u/AstridBee

Background: I was a sub. Different class/school everyday. I recently accepted a long-term sub position. I’m currently going back to school to get my bachelor’s then a transition to teach. I had “teacher school” experience from way back but none of that prepared me for the kids I’m working with now.

I just don’t understand the kids who do absolutely nothing in class. Of my classroom kids, 33/56 have zero assignments turned in for the semester. At this point, I was told to grade past assignments for completion only but I can’t grade what I don’t have. I can’t help you if you don’t do anything. I’ve talked to kids with missing assignments. Some simply didn’t click submit but others haven’t even opened it.

These kids are going to fail. I don’t want to see them fail but they will. I feel like I am stressing out too much and doing too much. I know I can’t do anything about it and it’s not up to me.

So teachers, how did you come to terms with it? How do you keep going without taking it personally?

So, due to circumstances they needed a long-term sub for the last 6 weeks of school. I didn’t know what kind of situation I was walking into. I have 2 advanced gym classes, one regular gym, and 2 health classes. Decisions that were made outside of my control but I am dealing with the consequences:

1. The advance group will be absorbed into the regular gym classes of that period. Which means the kids who signed up for this elective expecting to play sports the entire time now have to do all the regular stuff. Some kids have regular and advance in the same day. The kids are big mad about this.

2. Plans for the health classes are done by the only other teacher who teaches the subject. Which means lots of extra work for them and they are a “make the plans during their 1st period prep” kind of person. I have a class 1st period and have come to class with zero plans to start this week.

3. I won’t have grade book access at all. I grade the kids in gym in accordance with the other teacher then give them my notes to input. For health, I’ve been told to check for completion and make a list to give to the other teacher to input and they will grade all of the new assignments. Kids are mad because grades haven’t been entered for weeks before I got there.

4. It’s testing season for this district so they basically have a different schedule everyday. I have the kids for anywhere between 20 mins to 2 hours. 2 hour days also means that some teacher don’t get a prep because they don’t have every period. Everyone is frustrated.

I’m not sure how I feel about this whole thing because everyone is just mad and has more work to do. I’m doing the best that I can to support the students and lesson the workload for the other teachers but I feel like this placement won’t be very successful. At least it’s only until the end of the school year.