I subbed, last week, at the high school that I and my children attended and, at which, I was the building sub for 4 years. There have been some changes in administration and it is becoming apparent in the kids. When you have a great, solid administration, you have great, solid teachers and then great, solid kids.
For the past 8 or 9 years, whenever a teacher leaves a video, I give my "Video Spiel". It goes something like this: "You are big kids. I can't MAKE you watch a video. My job is not to make sure you get an education--that is your TEACHER'S job and YOUR job. My job is to make sure that those who WANT to get an education have that opportunity. So if you CHOOSE to NOT watch the video, that is YOUR choice-YOUR grade. However, you do not have the RIGHT to take away this learning opportunity from anyone else. SO....if you are not respectful of your fellow classmates, I will give you a verbal warning. If, after a verbal warning you continue to be disrespectful, I will ask you to move seats. IF, when I ask you to move, you argue with me in any WAY, SHAPE or FORM (such as "What'd I do??? It was him!!" etc.) I will send you to the hall and you WILL be written up. If you choose to sleep, I will note that for your teacher, but will not wake you, as that is more disruptive to the rest of the class."
This little spiel has worked well for me and, even though there have been a few write ups for arguing I have NEVER, until last week, had a kid outright REFUSE to move! And not only was it ONE kid, but THREE different kids, in TWO different classes! I actually think my mouth dropped open when the first kid said, "No". I said, "Did you just say "no" to me?" He said that he did. I reminded him that I could write him up for insubordination. He said, "Write me up". I said, "Okay". The next hour was similar, however one boy took it a step further. When I asked him to move, after his verbal warning, he said, "I'm not moving, so write me up". He, however, continued to be disruptive, so I asked him to go into the hall. He refused. So I called the office for an escort and that is when he finally got up and went down to the office. Mind you, there was another 'real' teacher in the room who followed him to the office.
What this level of insolence and insubordination says to me is that the administration is not doing their job. If kids are not afraid of the consequences, it must be because the consequences are nothing to be concerned about. SO, for the first time ever, I e-mailed EVERY administrator at the building and explained what happened. The teacher I was subbing for happens to be a friend and I found out that 2 of the kids have been suspended. The worst offender, I JUST found out, was given an "After School Detention" !!! OMFG! That is an insult to every substitute teacher out there and every other kid that was in that room. He was demoted into that position, about 6 years ago, and has made it fairly clear that he is just biding his time until he retires. Unfreakingbelievable.
The joy I have, is that I can e-mail him and diplomatically tell him to "grow some". I'm sure the administrators now see me as a thorn in their side, but I am not trying to impress anyone and that is the freedom I have with subbing. I am not trying to get a job in the district. I don't NEED the job, as I have a private practice. I have no children in the district anymore. In many ways, I have always seen subbing as a community service, since the pay is low and is the same as when I started 10 years ago. Now excuse me while I go write an email. :)
