It's been happening as long as I've been teaching; but especially more since we went back to school during a pandemic. Teachers with planning time are asked to fill in as substitutes for any other teacher that may have to miss work.
This afternoon, I am a fifth grade teacher, yanked from the comfort of my beloved music room. I bear no ill will against the absent teacher. I have also taken days off that required "coverage", as it's called. I say I bear no ill will - however there have been occasions when I am thrown into one classroom or another with no plan, no work for the students. I don't mind using my wits, but some sort of emergency preparation is greatly appreciated. Today, they have work to do, thank goodness!
I also don't blame the administrator that assigned me to cover. With health protocols right now, no substitutes are allowed in the school building. The administration has no choice. They actually divide the day amongst two or three teachers so that we can still accomplish our planning and nobody is in there too long.
I suppose if I were to direct my frustration somewhere, it would land equally on Covid 19 and students that have the mindset that they can get away with breaking known rules just because there is a different adult in the room.
Therein lies the reason I go home grouchy some days, or have that extra glass of wine on others. I cannot fight the pandemic and its effects on my workplace. None of that can be helped. I DEFINITELY cannot change the decades-old practice of students misbehaving for the substitute. Therefore, I will count the minutes, days, weeks, and years until retirement removes the pleasure of never knowing what a day may hold when I walk into my workplace.
