Substitute teacher in mcps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I prefer under second grade. The older kids seem to have more attitude and discipline problems. They spend the whole time trying to get water or go to the bathroom.

Lol! Have you ever been in a kindergarten or 1st grade classroom? That's all day long.

[Anonymous]

Easier depends on what you like. When I was a sub, I had no idea what I wanted to teach, so it was a chance to try many different areas. Something like ELD or Special Ed in elementary will likely be small groups or plugging in to another class, which means a lot of different kids throughout the day. I loved subbing for specials like PE, music, art, etc because the students seemed happy to be there, the plans left were always super basic, and if one class was a disaster, it was only 40 minutes so there was a chance to start fresh with the next batch.

For classroom in elementary, it really depends on which ages you're comfortable with. Primary grades can be fun and "easy" (read a story, simple writing, basic math) but the kids can't really do anything, may not listen, and have a million petty crises throughout the day. Upper elementary has kids that can show some responsibility and actually be interesting, but they also may not listen and have discovered the fun of being mean to the sub.

When I subbed, I hated middle school. I'm sure if I had been there day after day and built relationships, it would have been fine, but as a sub, it was awful. I have never heard such disrespectful language and blatant misbehavior. I tried coming in tough but fair, I tried playing it lowkey and cool, I tried a variety of subjects and schools, and each time the best I could hope for was maybe one or two classes would be not terrible to me. There's just something about the age that makes them band together against a sub. But having said that, often the plans were "turn on the video," so no real experience needed. Just a tough skin.

High school I did the least amount but was often the most enjoyable, because I picked subjects I personally liked, and the kids were more mature. Either they actually cared about their grade and/or were nice people, or they didn't care but just sat quietly on their phone without disrupting everything.

PreK and PEP usually have paras that know the routine very well, and sometimes step in to the lead the class when there is a sub.

That said, MCPS is desperate for subs and will take any living breathing body. If you're actually competent and leave your info behind, you can get as much work as you want. (I have an appointment on Jan 16--interested in teaching kindergarten downcounty that day?)

[Anonymous]

To be a sub you can come from any field, but you do need to provide references.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Easier depends on what you like. When I was a sub, I had no idea what I wanted to teach, so it was a chance to try many different areas. Something like ELD or Special Ed in elementary will likely be small groups or plugging in to another class, which means a lot of different kids throughout the day. I loved subbing for specials like PE, music, art, etc because the students seemed happy to be there, the plans left were always super basic, and if one class was a disaster, it was only 40 minutes so there was a chance to start fresh with the next batch.

For classroom in elementary, it really depends on which ages you're comfortable with. Primary grades can be fun and "easy" (read a story, simple writing, basic math) but the kids can't really do anything, may not listen, and have a million petty crises throughout the day. Upper elementary has kids that can show some responsibility and actually be interesting, but they also may not listen and have discovered the fun of being mean to the sub.

When I subbed, I hated middle school. I'm sure if I had been there day after day and built relationships, it would have been fine, but as a sub, it was awful. I have never heard such disrespectful language and blatant misbehavior. I tried coming in tough but fair, I tried playing it lowkey and cool, I tried a variety of subjects and schools, and each time the best I could hope for was maybe one or two classes would be not terrible to me. There's just something about the age that makes them band together against a sub. But having said that, often the plans were "turn on the video," so no real experience needed. Just a tough skin.

High school I did the least amount but was often the most enjoyable, because I picked subjects I personally liked, and the kids were more mature. Either they actually cared about their grade and/or were nice people, or they didn't care but just sat quietly on their phone without disrupting everything.

PreK and PEP usually have paras that know the routine very well, and sometimes step in to the lead the class when there is a sub.

That said, MCPS is desperate for subs and will take any living breathing body. If you're actually competent and leave your info behind, you can get as much work as you want. (I have an appointment on Jan 16--interested in teaching kindergarten downcounty that day?)

Thank you! This helps.

I am only looking upcounty though.

How do I get references if I haven't worked in a long time and don't have contact with people at my old job? I don't even have their phone numbers or email.

I thought high school would be bad since the kids are older.

Are the subs usually trained before they start? I have zero experience in teaching so I wouldn't know how to even start.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sub way is atrocious. I don't know why anyone would do it.

lol..

I am trying to get back into a job after not working for more than a decade and a friend suggested being a sub. I have a degree in an unrelated field and I have forgotten everything I did before and I am over 50. Getting back into my old field is not possible now and I just need a job. I didn't know where to start and my friend said some of her other friends started out as subs when they had a long break as SAHMs.

The paraeducator jobs would probably be better if you can find a full-time one with benefits.

What do paras do? I asked one of my kids and they say that it is not just following one kid around but you have to be able to deal with their melt downs and sometimes kids run away in the hall, outside school, hit the adults and have behavior issues?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sub way is atrocious. I don't know why anyone would do it.

lol..

I am trying to get back into a job after not working for more than a decade and a friend suggested being a sub. I have a degree in an unrelated field and I have forgotten everything I did before and I am over 50. Getting back into my old field is not possible now and I just need a job. I didn't know where to start and my friend said some of her other friends started out as subs when they had a long break as SAHMs.

Have you looked at other options within MCPS? There are openings for other positions besides teaching. One of those might work for your experience.

What other options besides subbing? I have no clue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care much about the pay at the moment. Just want to get back in some type of desk job which is not too difficult and where I don't have to stand for hours. Ideal would be learning on the job since I am a fast learner.

Look at something else besides teaching. Teaching is one of the most difficult jobs out there. I say this as someone who does it as a second career.

[Anonymous]

Absolutely don't sub for elementary. Student behaviors might be better and less attitude than high school, but if you just want an easy gig, secondary is the way to go. You have to keep them entertained 45 minutes at a time, more than likely just working on worksheets or make-up work. Elementary you're on all day long and have to keep the same class entertained, not to mention bringing them to lunch, specials, etc.

[Anonymous]

Plus you’ll be sick a lot if you sub in ES.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely don't sub for elementary. Student behaviors might be better and less attitude than high school, but if you just want an easy gig, secondary is the way to go. You have to keep them entertained 45 minutes at a time, more than likely just working on worksheets or make-up work. Elementary you're on all day long and have to keep the same class entertained, not to mention bringing them to lunch, specials, etc.

Sub elementary if you want to actually teach. Go with middle or high school if it’s just a job. At upper levels, it feels more like babysitting. Elementary you’re trying to make it a regular day and you’re teaching content. You won’t sit all day in most classes. And yes, you will get sick subbing elementary. One of the most underpaid gigs around.

[Anonymous]

None of my subs have ever taught anything. Teachers usually leave busy work and hope the sub reads the directions you leave for them. Many don’t. I had one last month who complained that the kids didn’t do the worksheets correctly. She said they didn’t read the directions. They are in kindergarten. Sigh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Absolutely don't sub for elementary. Student behaviors might be better and less attitude than high school, but if you just want an easy gig, secondary is the way to go. You have to keep them entertained 45 minutes at a time, more than likely just working on worksheets or make-up work. Elementary you're on all day long and have to keep the same class entertained, not to mention bringing them to lunch, specials, etc.

Teaching, and especially for those that have not done it on a regular basis or using it to get back into the work force and didn't have any school teaching experience from before, should have an age cut off (like we should have one for people to run for Legislative, Judicial and Executive branches). For teaching - 40 or 50yrs. You will be t.i.r.e.d.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sub way is atrocious. I don't know why anyone would do it.

lol..

I am trying to get back into a job after not working for more than a decade and a friend suggested being a sub. I have a degree in an unrelated field and I have forgotten everything I did before and I am over 50. Getting back into my old field is not possible now and I just need a job. I didn't know where to start and my friend said some of her other friends started out as subs when they had a long break as SAHMs.

The paraeducator jobs would probably be better if you can find a full-time one with benefits.

What do paras do? I asked one of my kids and they say that it is not just following one kid around but you have to be able to deal with their melt downs and sometimes kids run away in the hall, outside school, hit the adults and have behavior issues?

Paras do it all, from working with individual students or small groups to teaching classes for teachers if there isn't a sub or during IEP meetings. Paras usually have lunch and recess duty, as well. Paras who are in self-contained classrooms, for programs such as SCB and PEP have more physical duties, such as changing students or helping them in the bathroom, feeding students, etc.

Starting as a special ed para sub is a great way to see what being a para is like. You'll find that there are some schools and programs you really like and others that you'll never want to sub in again! But it's better than taking a permanent job and being miserable because you didn't know what to expect. Talk to the office that hires MCPS substitute teachers, they are the ones that hire subs, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sub way is atrocious. I don't know why anyone would do it.

lol..

I am trying to get back into a job after not working for more than a decade and a friend suggested being a sub. I have a degree in an unrelated field and I have forgotten everything I did before and I am over 50. Getting back into my old field is not possible now and I just need a job. I didn't know where to start and my friend said some of her other friends started out as subs when they had a long break as SAHMs.

Have you looked at other options within MCPS? There are openings for other positions besides teaching. One of those might work for your experience.

What other options besides subbing? I have no clue.

You should really make an account on the MCPS career site and see what's available. Subbing is one option. Secretary, office managers, paras, cafeteria workers, building service workers, coaches - it's all online. MCPS is a huge organization and needs a lot of employees to make everything function on a daily basis.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't care much about the pay at the moment. Just want to get back in some type of desk job which is not too difficult and where I don't have to stand for hours. Ideal would be learning on the job since I am a fast learner.

That is the opposite of a substitute. A teacher is not sitting at a desk and literally everything you do is hooked in with other people, all the time -- the kids, other teachers, admin, specials etc. If you want a desk job, teaching ain't it.