A Day in the Life of a Substitute Teacher

Hey Y'all,

I thought it would be a good idea to blog about my experiences this far as a substitute teacher. In the beginning I was super nervous, yet excited to be a sub. I lined the idea of not having any take home work. If we are honest, teachers probably work about 60 plus hours a week. I also liked the idea of trying new grades. The truth of the matter is that while it is nice that I don't have any take home work, I still miss having my own class, my own classroom, and my own "ways" of teaching. I am glad however that I have been able to experience different classes. Here is a list if all the positions I have taken so far this year. Are you ready?
1. Kindergarten
2. First grade
3. Third Grade
4. Elementary Special Ed.
5. Middle School Science
6. MS social Studies
7. MS English
8. MS Vocal
9. MS Physical Education
10. MS Math
11. High School Agriculture
12. HS Band/Orchestra
13. HS Spanish
14. HS Dance
15. HS Art
16. HS Math

Some of those titles I have subbed in more than once. Some experiences have been great and some not so great. It has stretched me as an educator and I'm thankful for that. Some teachers leave AWESOME sub plans that keep the kids busy and hard at work. Other teachers will leave extremely lazy plans that maps out an hour block to complete a 25 minute reading lesson leaving me to fill the rest of that time. When I taught Kindergarten in Alaska I mapped out the day to the minute for my sub. I left extra filler activities if the kids finished early. Part of the reason why I was so strict with having a routine was for that one day when I had a sub, the kids would already know what to do and they would know what was expected of them. Those are the plans that every sub delights in and I can say that now being on the other side of things.

So, while it is still a dream of mine to be a stay at home momma, I will continue to apply for full time positions and take on any sub position I can until that is possible. No matter what job title we have, we are called to work as if we are working for God and with a cheerful heart.

Merry Christmas!!