Sad after subbing in the middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I'm a parent trying to help with the sub shortage. I actually have an 8th grader at the school and thought I had a general sense of what was going on there. Nope! I realize these are kids and it's not their fault. My observation is that some of these kids did were not willing to do any work or put in any effort. I'm not going to sugar coat what I observed.

Victim culture helps no one. You are dealing in reality which is that a lot of these kids have lazy parents with crappy values and that cycle is being perpetrated, aided by our society saying “no need to try, you are a victim”.

What would you have done different, know-it-all?

[Anonymous]

Regarding the reading issue, I've observed a significant decline in literacy even among my UMC peers with graduate degrees. Native English speakers with Masters degrees saying or writing things like "Why she does this?" and "I am born in Michigan". I don't know if it's Covid isolation or smart phone addiction or something else, but people's brains are rotting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Regarding the reading issue, I've observed a significant decline in literacy even among my UMC peers with graduate degrees. Native English speakers with Masters degrees saying or writing things like "Why she does this?" and "I am born in Michigan". I don't know if it's Covid isolation or smart phone addiction or something else, but people's brains are rotting.

Teachers constantly on their phones texting doesn’t exactly emulate what they want from their students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In class, no kid should be in their phone.

True, and these subs are not even getting paid $20/hr. They are in a room with 30 middle schoolers who could be reasonably quiet on their phones or they could pick that battle, try to force them to put them away, some will and some will be disrespectful, and maybe teach some of the lesson. A few will take it right out when her back is turned.

I’m sure most of the kids on their phones are not usually when the regular teacher was present. This is no different than kids acting up with a sub 30 years ago. It always happened.

[Anonymous]

Banneker High School in DC does what other schools should do. Students check their phones in a locker at beginning of school day and get it back at the end of the day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sus that you’re blaming the kids. They’re children. It’s adults that have failed them.

I don’t see OP blaming anyone. Just stating the facts. The prognosis isn’t looking so good regardless of who’s responsible.

She places blame directly on them. “Many are extremely defiant…They don’t seem to understand that this is their chance to create a good future.” Pure disdain for these kids.

You should pick a different job OP.

You should go sub, NP.

Yes, certainly there are surely some lovely and wonderful kids in those classes. Sometimes they are overshadowed by the needy and yes, the problematic and defiant ones.

If you have never subbed a class in a tough school, please volunteer and get a wake up call. It can be disheartening. Subbing is no joke - kids will sometimes act far far worse for a sub than they would ever do for their regular teacher.

I taught at a very tough city school for years. I had many amazing and wonderful students there, and also some very tough, difficult and hard to handle students. I adored many of those kids, even some of the "worst" ones with behavior problems that other teachers had given up on. I had a positive and good relationship with my classes. But I had to be very firm with them if I knew I'd be having a sub. Kids who were great for me could sometimes be horrible for the sub. And it was difficult to even KEEP subs on the roster at my school. Some would not even last the whole day because the kids could be that unruly.

So if you've never done it, lay off criticizing this substitute who was disheartened after a day of filling in. It's a hard job and it CAN feel discouraging. And yes some of those kids WILL end up in dead end jobs. Some of those kids may not care. That does not mean all of them will. That does not mean the sub is unfit for the job. Kids have bad days, teachers have bad days, and subs do too.

If you think OP needs a different job because of his / her observations of that one school day - please, step up. Go be a sub and do better. Many schools are desperate for subs because yes, the kids *can* be tough, and they need people to fill in. Raise the bar not just for the sub, but for the kids as well!

[Anonymous]

What school district? This sounds like my school.

[Anonymous]

Can’t believe phones are allowed.You should be able to announce at the beginning of class that for those who’d like to do the assignment your teacher has for you today, or homework, come sit in the front. The rest can go sit in the back and remain quiet. Then note who does what. Report it to principal.