A Day in the Life - Substitute Teacher

Woke up, crawled out of bed, dragged a comb…well, you know the song. Some of you who teach music in public schools are well aware how the rest of the song goes. My experience was a new one for me. Sure, I did all the observation hours, completed my student teaching experiences, graduated, passed my Praxis tests for certification, but this is different. And I knew it would be. During my time at Kutztown University I was seriously interested in being a music teacher. After a few setbacks with my vision, I put it aside wondering how that could happen. Almost three years later, I became active in my pursuit of finding a way to make it work.

I received a lot of encouragement from family and friends and decided to at least become a substitute for now to see how it goes. I even took some classes at our county’s intermediate unit in order to receive my emergency certification in various subjects other than music. Since my certification is only in the music area, I cannot sub in other classrooms. It was a little strange that people who had a Bachelor’s degree in any major could simply go to a two-day session and be qualified to sub, but that is the way the system works.

Last Thursday and Friday were my first days in the classroom. The first day was nice since there was a student teacher who taught most of the time with some help from me. On the second day, I was on my own. For the most part it went well. Most of the students were actually excited that I was there since I knew several of them as friends or acquaintances of my own children. It was fun to share what I know about music with them. Unfortunately, there were a few who took away from that experience by behaving in ways inconsistent with effective learning. Did I mention I was in a middle school with 5th through 8th graders? There is a natural restlessness in this age group and knowing that fact goes a long way in dealing with them. They are also very compassionate and willing to help. For one class, I needed to cover for another teacher instead of enjoying a prep period. Two students helped me find the room. Other students helped me take role in some of the classes. Then there was a problem.

One student was very rude and did not seem to even care if he was written up for disciplinary action. I can’t help but wonder what goes on in the life of a child like that. At the same time I am frustrated that other students do not get the full benefits of the instruction. As a teacher, your hands are often tied with situations like this. As a sub, it’s even worse so you try your best to get through the class.

It was quite an experience complete with service lunch duty (Ugh) and bus duty. The schedule is very tight so everything has to be ready for the next class before you can catch your breath. I led guitar classes, general music classes, and some student instrumental lessons. It was mentally exhausting with some of the behavior issues, but also very rewarding with so many more kids who were truly interested in learning.

If you ever question a day in the life of a teacher, please sign up for subbing and do it. Live it for a few days. You get a whole new perspective of the challenges and hard work involved. It’s true there are some who may not put forth as much effort as others, but with more regulations, requirements, and expectations, it is no wonder that many do not survive the profession more than a few years. Take care of the good teachers. We need them.

Jim Meck
www.jimmeck.com
Facebook group: "Jim Meck - official group"

Jim earned his B.S. in Music Ed from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. He is also a gigging local musician. He will be appearing at the White Palm Tavern on April 23, 2009; Valentino’s on April 24, 2009; and Market Café on April 25, 2009. Check his website for more details.