My life as a substitute has taken me to all sides of the education spectrum. Here is a few of the assignments that I have had: kindergarten, fourth grade, second grade, music teacher, art teacher, boys PE coach, jr high social studies and math, high school special ed, auto shop, AP history, senior English, alternative school, social behavior adjustment classroom, reading specialist, and cafeteria supervisor. Today was the cherry on top.
I knew that I might not get a lot of jobs this week, being the last week before Christmas. What teacher can afford to miss their final or class Christmas party? So when I saw a job open last night, I took it. I didn't recognize the school: Project Intercept. I looked it up on the website and it talked about a place where they discipline with dignity. I figured it was an alternative school on the wrong side...I mean east side of town. I had a great experience with the alternative school in Frenship district, mainly because they have drill sergeants roaming the halls. I told myself that if nothing popped up in the morning, I would go.
The first red flag that this might not be the best experience should have been the metal detector that I walked through as I entered the school. It turned out that Project Intercept was the school for the Juvenile Delinquents. I'm not talking about the place they go before they get thrown in jail or a last-chance sort of place. These kids were real law-breaking criminals, many having been in and out of jail for a while for drugs, guns, or thief. The class size may have been small in numbers, but oh, I have never had such a disrespectful group of students. It felt like a movie with nonstop talking, projectile of objects, middle fingers and curse words, and jiggling of inappropriate body parts. I stayed level-headed for most of the day, being patient but firm with the students. . .well I did snap once. I was sick and tired of the up and down and blaming of others that after I told a student for the fifth time to sit on his bum and his reply that he wasn't comfortable in his desk, I gave it to him. "Uncomfortable, you want to know about uncomfortable. I have a human being growing in my uterus, which dislodges all my intestines into improper places. My stomach is up in my chest and my hips are expanding, all the while I am on my feet all day to teach you math. Don't talk to me about being uncomfortable." I might have exaggerated my situation a bit (I've had a easy pregnancy), but the point is still the same. Sadly, that was not the worst of the day and at one point, I almost cried in front of a bunch of 8th grade boys. Instead, I pulled up my big-girl panties and asked the muscular man outside to give a pep talk on respect to the whole class. Needless to say, I didn't leave my phone number on the sub notes.
So the lesson that I learn today was that I have a new priority as a parent: teaching my children to always respect adults, especially substitutes.
4 comments:
Oh my! Sounds like your day was rough! I had the same kind of experience when I drove school bus for Provo School District. I vowed that my children WILL respect their bus driver. End of story. Kind of along the same lines. :)
I did one of my internships at a Juvenile Detention center and with kids on probation. But I never had to teach them, that would be hard. I got to be more on the 'just-checkin-up-on-you,-how's-it-goin side of things'. Which was much easier, I can only imagine trying to teach them, and I think the only way to do it is to lay the smack down and demand some respect. Well done. And the pregnancy card is always a good one to pull when possible! Good job Katie:) I'm just sorry I didn't have more respect for subs, I thought I could get away with anything with subs. I apologize to subs everywhere. I hope you get better subbing experiences from here on out:)
ps. we miss you guys!
This made me laugh so hard!!! I'm sure your children will be much more respectful than these kids!
8th graders are the worst!
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