The Sub Job

School started here on Thursday. On Friday I had my first substitute teaching job of the year. Since the school is right across the street and Yahoo's babysitter is right across the alley, substitute teaching is a pretty easy way to make a little extra money. 


This sub job was so easy it was boring. I only had to watch about two and half hours worth of high school Spanish classes.I've subbed for many years. I was a substitute teacher my last couple years of college. I subbed right after I married DR and moved from Indiana to Kentucky. The largest and most intimidating high school I ever subbed in, in Kentucky, had 4 separate principals, over 1000 students and had uniformed police officers walking the halls. I didn't like heading to that huge school and often turned down subbing jobs there. It wasn't just because of the cops that I didn't feel comfortable there...just walking through the halls was extremely uncomfortable. There were many kids who let off a creepy vibe. 


Our little town's high school is most definitely the smallest I have ever subbed in. There are only about 100 high school students in all four grades, the high school is attached to the elementary, everyone knows EVERYONE and every kid has a laptop assigned by the school. My half day sub job was cake. First of all because it was the second day and I don't know a lick of Spanish there wasn't anything for these kids to do. Back when I was in high school (man, that phrase makes me feel old) we'd sit around and chit chat the whole class while periodically being told to quiet down by the sub. All 13 of the kids in my class last week had a laptop and were on it and were completely quiet for over an hour. I even asked them once to make some noise...please! The silence was driving me insane! 


It wasn't just the fact they all had laptops that spurred the silence. I know a lot of the high schoolers and overall they are pretty conservative and respectful group of teenagers.  You don't see any over the top clothes or hairstyles or piercings on these kids like I've witnessed in other states and bigger schools. Not many teachers get to experience the spectrum of teaching environments that substitutes do...especially one that has subbed in different states.


This school district is awfully small and sure, there are some things that the students in this high school don't have offered to them like FFA or more specialized classes. But I think being small is a good trade off for a positive and conducive environment for learning. 


Anyway, small is great when it comes to being a substitute teacher and having a safe feeling when I go to work.