Ok does anyone here have trouble with substitute teachers??? I never get along with them at all. I always end up in trouble and the sub rights my name down for the teacher when they come back and its not unusual for the sub to write me up. I dont know what to do about this anymore. I could be having a perfect day and as soon as I get in a class with a sub everything falls apart. I had subs in 3 out of my 4 classes one day last week so how do you think that day went?
Yesterday I had a sub and he took my keys and my phone and he was giving everyone else passes to go where ever they wanted and I wasnt allowed to throw away a peice of paper. I sent one of my friends down to get my coach and he got me out of the class and took me with him because it was getting ugly.
I dont know what to do anymore. I cant stay out of trouble with subs. Anyone else have this problem or know how to fix it???

You have no issues with the regular classroom teachers, Stellato? It would help me if you could give me some specific examples of how you are in class, and how others are responding to you in those moments. Also, do you act the same way when it's anyone, or just with subs?

LOL Phones in class? Not sure why the keys were taken, but the phone would have been where I am, too. Hang in there!

Normally I dont have to much trouble with my regular teachers. I do get in trouble but they know me and know about my ADHD so they can be understanding.
To a point I can understand him taking away my phone BUT I was not on it I wasnt playing with it I wasnt even looking at it. It was sitting on my desk and that was it and he took it. I wouldnt have cared as much because I understand the rules but the kid sitting right next to me had her phone on her desk to and he saw it and didnt take it from her so that mad me more mad.
I dont really know how else to explain it except everytime I have a sub I get in trouble. It doesnt matter who the sub is or what kind of day Im having it always ends up bad. I end up getting so wound up that I am out of control. My regular teachers control me a lot better and I understand subs wouldnt be able to do that but I dont know how to keep myself from getting wound up in the first place. Especially when he wont even let me stand up and other people are leaving the room.
It seems like one thing happens and instead of being able to stop it, it turns into another thing and that turns into another thing and it just keeps going and I end up getting written up. I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO!!!!!

When you get written up, what does your regular teacher do? I'm sure s/he would understand.

You could talk also to your other teachers about it; they could tell the sub that you have ADHD and maybe they'll go a bit softer on you.

Me, I've never had a problem with subs. I used to be a very shut-up person, and I never talked or did anything, so I never had a problem. But trust me, don't just be a person who never talks for subs. Doesn't come out good.

I'm sure your teacher can talk to the subs. They (subs) should know about these kinds of things, as in the teacher should give them a list of kids with disabilities like they do at my school.

Hope this works,

Paws
ooo
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My 12 year old adhd son has had trouble with substitutes since Kindergarten. He doesn't do well with change. Having a substitute teacher is definitely change.

Alot of the other kids act up when there is a sub and this gets my son going too.

As you mentioned, atleast his normal teachers know about his adhd, ocd, mood disorder and IEP. The subs don't.

I recall an incident with a sub (one of many incidents) where the sub was telling my son something (I can't remember what) and she put her hand on him (I think to hold him in his seat or something.) Anyway, he pushed her hand away and he was given an out of school suspension for "assaulting a teacher". I remember the day when I received the call from the principal. I was out to eat with work friends and heard that dreaded voice on the phone in regard to my son. After his suspension, we had to go to his school for a meeting to "get him back in" after a suspension.

We really let them have it. Not only was it already in his IEP and Behavior Plan that he didn't do well with change or substitutes, but the sub didn't have any experience with special needs kids. She shouldn't have gotten in his face or his space, especially when he was already upset.

On another occasion, just last year, there was an incident in a resource class of only 5 or so kids that involved my son and another boy. They got into a pushing match and it escalated, all occurring in front of the substitute. I again demanded to know why nothing was done prior to the incident escalating. I also wanted to know what credentials the sub had with special needs kids, which again turned out to be zero training.

His IEP and Behavior Plan show that if he is having an issue with a substitute, he can request to go to the Resource Room or to the office.

You're not alone with the substitute issue. Good luck.

I would think it is the regular teacher and administrator's job to inform any substitute teacher of special students who do not do their best with changes in routine. Special Ed trained subs are not always available.

I totally agree. In the ideal school, the administrator, principal and regular teachers would advise the subs on who has what, who can't be around who, what to do if this kid does that. But that is in my dream school.

In the public middle school (grades 6-8) that my son currently goes to, there are more than 300 7th graders. Five or so elementary schools merge together for middle school. (With so many 7th graders, atleast he doesn't stick out like a sore thumb like he did in his elementary school.)

My daughter (who is 2 years older than my son) went to a private catholic school and there were less than 46 7th graders and only 2 different 7th grade classes.

In a smaller school, it is easier to know who has what. Even the parents dropping off kids know which kids are adhd, medicated, should be medicated, etc....

In a bigger school, it takes me being the ever hounding advocate to make sure that his regular teachers, principal and administrator have a copy of his IEP. Last year I went as far as making my own copies of his IEP and his Behavior Plan and sending it in for each individual teacher he had. Whenever they said he did so and so, I'd say "That's in his IEP". I said that over and over to the same teachers. Now whether they read it or not, I don't know.

If his regular teachers drag their feet on understanding his special needs, I can't imagine that they'd take the needed time to tell a sub.

I would think that getting a sub is a last minute thing anyway. The teacher having the flu etc... I am sure that their main concern is making sure that the students don't tear apart the classroom. While they are telling the sub what assignment to give out to what class, they aren't thinking about the special needs kids. That would definitely be the ideal situation though.

Perhaps they can all get a tatoo on their foreheads reminding not only the subs, but the real teachers that they have special needs and don't do well with change. Like a circle tatoo with the word CHANGE in it and a line crossed through the word. Or perhaps a circle with the word SUB through it.

What do you think?

Yes, it is difficult to separate students who don't get along with other students; there aren't enough rooms or staff. :eek: I've forgotten why your son isn't attending the same private school your daughter did?

I have worked as a sub teacher in middle school and a special school for autistic kids. I can tell you that I have had some very interesting experiences (to say the least:p ), yet I was always happy to return because I liked working in that capacity, and most of all I liked and respected the kids.

For me sub days were always different--hey I remember those days when I was in school:eyebrow: . It was key for me to know this fact so that the kids could thrive on a less than normal day. After all, I know that students need to be protected and provided a stable environment so that they feel as little disruption as possible.

While my expectations was never that the students would go out of control, I merely assumed that is would be normal for each to have a different reaction to the stress.

So, I went with the flow, not only for my sanity:rolleyes: but more importantly for the sake of the students.

It would be nice if school districts trained their subs (maybe they do now--I hve not been in a school for some years) and worked more closely with them.

Training the subs only goes so far if you don't train the teachers to be aware. I'm a spec ed teacher at a mid- sized high school and I can tell you that,when possible I always warn my students that I will be out. I have a classroom aide and that helps too. a lot of teachers leave "busy work" for the students on days that they will not be there and that changes the expectations of the students.

Stelatto-- I'd have a pre arrange place that I could go when I had a sub for any class. As long as the student asks to go for reasons other than discipline, the schools can usually even let you use an ISS/SAC room for that day. The trick is to talk with the principle and have your parents back it up. Make sure this accomodation is in you 504 or IEP plans, so they have to enforce it. most principals would rather you be somewhere else on campus working on school work, than having altercations with subs.

I'm not sure about in othe areas, but hear Subs are underpaid and hard to keep, much less find on who enjoys working with students with special needs and willing to go through training.

I don't know if this will help but this is what I do with my students if I know I'll be out the next day. I leave a note for a sub saying that is John request to go to Mrs. King he may do so. Mrs. King could be a counselor or other teacher. I would set this up with Mrs. King before leaving the note. This allows the student a way out if he or she is uncomforable with the sub. :)

hey stellato,

guess what ... i'm a sub. :)

subbing highschool is one of my favorite jobs because the kids are interesting and smart and learning really interesting things. i usually end up learning something new on days i sub highschool. and i need to make sure i'm really sharp on those days because someone is bound to ask a challenging question and i better be ready for it! :)

subbing highschool is also my least favorite job to get because sometimes it's so boring! i don't get to do much teaching and sometimes it turns into a "busy-work" day. on those days my main job is to keep order in the classroom. if i'm bored, i can only imagine that the students are bored to tears too. it's always easier to get into trouble when we're bored.

the hardest part about subbing is that if you're too easy, then you get walked all over and the kids get rowdy and out of control. you have to be firm or you lose control. in elementary school i can start out firm, and get more flexible as the day goes on. but, in high school the periods are too short to establish much rapport with the students. to most i'm just "a sub" and the majority don't even bother to learn my name.

so, what to do .... i'll just brainstorm for a bit ... you'll have to sift through and decide if any of these will work for you. :)

talk to your teachers. ask them to write in their sub notes what the most important accommodations you need are. for example, if you are used to sitting in a beanbag chair during silent reading ... make sure your teacher writes it down. when i'm subbing i get used to having kids try to get away with stuff, so, i say no a lot. unless it's written down!

maybe you could write a note yourself and ask your teachers to sign it then make copies. this way if your teacher is calling in sick at the last minute, you have a copy of the note to give to the sub. include the name and phone extension of your coach or any other teacher who will let you work with them if you feel like you're going to lose it. ask them to sign the note too, stating that they'd be happy to have you come work with them *if* you've given the sub a chance but it's not working out. you might need to make a separate note for each teacher. that way you can be specific about what would help in each classroom. you could also ask the teacher to keep the note in their sub folder ... most teachers have one. that might be nicer because then you wouldn't always have to have it with you or go back to your locker for it.

ask yourself if you are giving the sub a fair chance. if you walk in the door and see a sub and say to yourself. "oh no! i'm going to have another mark on the board before this period is over." you probably will.

i think that talking to your regular teachers about this and being very open to their suggestions will go a long way toward showing them that you are aware of the problem and interested in finding a solution. maybe even printing out this thread and sharing it with them would help jumpstart the conversation and get it off on the right track.

if a teacher knows that you're aware of the problem and need help finding a solution, they'll probably be very impressed. i know i am, stellato. you came here asking what *you* can do to keep yourself from losing control. that shows that you realise that you are responsible for your actions. very cool!

good luck. i'll be curious to hear how this works out for you. if you get a chance, come back and give us an update, o.k.?

take care,

wheezie

My son attends a public school so that he can get the special education resources needed for his diagnosis of adhd, ocd and mood disorder.

We tried him in the private catholic school for kindergarten and every day he was in time out. When it came time for his kindergarten graduation, he didn't want to be a pretty angel with wings on in church so he wouldnt cooperate.

I got a call a week before school let out from the private school telling me that my son's diploma was in his bookbag and we were going to call it a day. (He got out a week before the rest of the kids.)

Oh well, he doesn't fit the mold of a quiet catholic school child like I was growing up. He is just like his father, who is add and rode the short yellow bus to tech school. Everyone is different.

He had a sub last week and yes, there was an issue at the end of class involving him and another child. I can't believe that a teacher would get a sub when it was a full moon anyway. (Or maybe that's why she got a sub. She wanted out of there on the full moon.)

What is it that gets you "written up"? I dont' understand.

Emma
:)

Typically, it's when a person breaks rules, usually repeatedly.

Subs were always a problem for me in school too. Usually the teacher made arangements ahead of time for me to spend the period in a different class or in the principals office so they could avoid the inevitable trouble I would cause. Less stress on everyone that way.

B-baller u have the same b-day and birth-year as me, and i rarely click peoples profiles...

I dislike the substatute teachers in my school with a passion, the reason being they are all old and disgusting. My normal teachers are really cool and I like to talk to them alot but when a sub comes in a usually end up cursing him off....I don't have ALOT of trouble with subs because I usually cut class if I get wind that we have a sub that day, I have more of a trouble with broken ruiteens(sp?) Like what I do during school and after school.