So I have not frightened you off from teaching yet? (Strange) Okay then let us go forth and see how one can get into the Game.
Now depending on where you live or want to live. There are several options / requirements open to the Want to be Teacher.
The first is that you basically have to have a Bachelor’s Degree from a real College. No not that piece of paper that you bought from the guy over there in the alley or on the internet!
Then you will probably have to take a test given by the State for a Emergency Credential. The subjects that you will be tested on at least for California. Will be on Math skills and reading & writing skills. If I can pass it so can you!
Okay then you have a couple of options opening up for you. As you can now work as a Substitute Teacher in the that State or Territory.
So what you can do is contact the local school districts and hopefully get on their List of Substitute Teachers.
Now a couple of things have come to mind. So please bear with me on this.
You will probably have no training on how to run a classroom. Or how to manage a class full of students who see you as fresh meat.
So here are a few hints and clues that might help out.
If you are lucky enough to have any relatives or friends who are Teachers. Be sure to hit them up for any tips.
Buy yourself a briefcase and stock it with these items.
A word search book & some xerox copies for the kids to work on. Also if you can get any kind of work sheets for various grades and subjects.
Some cheap candy like Tootsie rolls are good for bribes.
A couple of DVD or VHS Tapes from National Geographic is always a good thing to have.
A form letter saying that you covered the teachers class and what happened & what you covered is a good thing
If the Teacher left a letter or note try to follow it as best you can!
Make friends with the School Secretary as they are the power behind the throne. They usually decides who works at their school as a Sub.
Make friends with the Janitor & make sure the class has no trash on the floor if possible.
Be nice to the regular / real teachers as they might ask for you if you do a good job.
Now to the down & dirty part!
Being a Sub is just plain hard work where one learns if they have the right stuff to be a Teacher. It also will teach you your trade if you let it.
When you first enter the classroom for the first time. Do a quick scan of what you have in there. Most of the time the Teacher will have locked up everything.
So make a beeline to the office and beg borrow or steal paper & pencils if you can. Also if possible hog the xerox machine. So that you can have worksheets for later on.
Now comes the time that separates the Teachers from the Wanna bees!
The bell goes off and in comes yours students! Who are going to whoop a bit since they have a Sub. Now is the critical moment that you must seize.
Do NOT Smile! Instead say Good Morning and please take your assigned seats. Then introduce yourself briefly and then tell the kids to get their books open & get to work.
If anybody even looks at you strange. Promptly send them out to the office.
As the office will be expecting them. Show no mercy or back down at this point. As it is being decided as to who is going to be in charge of this class.
Hopefully the kids will get the message and hunker down to work. Remember it is vastly easier to come in hard and then back off then the other way out.
Now sadly there are some times when the Office will try and slip the offending student back into your class. As they do not want to deal with them either. They also sometimes play games to see what you are made of.
You then have to decide if you want them back in class. It is a tough call to make. But the Law says that you do not have to take them back. However you run the risk of pissing off the office.
Now I generally would not take back the kid unless there was a huge reason to do so. Because it’s not fair to the behaving students who are playing the game.
I also have told the man that if they are hell bent on putting the kid back in my classroom . Then I am going home right now.
(I later on called the Sub Desk about this & never had that problem again. As they backed me up.)
Especially since I just did not care if I was not called back for more work at that school. As I don’t like to work for a Boss who will not reasonably back you up or plays stupid games.
On the other hand. Just do not kick out half the class because you feel like it also. Its a two way street.
The thing to remember is that there is always a shortage of good subs by the way. So you will almost always have work if you have a good reputation.
I also have been told that I could be a real handful for the main office at times!