I don't have a real job. I know, I know...parenting is a full-time job, blah, blah, blah...but I don't get a paycheck for it. I used to be a high school English teacher a hundred years ago, but I took a year's leave when my first child was born and never returned. It’s crazy how fast ten years flies by.
Now that my kids are (finally) all in school all day, I decided to start subbing, and to slowly ease back into the classroom. I'm volunteering all the time at my kids' school anyway, so figured I may as well make some money while I'm there. My first day as a sub--ahem--Guest Teacher, was on my youngest daughter's 6th birthday last April. I subbed in her kindergarten class at her teacher's request. I hadn't earned a paycheck in ten years, and it was a pretty emotional day for me (though maybe it was just the kindergarteners wearing me out…it takes a special person to teach kindergarten, I realize.)
My oldest daughter’s 4th grade teacher this year is also in the Army Reserves. In the past three years she has served one year in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. This year she attended several trainings, etc. I would sub for her pretty much every time she was out, sometimes full weeks at a time, so the kids started calling me their Step-Teacher. It was great for me because I knew the routines and great for the kids because it was at least semi-consistent. My daughter might tell a different story, though.
Subbing is an awful job, but it is nice to be able to walk into someone else’s plans, and leave with no homework. I’m not quite ready to work full-time again, and it’s probably not the best time to try, anyway. Between my kids’ elementary school and the high school where I used to teach, I filled most of the days I wanted to work. I’ve been through lock-downs and fire drills, fist fights and nose bleeds, vomit and break-downs. I think I’ll be ready when it’s time to get a real job again. Until then, I just wish Step-Teachers made a little more money.
Gone Fishing
13 years ago
What I liked about being a full-time adjunct faculty was being able to fit my teaching schedule around my social schedule. Then, when I had not social life, teaching became even more exciting cause it got me out of the house and paid. How were you able to keep a professional distance when you subbed in the kindergarten class?
ReplyDeleteI hated the uncertainty of subbing...going to bed and not knowing if you were going to be working in the morning or not. But now that I'm teaching, subbing would be great in some ways because you have no papers to grade, no lesson plans to write, no parents to deal with... You clock in and clock out and are free to spend the rest of your evening with parents.
ReplyDeleteTeaching is so time consuming, I'm planning to quit my job when I have children too.
Well worth it, Stephanie. I give people who can do it all a lot of credit...I just am not one of those people! I never had to sub before I got a job out of college, so this is a very eye-opening experience. I don't know that I could have done it as well without the experience I have.
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