Once a Teacher...Always a Teacher
I'm back!
I went to the Central Office this afternoon and signed up to substitute.
Every campus in this school district comes up short every school day when it comes to subs. One campus was short 12 subs yesterday!
Why? Because of the pandemic. Because of Omicron A and B. Because of masks. But they don’t require masks anymore.
They used to have a LOT of retired teachers subbing. Then, the schools closed. Most of those subs didn’t come back.
The last time I subbed, many years ago, I had to watch the website where subbing jobs were posted. Whoever got to them first got the job. Now, though, they’re desperate for subs.
Since I’m a certified teacher, I’ll be called every day. And, they’re going to let me catch the morning bus to go to the High School campus to sub if I accept a job there.
I accepted the job at the Primary Building for tomorrow. It’s one block from our home and a 5-minute walk. That’s where I hope to do most of my subbing.
Am I Happy?
I have mixed feelings about teaching again. I’m really happy that I’m subbing and not a full-time teacher. I won’t have to deal with all the planning and grading and record-keeping that has very little to do with actual teaching.
Most of all, I won’t have to make sure my students do well on the Texas TAAKS or STAAR or whatever the new beast of a test will be called.
What Do Subs Do?
Subs get to do the things teachers love to do—teach students.
I love seeing their eyes widen when they hear something they didn’t know, then get to talk about it, write about it, learn more about it, get excited about it!
That’s what I’m looking forward to while subbing. Tossing something out and seeing who catches it and tosses it back to me, to be tossed out again. I use a question and a rubber ball for that game.
A Family of Teachers
My parents were teachers. Chuck’s mother was a teacher. Some of his cousins’ kids are teachers, too.
Chuck’s cousin-in-law is a sub in Lubbock. He’s retired and absolutely LOVES being with little kids. First grade, I think. They call him Mr. Skippy, and he’s the sub they want whenever their teacher has to be gone for a day.
A friend taught Kindergarten. She was Miss Pat.
I wish I had a cute nickname. I never did, though, in any grade I taught. During 12 years in the classroom, I taught every grade K-7. I was always Mrs. George.
Who knows? Maybe this will be the year when I earn that cute nickname. When students will cheer when they hear I’m going to be their sub.
It could happen!
Hugs and Happiness!
Linda