Long-term subs

[Anonymous]

My son's teacher (4th grade) has been out since winter break for surgery. She's slated to come back after spring break (the week of March 23rd). In the interim, his class has a sub, who, for what it's worth, does not have a teaching license or degree. She's in charge of giving them classwork and tests, and grading them, and will be in charge of their report cards. Almost half the class, including my child, is in the school's "advanced studies" program. I believe the class in general is struggling under her guidance. My son told me that another teacher came in a few weeks ago and asked the class why everyone was doing so poorly on the classwork and tests. True to this, my son has been coming home with grades MUCH lower than we are used to from him. I believe that it's a combination of harsh grading and poor teaching. Most of his low grades are in math; however, when I sit down with him merely for 30 minutes, the material clicks - but at that point, he's already gotten a bunch of low grades on his work (the sub relies VERY heavily on worksheets). :/

I've spoken to a couple of other parents and learned that their kids are also in the same boat (also in the advanced program but now struggling). It's not a matter of the kids slacking off with the sub...these are ambitious kids who excelled with their actual teacher and are really upset that they're now having issues.

Would you be comfortable in having an unlicensed, non-degreed substitute teaching your kids for 3 months?

Would you say something to the sub in this situation, regarding her reliance on the worksheets and how perhaps the kids need more hands-on teaching?

[Anonymous]

That was our experience in MCPS but they only use worksheets anyway. We went through 3 subs in a few months.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son's teacher (4th grade) has been out since winter break for surgery. She's slated to come back after spring break (the week of March 23rd). In the interim, his class has a sub, who, for what it's worth, does not have a teaching license or degree. She's in charge of giving them classwork and tests, and grading them, and will be in charge of their report cards. Almost half the class, including my child, is in the school's "advanced studies" program. I believe the class in general is struggling under her guidance. My son told me that another teacher came in a few weeks ago and asked the class why everyone was doing so poorly on the classwork and tests. True to this, my son has been coming home with grades MUCH lower than we are used to from him. I believe that it's a combination of harsh grading and poor teaching. Most of his low grades are in math; however, when I sit down with him merely for 30 minutes, the material clicks - but at that point, he's already gotten a bunch of low grades on his work (the sub relies VERY heavily on worksheets). :/

I've spoken to a couple of other parents and learned that their kids are also in the same boat (also in the advanced program but now struggling). It's not a matter of the kids slacking off with the sub...these are ambitious kids who excelled with their actual teacher and are really upset that they're now having issues.

Would you be comfortable in having an unlicensed, non-degreed substitute teaching your kids for 3 months?

Would you say something to the sub in this situation, regarding her reliance on the worksheets and how perhaps the kids need more hands-on teaching?

Do you have a choice? He is in 4th grade so worksheets are pretty typical. We went through out math book one page at a time all year long when I was a kid. We had to copy the problems in our notebook and then solve them. What else do you expect a sub to do? The school is probably just lucky to find a warm body to put in the classroom.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That was our experience in MCPS but they only use worksheets anyway. We went through 3 subs in a few months.

Ugh. That's so not acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's teacher (4th grade) has been out since winter break for surgery. She's slated to come back after spring break (the week of March 23rd). In the interim, his class has a sub, who, for what it's worth, does not have a teaching license or degree. She's in charge of giving them classwork and tests, and grading them, and will be in charge of their report cards. Almost half the class, including my child, is in the school's "advanced studies" program. I believe the class in general is struggling under her guidance. My son told me that another teacher came in a few weeks ago and asked the class why everyone was doing so poorly on the classwork and tests. True to this, my son has been coming home with grades MUCH lower than we are used to from him. I believe that it's a combination of harsh grading and poor teaching. Most of his low grades are in math; however, when I sit down with him merely for 30 minutes, the material clicks - but at that point, he's already gotten a bunch of low grades on his work (the sub relies VERY heavily on worksheets). :/

I've spoken to a couple of other parents and learned that their kids are also in the same boat (also in the advanced program but now struggling). It's not a matter of the kids slacking off with the sub...these are ambitious kids who excelled with their actual teacher and are really upset that they're now having issues.

Would you be comfortable in having an unlicensed, non-degreed substitute teaching your kids for 3 months?

Would you say something to the sub in this situation, regarding her reliance on the worksheets and how perhaps the kids need more hands-on teaching?

Do you have a choice? He is in 4th grade so worksheets are pretty typical. We went through out math book one page at a time all year long when I was a kid. We had to copy the problems in our notebook and then solve them. What else do you expect a sub to do? The school is probably just lucky to find a warm body to put in the classroom.

I'm not objecting to the worksheets as much as I'm objecting to the fact that she's not actively teaching them well enough for them to do well on the worksheets. Also, that the lessons aren't communicated to the parents BEFORE the kids are given a myriad of worksheets. If I knew what the lesson was beforehand, I could easily sit down with my son and explain it to him. I think that's the least (and maybe the most) I could ask for in the absence of being properly taught. For what it's worth, my son told me that they have a math book but don't use it. *shrug* I get what you're saying about the warm body - teachers (especially amazing teachers like the one who is out right now) aren't easy to come by. But I also have an obligation to be proactive about my child's education and not just accept the shoddy teaching and grading that the sub is doing.

[Anonymous]

You could go to the principal to express your concerns but I doubt that will make much difference. Our long term subs don't really have any contact with the parents so I'm not sure why you think a warm body is going to be sending you weekly updates about the curriculum. Our LTSs basically just keep the kids alive and give them worksheets. There isn't much instruction unless they are a former intern who takes the job because they graduated in December and need a job for the rest of the year.

[Anonymous]

This is pretty typical with long-term subs. You can complain to the school all you want, but they often struggle just to get *anyone* in there on a consistent basis as long-term subs, and beggars can’t be choosers.

When this happened in our child’s class a few years ago, many of us requested copies of the curriculum that would be covered week by week and either supplemented at home or hired tutors in the subjects where kids were struggling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You could go to the principal to express your concerns but I doubt that will make much difference. Our long term subs don't really have any contact with the parents so I'm not sure why you think a warm body is going to be sending you weekly updates about the curriculum. Our LTSs basically just keep the kids alive and give them worksheets. There isn't much instruction unless they are a former intern who takes the job because they graduated in December and need a job for the rest of the year.

Yeah, I definitely don't think going to the principal will accomplish anything. I don't even know if there is a point in saying anything to the subnow, as they have just 2 weeks left with her. I guess I'm primarily concerned with the report card, for which she is responsible. Usually a sub grades at the same level or easier than the actual teacher, not much harsher.

[Anonymous]

A lot of this issue comes down to pay.

My FIL - a retired teacher from another state - is a sub in FCPS. The pay is ridiculously low but he does it to stay busy during the day. Long term subs pay only a tiny bit more and come with more headaches. FIL refuses to take a long term job bc he doesn't want to have to deal with homework, and grading, and not being able to take a day off here and there. Not worth it to him.

What the school districts really need are floating teachers - paid the same as regular teachers - that can cover these long term absences. But that would cost money so back down to these hourly employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My son's teacher (4th grade) has been out since winter break for surgery. She's slated to come back after spring break (the week of March 23rd). In the interim, his class has a sub, who, for what it's worth, does not have a teaching license or degree. She's in charge of giving them classwork and tests, and grading them, and will be in charge of their report cards. Almost half the class, including my child, is in the school's "advanced studies" program. I believe the class in general is struggling under her guidance. My son told me that another teacher came in a few weeks ago and asked the class why everyone was doing so poorly on the classwork and tests. True to this, my son has been coming home with grades MUCH lower than we are used to from him. I believe that it's a combination of harsh grading and poor teaching. Most of his low grades are in math; however, when I sit down with him merely for 30 minutes, the material clicks - but at that point, he's already gotten a bunch of low grades on his work (the sub relies VERY heavily on worksheets). :/

I've spoken to a couple of other parents and learned that their kids are also in the same boat (also in the advanced program but now struggling). It's not a matter of the kids slacking off with the sub...these are ambitious kids who excelled with their actual teacher and are really upset that they're now having issues.

Would you be comfortable in having an unlicensed, non-degreed substitute teaching your kids for 3 months?

Would you say something to the sub in this situation, regarding her reliance on the worksheets and how perhaps the kids need more hands-on teaching?

Do you have a choice? He is in 4th grade so worksheets are pretty typical. We went through out math book one page at a time all year long when I was a kid. We had to copy the problems in our notebook and then solve them. What else do you expect a sub to do? The school is probably just lucky to find a warm body to put in the classroom.

I'm not objecting to the worksheets as much as I'm objecting to the fact that she's not actively teaching them well enough for them to do well on the worksheets. Also, that the lessons aren't communicated to the parents BEFORE the kids are given a myriad of worksheets. If I knew what the lesson was beforehand, I could easily sit down with my son and explain it to him. I think that's the least (and maybe the most) I could ask for in the absence of being properly taught. For what it's worth, my son told me that they have a math book but don't use it. *shrug* I get what you're saying about the warm body - teachers (especially amazing teachers like the one who is out right now) aren't easy to come by. But I also have an obligation to be proactive about my child's education and not just accept the shoddy teaching and grading that the sub is doing.

Our teachers don't really teach any more. Its more centers and worksheets. We had a workbook for two years in a row and it was never used either. Supplement at home. Nothing you can do but change schools.

[Anonymous]

If the regular teacher is as good as you say she is, then she will get the class where they need to be when she comes back. Good teachers know how to fill in the gaps.

Also, just breathe for a second. Although it's not an ideal situation, you're talking about the 4th grade. It will be ok.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the regular teacher is as good as you say she is, then she will get the class where they need to be when she comes back. Good teachers know how to fill in the gaps.

Also, just breathe for a second. Although it's not an ideal situation, you're talking about the 4th grade. It will be ok.

You are probably right on both counts. Ohmmmmm....

[Anonymous]

At least it is 4th grade. Wait until the same thing happens in a MS foreign language class (and the long term sub doesn't know the language) or a HS AP class where the long term sub knows nothing about the material and has to prepare them for the AP exam!

Given that subs, even long term subs, get paid very little and have to deal with misbehaving kids and have little to no support from the administration, its a miserable job that no one wants. Until the economy tanks....

[Anonymous]

If I'd be so lucky to have this sub job. I would find a book that has the curriculum and just follow it. I grew up not knowing that multiple choice and worksheets existed.
I applied at DCPS for an Aid position last year and didn't get picked.
I passed the Praxis this year and did quite well on math. (Passed English also though it's not my first language).
I don't see how schools hire anybody without a degree to teach while I'm about to enter graduate program just to be an aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If I'd be so lucky to have this sub job. I would find a book that has the curriculum and just follow it. I grew up not knowing that multiple choice and worksheets existed.
I applied at DCPS for an Aid position last year and didn't get picked.
I passed the Praxis this year and did quite well on math. (Passed English also though it's not my first language).
I don't see how schools hire anybody without a degree to teach while I'm about to enter graduate program just to be an aid.

Don't go to grad school to be an aid. Have you done the application process to be a substitute? I know in my APS we almost always hire from our sub pool