substituting...

... today and again on Friday. Today is a half day, so I have time this morning to try to get some little things done at home before I have to leave for the job. This one is working as an aide in a Kindergarten class room. Which is the same thing I was doing when I took the first job of the new school year, at a small elementary school. When I discovered that I could take jobs replacing classroom teachers who were only going to be out for a half-day, and get credit for having been on the job for a full day, I admit to doing the Happy Dance. Even though the pay is less, knowing I can put up another hash-mark on the wall as I inch my way towards the ultimate goal of twenty days is very gratifying.

I still cannot explain why I put the effort in. When talking to a friend who works as a sub., but only at one school, I found she really struggled to get that minimum as the school year drew to a close back in May. She told me she wanted to be the one to make the decision: be able to tell the school system she would or would not continue to accept the 'day labor' assignments. Self-flagellating just so she would be the one deciding, she would be telling them she would or wouldn't be doing the work. I had not thought of it in those terms, and feel like she has a good point.

But also readily admit that it is emotionally demanding, stressful work under the best of circumstances. And you never get the 'best circumstances' when you go into a room full of strangers who are intent on being oppositional, putting all their effort towards making your life difficult for the next seven hours. My theory: you need to be able to identify, call them by name. If you can name the culprit, it will stop him/her in their tracks. Once they realize you know who they are, they will usually change tack, improve behavior and become much more manageable.

So I will round up some lunch, get myself dressed and head out for the school. Start mentally preparing for the half day of wrangling five year olds, the headache that is almost a certainty when taking my shift on lunch duty. I will find reasons to be amused by little people, see kids experiencing and exploring, discovering the world, gaining knowledge and learning about themselves. I can do this!