I get most of my sub jobs through the online systems, and when one is available there's a brief description such as "3rd grade" or "Boys' P.E." -- took one a few weeks ago that said 6th grade and ended up being the kind of 6th graders that are on their last chance to stay in school and move up a level due to the troubles they've had in other, probably several other, schools. The classroom is separated down at the end of the elementary school, behind a 10 foot high fence, and there are 7th and 8th graders that trade periods between the two teachers and everything worked out fine. The kids were cool, respectful and worked hard, and I didn't have any more issues during the day than in any other class or grade level.
Anyway, saw another available job to sub at the same school for the 7th & 8th graders, but instead of the job description being similar to "6th grade" it said "Educationally Handicapped" -- I checked my past assignment, yep it's the same school, same teachers, same students... how did they go from being listed like every other student to being labeled as handicapped? I hesitated, then took the job, and when I showed up that morning sure enough they were all the same kids! How many good teachers don't take the job, a job that desperately needs good teachers, because the students are stamped "handicapped"? How many other difficulties do these students have, and their lives seem tough enough already outside the classroom, because they get labeled like this?
Just another naive new teacher mini-rant, sorry.
2 comments:
None of the classes I would work in would have that kind of label, so I'm unaware unless I know the school and/or the kids in that grade.
I find that it's worth subbing just about anything because most are less scary than I fear. So it's good that you were willing to take it.
I'm willing to take anything, except "Elementary Opera" -- I declined that one...
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