Why I Will Not Substitute
Teaching jobs are being cut in my home district every year. It is getting harder and harder to get your foot in the door if you want to teach here. After I got certified to teach, I found that the jobs available were like little Grails. They were close to impossible to attain.
Everyone told me I should sub. That is a great theory. You are supposedly getting classroom time and you can often meet teachers and administrators. You definitely get a taste of whether or not you like any given school. However, I have seen with my own eyes that substitute teaching is glorified babysitting. And, on top of that the students are abusive in their treatment of the subs. Maybe it is different in elementary school, but in the middle and high schools it is one tough gig. In every class I am in, if a sub comes in for the day the students are rude, manipulative, and relentless in their quest to obtain the upper hand.
I have never regretted not subbing. My job might be one step down from full instructional right now, but at least I am a fulltime employee of the district, with the benefits and a pension plan to boot. Plus, I can count on my paycheck. It’s almost like a paid internship. I’m getting more insight into classroom management than I could have ever hoped for. I am getting the opportunity to develop relationships with the student and the students I have not met are at least used to seeing me on campus.
Ideally, a position will open up at my school. If not, I can still say that working in my current capacity has given me more hands-on experience that subbing ever could.
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