Substitute bait-and-switch

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, first of all, you were supposed to sub for a teacher or aid, and neither one ever has actual cleaning duty in the cafeteria. Crowd control yes, cleaning no. So you did not need to agree to that part, and they were way over the line even asking you to do it. Second, other than the cleaning, substitutes take the place of teachers, and teachers often do get asked to run around to different places and do extra duties like cafeteria duty (with NO cleaning, though). So you shouldn't complain about that, as plenty of teachers have to do the same (specialists get pulled all the time to do this and that around the school).

In an elementary school? I taught for 30 years (now subbing) and I never had to cover another class (I had my own) and I never had lunch duty.

Things have changed drastically since Covid. When I first started teaching we rarely had a teacher out without a sub. Now it is a daily occurrence with usually more than one teacher out, paras out (who cannot even get subs anymore).

I get it. I taught full time through last year. I still never had to cover a class or online duty. I sub at the same school plus a few others and classroom teachers aren’t covering classes or the cafeteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, first of all, you were supposed to sub for a teacher or aid, and neither one ever has actual cleaning duty in the cafeteria. Crowd control yes, cleaning no. So you did not need to agree to that part, and they were way over the line even asking you to do it. Second, other than the cleaning, substitutes take the place of teachers, and teachers often do get asked to run around to different places and do extra duties like cafeteria duty (with NO cleaning, though). So you shouldn't complain about that, as plenty of teachers have to do the same (specialists get pulled all the time to do this and that around the school).

In an elementary school? I taught for 30 years (now subbing) and I never had to cover another class (I had my own) and I never had lunch duty.

Things have changed drastically since Covid. When I first started teaching we rarely had a teacher out without a sub. Now it is a daily occurrence with usually more than one teacher out, paras out (who cannot even get subs anymore).

Because para assistant subs are paid less than teacher subs. Teacher subs are also paid a minimum amount (half day, full day), and para/assistant subs are paid to the exact time. At a lower hourly rate. Of course no one accepts those sub jobs, when there are plenty of other to choose from. I think it's a crap policy that most districts have.

No. If I sub 3, 3.5, 4 hours etc for either a teacher or IA, I get paid for the exact amount of time other way. If I sub 4 hours for a teacher I don’t get paid for 7.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, first of all, you were supposed to sub for a teacher or aid, and neither one ever has actual cleaning duty in the cafeteria. Crowd control yes, cleaning no. So you did not need to agree to that part, and they were way over the line even asking you to do it. Second, other than the cleaning, substitutes take the place of teachers, and teachers often do get asked to run around to different places and do extra duties like cafeteria duty (with NO cleaning, though). So you shouldn't complain about that, as plenty of teachers have to do the same (specialists get pulled all the time to do this and that around the school).

In an elementary school? I taught for 30 years (now subbing) and I never had to cover another class (I had my own) and I never had lunch duty.

Things have changed drastically since Covid. When I first started teaching we rarely had a teacher out without a sub. Now it is a daily occurrence with usually more than one teacher out, paras out (who cannot even get subs anymore).

Because para assistant subs are paid less than teacher subs. Teacher subs are also paid a minimum amount (half day, full day), and para/assistant subs are paid to the exact time. At a lower hourly rate. Of course no one accepts those sub jobs, when there are plenty of other to choose from. I think it's a crap policy that most districts have.

No. If I sub 3, 3.5, 4 hours etc for either a teacher or IA, I get paid for the exact amount of time other way. If I sub 4 hours for a teacher I don’t get paid for 7.

What district?

I believe for Fairfax, subs for teachers get paid a minimum of a half day (3.5 hours) even if the assignment is only 2.5 hours. If they sub for 5 hours, they get paid for 5 hours.

But if an sub assistant subs for say, 2.5 hours, they get paid for 2.5 hours.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OK, first of all, you were supposed to sub for a teacher or aid, and neither one ever has actual cleaning duty in the cafeteria. Crowd control yes, cleaning no. So you did not need to agree to that part, and they were way over the line even asking you to do it. Second, other than the cleaning, substitutes take the place of teachers, and teachers often do get asked to run around to different places and do extra duties like cafeteria duty (with NO cleaning, though). So you shouldn't complain about that, as plenty of teachers have to do the same (specialists get pulled all the time to do this and that around the school).

In an elementary school? I taught for 30 years (now subbing) and I never had to cover another class (I had my own) and I never had lunch duty.

Things have changed drastically since Covid. When I first started teaching we rarely had a teacher out without a sub. Now it is a daily occurrence with usually more than one teacher out, paras out (who cannot even get subs anymore).

I get it. I taught full time through last year. I still never had to cover a class or online duty. I sub at the same school plus a few others and classroom teachers aren’t covering classes or the cafeteria.

Yes - it's usually non-classroom teachers/staff who have to do these duties (reading specialists, counselors, special ed teachers, principals, assistant principals). We do have a staff emergency list at our school, and if the non-classroom teachers can't cover, then the classroom teachers are asked to cover lunch/recess. Also, occasionally a class may get split among the other teachers in the grade if there is no other option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub who is really sick of accepting a job, only to arrive at the school and be told I'll be doing something else. This has happened to me four times in the last month. Most recently, I signed up to sub for a 3rd grade teacher. Upon arrival, I was told they didn't need me anymore, but would I please monitor the cafeteria for two hours and then report back to the office for further instructions? I was furious, but tried to remain outwardly flexible and friendly, so I did as I was asked. After two miserable hours in the cafeteria, getting to clean up messes and scrub tables while surrounded by ear-splitting decibels, I returned to the office. I was then asked to cover for a couple of different teachers, which had me running back and forth to their classes until dismissal when I was told to help with bus duty.

Schools: when subs accept a job, make sure that you call them to cancel if they're no longer needed. This is not acceptable.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but this is my life as a non-classroom teacher. I go into work each day holding my breath to see if I will have a normal day, where I can do my actual job, or if I will be pulled for other duties. I am often doing cafeteria/recess duty/bus duty, covering a classroom, covering as a one-to-one para for a special needs child, or even sitting with a child who cannot be in their classroom after a significant behavior issue. This is the reality of public education today, with teacher and sub shortages. You are allowed to say no and ask how else you could help, or just leave. We have had subs do this in the past, and then we have subs who understand our struggles and pitch in however they are asked.

But it's not ok and we all need to start saying that.

Public education-gaslighting at it's best-"do it for the kids" "be a team player" "do whatever is needed" ENOUGH is ENOUGH! The reason we have no subs and teachers leaving is because all around education disrespects the people in these positions.

What’s the alternative? We all say no and the kids have to go home?

Let all of the admin take turns. That's why they get paid the big bucks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach ESOL and if I secure a sub, they almost always get pulled to cover a class. I feel so badly about it, I don’t even want a sub for my groups but they encourage us to get coverage so those students get the hours of services, but then they don’t.

I would put your foot down on the cafeteria duty, but I think the rest you may have to suck up. The flexibility of subbing benefits you, but you need to be flexible as well for the school. The needs are so big right now.

Thank you so much!! Please don’t give up!

Let's be clear here: there is very little that benefits being a sub, who get paid half as much an hour as an entry level teacher with no healthcare or pension or PTO, but one thing that does is: BEING ABLE TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A JOB or not. Choosing to take a job, showing up and being told you are in fact going to do something else is BS.

If teachers or schools or front office staff are rude to subs, you make your own bed....

There has to be a reason that subs are subs…and for the ones that I know personally and professionally, they say they do it for the flexibility. And as an ESOL teacher I have had to sub for other teachers plenty of times. So I get how hard it is. Teaching is hard, subbing is also hard because the kids take advantage and some sub plans are challenging to follow and the technology doesn’t always come easy. I believe subs should be paid a LOT more. But schools are understaffed and we are at almost crisis mode, so I believe being in education right now requires some degree of flexibility.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t blame you for not wanting to do this but it isn’t demeaning. Do you look down on the people who monitor the cafeterias? Probably not.

OP here. Wow, lots of responses. Of course I don't look down on cafeteria monitors - I'm appreciative of them! But the point is that I didn't sign up to be one that day. I signed up for a specific 3rd grade substitute teaching position. As another poster said, if you showed up at work and were told that you'd be helping out in the cafeteria that day because they were short-staffed, would you be ok with that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
They pay you, right? If they sent you home, would they still pay you? For having showed up in the morning, paid for childcare and cleared your day?

I scrubbed tables, swept, cleaned up, wipes noses, when I volunteered for the PTA (when you organize entire events, sometimes you have to do that). I have two graduate degrees. No work is demeaning.

I think part of the work of a sub is to be placed where the need is, but maybe I'm not fully understanding the situation.

You are incorrect. They are not volunteering for a PTA event. Sit down.

This. Subbing is a job, not a volunteer gig. I have a master’s degree and a law degree (totally irrelevant info, PP) and have scrubbed many a cafeteria table while volunteering at PTA events but that’s not what this is. OP signed up to sub for third grade. That’s the job she should have received. If the sub job was something like “as needed,” that would be different.

Exactly.
-OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
They pay you, right? If they sent you home, would they still pay you? For having showed up in the morning, paid for childcare and cleared your day?

I scrubbed tables, swept, cleaned up, wipes noses, when I volunteered for the PTA (when you organize entire events, sometimes you have to do that). I have two graduate degrees. No work is demeaning.

I think part of the work of a sub is to be placed where the need is, but maybe I'm not fully understanding the situation.

Not okay at all. I’m a teacher and if nothing else you should understand this - I would wear different clothes if I’m teaching a class vs scrubbing cafeteria tables and cleaning messes all day. It’s different if you are volunteering and willing to do whatever to make the event happen. That’s not the case when you are hired for a job.

Yes, this!! I'm OP and if I had signed up for an art class - or cafeteria duty - I would have dressed accordingly. Not that I was dressed up, but I would definitely have worn some older clothes that I didn't care about had I known I'd be wiping up ketchup, cutting open GoGurts, sweeping, mopping, washing tables.

I think what it comes down to is that it's disrespectful to any sub who has committed to a specific slot but is then plugged in elsewhere. And anyone working *any* job would feel the same way if they were given a completely different assignment upon arrival, with no warning. If it happens again, I'm hoping I'll have the nerve to (politely) say no to any alternative job they want to spring on me, and just leave.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
They pay you, right? If they sent you home, would they still pay you? For having showed up in the morning, paid for childcare and cleared your day?

I scrubbed tables, swept, cleaned up, wipes noses, when I volunteered for the PTA (when you organize entire events, sometimes you have to do that). I have two graduate degrees. No work is demeaning.

I think part of the work of a sub is to be placed where the need is, but maybe I'm not fully understanding the situation.

This is my take as well. I am a part time school employee and sometimes we have to be super flexible. I love kids, I am there to make their day a little better (that’s how I see my job in general as it is meaningless in itself - testing), so I don’t really care what I do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub who is really sick of accepting a job, only to arrive at the school and be told I'll be doing something else. This has happened to me four times in the last month. Most recently, I signed up to sub for a 3rd grade teacher. Upon arrival, I was told they didn't need me anymore, but would I please monitor the cafeteria for two hours and then report back to the office for further instructions? I was furious, but tried to remain outwardly flexible and friendly, so I did as I was asked. After two miserable hours in the cafeteria, getting to clean up messes and scrub tables while surrounded by ear-splitting decibels, I returned to the office. I was then asked to cover for a couple of different teachers, which had me running back and forth to their classes until dismissal when I was told to help with bus duty.

Schools: when subs accept a job, make sure that you call them to cancel if they're no longer needed. This is not acceptable.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but this is my life as a non-classroom teacher. I go into work each day holding my breath to see if I will have a normal day, where I can do my actual job, or if I will be pulled for other duties. I am often doing cafeteria/recess duty/bus duty, covering a classroom, covering as a one-to-one para for a special needs child, or even sitting with a child who cannot be in their classroom after a significant behavior issue. This is the reality of public education today, with teacher and sub shortages. You are allowed to say no and ask how else you could help, or just leave. We have had subs do this in the past, and then we have subs who understand our struggles and pitch in however they are asked.

You said you're a "non-classroom teacher." So, are you an Instructional Assistant? Because I didn't sign up for an IA position - I signed up for a substitute teaching position. As such, I expected to be in one classroom the entire day. I've done IA subbing before and it's much as you describe. Which is why I don't do IA subbing anymore.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub who is really sick of accepting a job, only to arrive at the school and be told I'll be doing something else. This has happened to me four times in the last month. Most recently, I signed up to sub for a 3rd grade teacher. Upon arrival, I was told they didn't need me anymore, but would I please monitor the cafeteria for two hours and then report back to the office for further instructions? I was furious, but tried to remain outwardly flexible and friendly, so I did as I was asked. After two miserable hours in the cafeteria, getting to clean up messes and scrub tables while surrounded by ear-splitting decibels, I returned to the office. I was then asked to cover for a couple of different teachers, which had me running back and forth to their classes until dismissal when I was told to help with bus duty.

Schools: when subs accept a job, make sure that you call them to cancel if they're no longer needed. This is not acceptable.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but this is my life as a non-classroom teacher. I go into work each day holding my breath to see if I will have a normal day, where I can do my actual job, or if I will be pulled for other duties. I am often doing cafeteria/recess duty/bus duty, covering a classroom, covering as a one-to-one para for a special needs child, or even sitting with a child who cannot be in their classroom after a significant behavior issue. This is the reality of public education today, with teacher and sub shortages. You are allowed to say no and ask how else you could help, or just leave. We have had subs do this in the past, and then we have subs who understand our struggles and pitch in however they are asked.

But it's not ok and we all need to start saying that.

Public education-gaslighting at it's best-"do it for the kids" "be a team player" "do whatever is needed" ENOUGH is ENOUGH! The reason we have no subs and teachers leaving is because all around education disrespects the people in these positions.

What’s the alternative? We all say no and the kids have to go home?

Let all of the admin take turns. That's why they get paid the big bucks.

My admins do lunch and recess duty every day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub who is really sick of accepting a job, only to arrive at the school and be told I'll be doing something else. This has happened to me four times in the last month. Most recently, I signed up to sub for a 3rd grade teacher. Upon arrival, I was told they didn't need me anymore, but would I please monitor the cafeteria for two hours and then report back to the office for further instructions? I was furious, but tried to remain outwardly flexible and friendly, so I did as I was asked. After two miserable hours in the cafeteria, getting to clean up messes and scrub tables while surrounded by ear-splitting decibels, I returned to the office. I was then asked to cover for a couple of different teachers, which had me running back and forth to their classes until dismissal when I was told to help with bus duty.

Schools: when subs accept a job, make sure that you call them to cancel if they're no longer needed. This is not acceptable.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but this is my life as a non-classroom teacher. I go into work each day holding my breath to see if I will have a normal day, where I can do my actual job, or if I will be pulled for other duties. I am often doing cafeteria/recess duty/bus duty, covering a classroom, covering as a one-to-one para for a special needs child, or even sitting with a child who cannot be in their classroom after a significant behavior issue. This is the reality of public education today, with teacher and sub shortages. You are allowed to say no and ask how else you could help, or just leave. We have had subs do this in the past, and then we have subs who understand our struggles and pitch in however they are asked.

You said you're a "non-classroom teacher." So, are you an Instructional Assistant? Because I didn't sign up for an IA position - I signed up for a substitute teaching position. As such, I expected to be in one classroom the entire day. I've done IA subbing before and it's much as you describe. Which is why I don't do IA subbing anymore.

No I am a special education teacher. Non classroom teachers are reading specialists, staff development, ESOL. Our counselor is also often pulled for the above.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm a sub who is really sick of accepting a job, only to arrive at the school and be told I'll be doing something else. This has happened to me four times in the last month. Most recently, I signed up to sub for a 3rd grade teacher. Upon arrival, I was told they didn't need me anymore, but would I please monitor the cafeteria for two hours and then report back to the office for further instructions? I was furious, but tried to remain outwardly flexible and friendly, so I did as I was asked. After two miserable hours in the cafeteria, getting to clean up messes and scrub tables while surrounded by ear-splitting decibels, I returned to the office. I was then asked to cover for a couple of different teachers, which had me running back and forth to their classes until dismissal when I was told to help with bus duty.

Schools: when subs accept a job, make sure that you call them to cancel if they're no longer needed. This is not acceptable.

I'm sorry you feel this way, but this is my life as a non-classroom teacher. I go into work each day holding my breath to see if I will have a normal day, where I can do my actual job, or if I will be pulled for other duties. I am often doing cafeteria/recess duty/bus duty, covering a classroom, covering as a one-to-one para for a special needs child, or even sitting with a child who cannot be in their classroom after a significant behavior issue. This is the reality of public education today, with teacher and sub shortages. You are allowed to say no and ask how else you could help, or just leave. We have had subs do this in the past, and then we have subs who understand our struggles and pitch in however they are asked.

My respect to you for what you do!
-not OP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I teach ESOL and if I secure a sub, they almost always get pulled to cover a class. I feel so badly about it, I don’t even want a sub for my groups but they encourage us to get coverage so those students get the hours of services, but then they don’t.

I would put your foot down on the cafeteria duty, but I think the rest you may have to suck up. The flexibility of subbing benefits you, but you need to be flexible as well for the school. The needs are so big right now.

Thank you so much!! Please don’t give up!

Let's be clear here: there is very little that benefits being a sub, who get paid half as much an hour as an entry level teacher with no healthcare or pension or PTO, but one thing that does is: BEING ABLE TO DECIDE IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A JOB or not. Choosing to take a job, showing up and being told you are in fact going to do something else is BS.

If teachers or schools or front office staff are rude to subs, you make your own bed....

This x a million.