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By Cindy Reitzi
Sometimes the more difficult assignments for a sub are those outside one’s expertise. If I’m English-social studies certified and students are, say, balancing chemical equations, my ‘incompetence’ in chemistry stymies some students who expect omniscience about everything from calculus to quadratic equations, Calvinism, compound interest, comma usage, Catullus, medieval Christianity, constructing essays, quarks, Cubism, Soviet Communism, concertos, the cha cha, chiaroscuro, Chinese caligraphy, carbon dating and the collective unconscious.
I’m versatile…but not that versatile.
Much as my so-called “incompetence” can rankle students, my competence can also reassure. While students may tense when I can’t dissertate about parabolas and wave theory, they relax when I can dissect parallelism in “Mice and Men.”
Still, even though subbing out of my subject area can be challenging (or eye-opening), I never hesitate to accept assignments in some departments outside of my “comfort zone” because their programs are well-organized to maximize student success. The fortunate byproduct is minimal sub discomfort. Mostly what I notice is the relative lack of student tension about learning.
I started to notice this years ago when I subbed math, not my strongest subject, (although I do still remember my basic algebra). In one particular school, although initially nervous outside my niche, I needn’t have worried. The students were lively and talkative but they weren’t tense about math, even with a sub who couldn’t necessarily answer pressing questions.
A pattern emerged. Students would do their math, hit a snag and not understand something. Instead of doing the student version of “going postal” –
panicking, swearing at me, or expressing hyperbolic frustration that their teacher “is never here” – they’d wave it off and tell me they’d figure it out later.
“Are you sure?”
“It’s ok. I have Math Topics 5th hour.”
“What’s that?” I’d ask.
“It’s like a math study class. If we have questions about how to do the problems, we ask the teacher then.”
“Really?…”
“Yeah, and we get credit for it, too.”
Math Topics, it turned out, was team-taught by a math and special ed teacher. Students were also organized into math groups, both in their regular math class and Math Topics, thereby giving students several sources of built-in support for questions. Hmmm.
I’d go to other schools and experience parallel conversations replicated in other subjects. They’d be working on chapter questions in history, throw up their hands, but then close the book and calmly move on to another subject. No drama. No overreaction.
“Why don’t you finish your chapter questions?” I’d ask.
“I don’t get it.”
“Can I help?”
“Nah, I’ll just talk to Ms. D. later.”
Again, I’d ask the huh? question.
“You know, in Study Skills.”
“What’s that?” I’d ask, again.
“It’s like a study class. For English and history. It’s OK. She knows what we’re doing – she can help me.”
I was starting to see another pattern across high schools: programs that work to support students who need an academic boost or just need questions answered; that work to provide students with real, focused study time; that work to relieve student worries about school.
And the central, common sense component of all these programs was help built in to a student’s schedule.
Face it, not all students are organized, motivated, or driven to excel. Not all students know how to study; not all are privileged with ideal circumstances that encourage studying. Still other students, for whatever reasons, don’t seek out teachers for help outside of class. So the more programs can build-in good study habits, the more students are prone to succeed.
As a teacher, I appreciate the beauty of educational innovations that alleviate thorny, pedagogical issues. While effective programs are not organized exclusively to accommodate subs, subs are a litmus test of sorts. When I can ease into unfamiliar territory because students are relaxed about learning, less of the proverbial “babysitting” occurs. It’s been my observation that the more students are supported, the better I’m treated. Hey, if I’m happy, the students are happy … and learning something that day.
Posted February 8, 2008