it all planned when I requested the day off 2-3 weeks prior.

I see this issue all the time for Special Ed needs. A content area teacher I have less concern - it's a little more straightforward. Knowing a special ed teacher's parking space is great, but is it a small class of students that just need 1:1 help but no disruptive students? Or is there an actual physical danger that I may be walking into? I know that because of IEP and FERPA what can be written down and publicly communicated is minimal, but if there is a more than remote chance of physical danger (knowing 2 people who suffered concussions while teaching), I'm not going to take the risk for $130 (before FICA and taxes).

I’ve never really thought about adding details to a job listing. I could put my grade level in if that helps. I guess I just assumed it showed.

That’s interesting. Where do they have assigned spaces? Just curious.