OP, what grade are we talking about? Seems like in elementary school, it's fine, but in middle/high school, it could be a challenge. My DH will be leaving his foreign language classes for 6 weeks this fall for child care leave, and the process of finding an "approved" long term sub was extensive. He will be providing a framework for all the lessons and the sub will also be getting support from the foreign language team. They don't let just anyone roll in and be a long term sub, and they get paid more than regular day-to-day subs.

To the second PP -

As a teacher myself, you know that happens. However, it's not as though it's a common practice. But in private industry, workers who can't perform b/c of those obstacles are often let go. Maybe that's an ugly truth, but it's the truth.

And when you have a classroom of kids (or 150 at the secondary level), absences do a lot of damage.

I took long-term leave when my father got ill b/c it was eating too much of my time. He died, and I returned. I couldn't look at myself each day knowing I wasn't fully into it and was therefore harming the students I taught. It's a personal issue which harms professionalism.

Sometimes things have to give b/c we all know that Wonder Woman is just a cartoon character!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - this has hurt my DD in MS big time. Both in 6th grade and 8th grade

Her Math teacher did not take a long leave of absence. What she did instead is take leave from day to day and made an appearance every so often just for a day. so this allowed her not to go on long term leave. This went on for months after months after months. So the subs my DD got were on a daily basis...uninterested middle aged men with starbucks coffee cups and Sudoku books in hand.

Eventually - she went for long term leave and a very substandard long term sub was found.

The same teacher pulled the same stunt after 2 years again.

And in the summer she applied and got transferred to another MCPS MS. Where I am sure she is doing the same thing.

Maybe she has a child or spouse who is severely ill at home...maybe something bad is in her life. I have sympathy for whatever her situation may be in life...I just thought that this was a very horrible thing to do to her students. Anyways, Karma will come and bite her someday.

So - my answer to any situation where there is long term sub ...or prolonged use of short term sub is occurring is to transfer the child.

3 subject areas to be particularly vary about is Math, Science and Foreign Language.

Which one is it? You have sympathy or you think it was a horrible thing to do?

I had a school year where my child was really sick -- like specialists, feeding tube, multiple hospitalizations sick. Despite a special needs childcare for medically fragile kids, there were times when I was out and my kids had subs. To make matters worse, I had many of the same kids who had had a sub the year before when I was on maternity leave. I felt awful about it, but I'm really not sure what you think I could have done differently.

I also think that the notion that a teacher who is missing work, because they have cancer, or a sick child, or whatever, will have karma bite them in the future. It's not like those things aren't happening right now.

yeah

That's a bad situation.

It really does affect learning, as the kids lose so much from week to week. Unfortunately, there's not much a principal can do. I know it took a year's worth of documentation to get rid of a colleague pulling that same crap. She's now gone, but the effects of her absences are still there. On the flip side, usually teachers who follow that route are not exactly the best either. So it is a lose-lose in so many ways.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - this has hurt my DD in MS big time. Both in 6th grade and 8th grade

Her Math teacher did not take a long leave of absence. What she did instead is take leave from day to day and made an appearance every so often just for a day. so this allowed her not to go on long term leave. This went on for months after months after months. So the subs my DD got were on a daily basis...uninterested middle aged men with starbucks coffee cups and Sudoku books in hand.

Eventually - she went for long term leave and a very substandard long term sub was found.

The same teacher pulled the same stunt after 2 years again.

And in the summer she applied and got transferred to another MCPS MS. Where I am sure she is doing the same thing.

Maybe she has a child or spouse who is severely ill at home...maybe something bad is in her life. I have sympathy for whatever her situation may be in life...I just thought that this was a very horrible thing to do to her students. Anyways, Karma will come and bite her someday.

So - my answer to any situation where there is long term sub ...or prolonged use of short term sub is occurring is to transfer the child.

3 subject areas to be particularly vary about is Math, Science and Foreign Language.

My child had a long term sub for the beginning of the year last year (K). I was a little worried, and my child has some extra needs and has an IEP. It was fine. The long term sub was excellent and really knew her business. She works a lot at the school and already knew my child from pre-school (at that school). There is a lot of help for the teacher and I was really pleased. The only issue is no one came to back to school night and there was no one trying to get room parents because she is a sub. But I volunteered to be the room parent, so the class would have one and then recruited another person.

There was not much transition problem. Real teacher came back around Thanksgiving. The kids all knew that they were in Ms. X/ Mrs. H's class. So they knew who the teachers (both of them) would be. My child met both teachers on the meet and greet Kindergarten introduction.

I say no worries if the long term sub is excellent.

Anonymous wrote:Sorry - this has hurt my DD in MS big time. Both in 6th grade and 8th grade

Her Math teacher did not take a long leave of absence. What she did instead is take leave from day to day and made an appearance every so often just for a day. so this allowed her not to go on long term leave. This went on for months after months after months. So the subs my DD got were on a daily basis...uninterested middle aged men with starbucks coffee cups and Sudoku books in hand.

Eventually - she went for long term leave and a very substandard long term sub was found.

The same teacher pulled the same stunt after 2 years again.

And in the summer she applied and got transferred to another MCPS MS. Where I am sure she is doing the same thing.

Maybe she has a child or spouse who is severely ill at home...maybe something bad is in her life. I have sympathy for whatever her situation may be in life...I just thought that this was a very horrible thing to do to her students. Anyways, Karma will come and bite her someday.

So - my answer to any situation where there is long term sub ...or prolonged use of short term sub is occurring is to transfer the child.

3 subject areas to be particularly vary about is Math, Science and Foreign Language.

Which one is it? You have sympathy or you think it was a horrible thing to do?

I had a school year where my child was really sick -- like specialists, feeding tube, multiple hospitalizations sick. Despite a special needs childcare for medically fragile kids, there were times when I was out and my kids had subs. To make matters worse, I had many of the same kids who had had a sub the year before when I was on maternity leave. I felt awful about it, but I'm really not sure what you think I could have done differently.

I also think that the notion that a teacher who is missing work, because they have cancer, or a sick child, or whatever, will have karma bite them in the future. It's not like those things aren't happening right now.

This happened to DD twice. Once, it was a disaster, and once, it was a great experience. I would just keep on top of it and communicate with the principal if you see any problems.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:is this a clown question?

2nd. Ever heard of rolling with the punches?? Just dealing with shit as it comes?? Shit usually works out in the long run, doesn't it?

yea...why do we try to make a non-problem into a problem
personally i have enough real s*** to deal with to not MAKE UP SOME S***

Anonymous wrote:is this a clown question?

2nd. Ever heard of rolling with the punches?? Just dealing with shit as it comes?? Shit usually works out in the long run, doesn't it?

It happens. It's not ideal, but teachers get maternity leave. If the teacher is out from the very start of the year (assuming maternity leave is the reason for the long term sub) then she must have had her baby during the summer, so it shouldn't be for too too long.

My kids have experienced this twice--last year, my 1st grader began the year with a long term sub who was AWESOME, a retired teacher who had subbed in the school enough times that my DS knew him. From my interactions, it didn't seem like I was talking with a sub, it was like talking with a "real" teacher. The transition back to his regular teacher was fine, as far as I know. I think she came back around Halloween, so it was two months with the sub. The year before, my DD was in 3rd grade and her regular teacher went on leave partway through the year. I think that was much more difficult, because the students got used to one routine, then had a new teacher, then had to go back to the old routine when the teacher came back. It was still okay though, she survived, and again, the sub was an experienced teacher known to the students.

Again, not ideal, but I think it works best when it's either at the very beginning or the very end. That way there's only one transition. No way would I request my kid be moved to another class--the chances of that request being entertained seem laughable. If you're really concerned, I would maybe ask about the long term sub. Is he or she a certified teacher, has he or she subbed in the school before, what kind of support will he or she get from the other teachers?

Sorry - this has hurt my DD in MS big time. Both in 6th grade and 8th grade

Her Math teacher did not take a long leave of absence. What she did instead is take leave from day to day and made an appearance every so often just for a day. so this allowed her not to go on long term leave. This went on for months after months after months. So the subs my DD got were on a daily basis...uninterested middle aged men with starbucks coffee cups and Sudoku books in hand.

Eventually - she went for long term leave and a very substandard long term sub was found.

The same teacher pulled the same stunt after 2 years again.

And in the summer she applied and got transferred to another MCPS MS. Where I am sure she is doing the same thing.

Maybe she has a child or spouse who is severely ill at home...maybe something bad is in her life. I have sympathy for whatever her situation may be in life...I just thought that this was a very horrible thing to do to her students. Anyways, Karma will come and bite her someday.

So - my answer to any situation where there is long term sub ...or prolonged use of short term sub is occurring is to transfer the child.

3 subject areas to be particularly vary about is Math, Science and Foreign Language.

is this a clown question?

If they let everyone switch out of the class that had a teacher on maternity leave the other classes would be over crowded. Having a sub for the fist 6-8 weeks of school isnt ideal but it isnt going to harm your child either, unlike a daily sub the temporary teacher will be teaching normal lessons and running the class room just as your child teacher would.

I doubt any school would give the parents the option of switching but obviously 1 teacher for the year is better. Kids will adjust to a new routine. Teachers have babies or health issues..

Sorry, should say "Was the transition..."

How would or did you feel? Did you want your child switched out? What's dr the transition harder or easier when the real teacher returned?