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By Cindy Reitzi
As a sub for almost 17 years, I occasionally take philosophical inventory about why my job gets harder each year. Most days, I take charge of classrooms in an assertive, non-defensive manner and I’m the right blend of psychologist-therapist and benevolent warden. But my greatest asset is adaptability to my ever-changing environment. Even so, there are days when I’ve reached my limit.
It’s not the kids. Sure, every school has a small cadre who attend school for mysterious reasons: to fight, sleep, hang with friends, or whine of boredom … just not to learn. Still, they’re not the majority.
It’s not the teachers or the principals either; I feel appreciated, respected and, in most schools, administratively supported in the classroom and therefore, safe. (I mean, how many subs hear from a principal, “I don’t know what I would’ve done without you this year.” I would’ve run into a burning building for that principal). No, it is the district entity, “downtown,” that makes my work more, not less, difficult each year.
It’s not willful; “downtown” doesn’t actively hate me, but I don’t necessarily feel the people there have my back, either. It’s more like that scene from Casablanca when the Peter Lorre character says to Rick (played by Humphrey Bogart), “You despise me, don’t you, Rick,” to which Bogart drolly replies, “If I gave you any thought, maybe I would.” It’s more a matter of not giving it any thought.
This is especially the case with sweeping technological “innovations” which are seemingly instituted without thought to the “boots on the ground” – the school personnel who actually have to use it (if they can). Several years ago, our district instituted SEMS, the computerized system that calls subs with assignments and sometimes allows teachers to request subs and actually get the requested subs who are free that day. (“In the know” subs, teachers and secretaries just pre-arrange assignments and try to bypass the system as much as possible). The district tacked on a Web site, which has never worked to job search, only to check assignments. (Repairs do not appear imminent). At the sub-district meeting introducing SEMS, district reps gushed that subs could easily go to the Web site to job search or check assignments and teacher instructions. The implication: SEMS would make things easier … for someone. Hands shot up.
“How?” was the representative question from the majority. “We can’t get on school computers.” Indeed, subs did have ID numbers and even
e-mail, but no standardized access to district computers.
The district reps looked confused. It was clear they assumed we had access to school computers and had home computers. So, if a teacher left a text message for a sub but the sub didn’t have a home computer or access to school computers … well, you get a picture of the subsequent conversation. So, without understanding the most basic situation of subs in their district, they instituted a comprehensive computerized system designed, well … for someone else. Years later, the district has finally caught up and now lists the “guest” access codes for each school in the sub handbook.
This year’s innovation is Infinite Campus, which integrates class lists, attendance, student records, etc., and streamlines bureaucracy like attendance and grades by putting it online. Mostly, it’s a smart idea to save paper and money. As long as nothing gets erased or hacked … like grades.
One part of Infinite Campus actually does make my job easier. Teachers can create seating charts with the students’ ID pictures right on the chart. No more Johnny saying he’s Jimmy for fun. Not to mention, I had loads of fun with it the first days of school. I’d study their seating chart head shot from last year, then say something like, “You’ve grown” to their puzzled looks and sotto voce, “she’s weird.” Teens like us having access to last year’s ID pictures about as much as we like flashing our driver’s license mug shots to strangers.
There are the inevitable, if sometimes humorous, glitches that happen when you’re working out the bugs on a first-year technology, like the name of “Manuel Martinez” (the beefy shot putter) under a picture of “Tiffany Smith” (the petite blond cheerleader).
I understand the district needs to economize and I do have patience for “working out the bugs,” but I am losing patience with the whole “not giving it much thought” part. While I appreciate the labor-saving properties of Infinite Campus, once again, subs are locked out of pertinent systems for their jobs. I don’t mind taking the attendance sheets to the secretary to input; I do mind having to reinvent basic procedures of my job because someone didn’t think that far ahead. For example, student referrals are now online. I don’t write lots of referrals, but if anyone needs to, it’s substitute teachers. So, once again, I go hunting for jury-rigged procedures since there’ll be no paper forms to use.
When it comes to these issues, the circular “here we go again” just starts to wear me out. And so, yet again, I adapt to systems that make life easier … for someone else.
November 28, 2006