I Was a Substitute Teacher
When my former colleagues heard I wasn't moving away until October, they all wanted to know if I was going to sub. Of course, I replied. Great way to make money, and no meetings! As it turned out, I only ended up with about six days in which I had nothing previously planned, so I gave the dates to The Sub Guy who hires the subs for our district, and was immediately booked for my first date. It was probaby the easiest sub job ever. Seventh grade honors math and 7th/8th grade Leadership--four class periods. A great way to get my feet wet. The kids were all nice, because it was only the first week of school (still in shock), and many of them knew me because their siblings had taken my English and Newspaper classes.

The next gig didn't start out as smoothly. My second free day had passed without a morning phone call. However, on day three of availability, the phone rang at 7:30 A.M. Because most sub request calls come between 6:30 A.M. and 7:00 A.M., I had a moment where I thought, "That's not a sub call--it's something else." Then I thought, "but what else would it be?". Sure enough--a sub request. Someone who'd been ill all weekend thought maybe she'd be OK that week, but nope--still sick. So she called in, I was on the list, and I got the call. Fortunately, first period was covered already. I walked in second period, ready to teach eighth grade algebra for the rest of the day. OK, not ready to teach algebra. I didn't remember algebra. Nor could I find the lesson, the math book, the overheads, or the homework. However, the second-period yearbook kids (thank goodness I started with that!) who had math later that day told me where we were in the book and how the class was typically structured. I spent a few minutes digging around in the classroom and unearthed the book, the lesson, and the overheads--triumphant! By third period, I was ready. I taught the lesson (I remembered algebra), unearthed the homework assignment, and let the kids start their homework. I helped them out, had some fun, and was so comfortable by sixth period that when one young man started acting out, I sent him to the office without missing a beat, and then busted his friend for copying the correct homework answers right in front of me, while everyone else was correcting their neighbors' homework. I said to him, "It's time to start giving adults a little more credit, hon." Needless to say, he went to the office, too.

I canceled substitute availability date #4 for reasons I can't remember, but did get the call for date #5--a day ahead of time, which was nice. I subbed for my former teaching partner, so I basically taught my old curriculum to a very sweet, well-behaved group of kids. Once again, I knew many of them, and it was a completely positive and fun day. The icing on the cake was getting to see my old colleagues and feel like I was able to say a fond goodbye and know that I could return to school to sub or visit anytime.

I would have gladly subbed day #6, but didn't get a call. I contentedly slept in, and have been back to visit school one or two times since. I'll go back one last time before I move away, and then will probably return to visit during my trips back to CA. I have made peace with leaving teaching, because our move schedule for the next couple of years will not coincide with a teaching schedule at all, so it's time for work that doesn't need to adhere to a rigid schedule. I am enjoying my return to writing as a profession, and it's a delight to watch my first students become high school seniors and apply to college, and to appreciate education with a new perspective. I had considered subbing in my new location, but because I don't know that I'd be able to return to teaching for a few years, I don't think I will. I'd rather devote myself to writing part-time or full-time, and feel that I'm moving forward, than be "the sub" for multiple years. Plenty of people sub for awhile, for various reasons, and I admire them, but I'm not cut out for it. It's been one thing to sub at the place I taught for four years, working with kids and faculty I know well. It's a whole new beast to be at an unfamiliar school, with new kids and faculty. I'll enjoy my returns to the school that will always feel like home to me (I went there, after all!), and enjoy returning to writing.