Quick Thinking

In order to be a successful substitute teacher, you must be able to think on your feet and make quick decisions.  (Note that I am not necessarily declaring this as a successful substitute teacher.)  Without quick thinking, a sub will not know what to do when a given activity completely flops, when the worksheets haven't been provided, when the student declares, "this is what we always do."  As a sub, I must quickly flesh out parts of lesson plans that are vague or respond to unique behavior issues.

I have frequently mentioned the automated system that gives me jobs each day.  If I hesitate in accepting jobs online, it is likely that they will quickly be snatched up by another sub.  If decision-making is not instantaneous, there are plenty of other teachers eager for a job.  I had been contemplating not subbing tomorrow.  Not that I have anything to do tomorrow, I just didn't feel like it (I sound like my students now) and I knew that I had a full-time position for Thursday and Friday already.  However, as stated previously, I've been meditating on faithfulness.  So, since arriving home from my half day in an 8th grade science class, I've been refreshing the jobs page to see potential positions. 

As I looked at the page, I saw two words "world languages," beckoning.  Let me begin by saying that I am not bilingual.  I have dabbled in a few languages (some Chinese lessons, three years high school Spanish, currently studying Czech) but I am fluent in English alone.  This was the thought that came to me after the wave of attraction subsided from the words "world languages."  Yet, it's a job.  Feeling unqualified for this position, I began contemplating how this system works.

Substitute teachers can sub in more than their own subject area, as evidenced by my recent teaching in band, vocal music, engineering, science, and so forth.  Teachers know that they aren't necessarily going to get a sub in their specified field.  When I subbed for vocal music, the teacher was glad I was at least in the fine arts field rather than a generic elementary.  Because my license is K-12, I can teach (and have taught) in an ordinary elementary classroom or in a very specific high school classroom. Teachers know this, and they plan accordingly--whether that means simplifying a lesson or generating a new lesson just for a sub.  Because the purpose of the substitute is to ensure the continuation of the students' learning, teachers will and do seek out subs they know can get things done in their classroom, but this teacher had not asked anyone specific.  The world languages teacher had the job posted onto the website . . .

As I looked at the world languages posting, I continually refreshed the page, partially hoping that someone would snatch up the job as a divine sign that I shouldn't take the job.  Yet it remained, and I thought, at what other time would I have an opportunity to just try out a world languages class and see what it even is?  So I did it.  I clicked "Accept."

Cheers to substituting.  This time tomorrow I will be arriving at home, having had a new experience in a "dual immersion language arts" middle school classroom.