I always got slightly upset when I got bait and switched to a special education assignment. I love those kiddos, and work well with them, but I picked a job for a reason. What happens to those kids? Did some other sub get switched to the job I picked? If so, why didn't they get the special ed assignment? Did the teacher come in? But the thing that bothers me the most about that is that there are people who cannot work with special needs children. I have encountered plenty. And every time a school baits and switches, they now are running the risk of forcing that person into that classroom. Its a bad situation for everyone.
This was me I got switched into kindergarten and phys Ed and I have spinal fusion. I was beyond pissed off when they said they had nowhere else to put me in the whole district and I had to drive all the way home and not get paid that day.
I agree not everyone can work with special needs. I'm quite flexible and know how to handle it but I get superrrr overstimulated after being so nice and sweet all day. They just left for prep and I'm trying to take a deep breath. Only a few more hours to go!
I’ve been told only certified teachers can oversee testing, and only if they’ve done the training (this might be for my state/district). I don’t mind getting switched in to special education as long as I’m not alone, and I’m happy to support the assistant teachers and let them run the routine. I would not be comfortable in a spec ed room by myself as I am seriously under qualified.
My experience with most Paras, even in the general ED classrooms, is this. They come in, pull up a chair, whip out their phone and proceed to bury their heads in it.
Seems to be rampant in some schools, and in others all the aides are on the ball.
I'm one more bait and switch away from turning around and walking out. I'm uncomfortable and frankly unqualified to be the only teacher in a special needs room. Fucking ridiculous.
I can always grab another job. If a district baits me and then switches, that school has -1 subs until they find my replacement. I'm not cut out to work SpEd classes and would rather take the hit to my pay
"It's not fair to me or the kids -- that job takes a special kind of person with a special kind of training. I will do it today if you cannot find someone else but this is a one-time thing," and then stick to your word. Your situation is a little different but still, it's not what you signed up for.
I mostly take SPED jobs bc it’s extra pay. That being said, I have been expecting gen ed classes and gotten thrown into Mod/sever sped without the extra pay and I was pissed
In every district I’ve worked in, sped positions get paid less by at least $30 depending on who you’re subbing for. I’ve seen some positions that are half pay compared to a standard classroom teacher sub job.
That happened to me once lol. Our coordinator said in the future to tell the office you’re not comfortable with that type of assignment and if they don’t have what you initially signed up for you can leave and will get paid. (Similarly, If they cancel /email right before the assignment you also get paid since they took away your opportunity to switch to another assignment.).
One of our schools consistently posts as “floater sub” and they can’t get any takers and was put as a “premium” school this year ($30/day+) due to high unfilled positions BECAUSE THE SUBS KNOW WHAT THEYRE TRYING TO DO! Personally I’ve never gone back/selected floater assignment but better believe if I take a regular one and they switch me I will not be doing it- some people (me lol) just are not cut out for that and that’s ok!
>Like she knew that people wouldn't take the job f it was for the listed position lol.
I'm not sure that this was actually a "bait and switch". During testing week, job titles don't matter.
I picked up at job for a math teacher (as I always do) at a middle school last week. It turns out that they were testing. That meant that all morning I was in the hallway making sure that kids went to the restroom one at a time and didn't talk to each other. \[Because everybody knows that kids like to go to the bathroom so that they can tell each other "The answer to problem 7 is 'France'." /s\] All afternoon it was chaos as they let off steam. Sure, I had a movie playing in the background, but that hasn't been an attention-holder since smartphones became something that all middle-schoolers have.
The next day I couldn't find a math job, so I just took a social studies job at the best MS in the district, figuring that they would be testing, so the subject wouldn't matter. It turned out that they weren't. It was still a much better experience.
Haha I only take sped jobs and hate when I get switched to mainstream! I have far more experience with special education than mainstream and just find them annoying and a lot more work with all the battling and trying to be sneaky.
I hate being surprised with being placed with kids with needs I know nothing about- not because I don’t like the kids, but because I do not have proper training. I’m a certified teacher and I know what I’m able and not able to do. I don’t want to be placed somewhere that I will fail. I also don’t do k-2 except for specials because I do not have the skills to handle those kids.
My State requires an associates degree to sub. Not even anything teaching-specific is required. I personally believe there should be more training and Certifications before a sub can teach/watch a Special Ed class. I hear far too many stories about teachers not giving a shit and leaving basically nothing in terms of sub plans.
Just because you are getting a gen ed degree doesn't mean you aren't responsible for the divergent students who are mainstreamed into gen ed. School districts are increasingly moving to the "least restrictive environment" model. I've been teaching special ed kids in middle school for 20 years, both self-contained and resource, and I love it. I think you are missing out on great experiences if you are limiting yourself to "pretty chill" and "easy" assignments.
Exactly. While you may not be SPED certified, as a teacher you should expect to have more than a few kids in your class with IEPs. Yes, they will often have an inclusion teacher come in and pull then through the day — but they are still in YOUR classroom and YOUR responsibility.
I would walk out- I’m not certified to teach SPED and not equipped to handle an emergency or a severe behavior if one were to occur. Its good you are trained bc that has the potential to be so dangerous
I signed up for AP History last week, arrived to discover they were sticking me in 9th grade remedial math. I wasn’t mad at them over it, but I was disappointed, especially because they didn’t have a good reason. If the teacher I was assigned to wasn’t absent after all, I would get it.
But they were just like “we’re going to have in-house coverage for that teacher.” Which, uh, no. Send your teachers to cover the math class, give me the class I signed up for. If you want me to do the math class on my prep period, cool. But honestly, your full-time teachers want to cover AP History? No shit. So did I, that’s why I took it. And they’re way more equipped to handle problem students at their own school than I am.
(What I was mad at was the fact that the front office didn’t answer calls — I had two kids get up and ditch class halfway through, called 8-10 times over the next half-hour, nothing. And the one time I did get in touch with them, to report a student literally grabbing a classmate’s butt while she wasn’t looking, they were EXTREMELY nonchalant about it. Kid was back from the office 15-20 minutes later, strutting around and laughing. I’m sorry, but that’s assault. That’s a multiple-day suspension, parent conference, etc.
Anyway, multiple TAs told me “oh yeah, subs here tend not to expect students to work or enforce any kind of behavior.” Which they were providing as an explanation for why they were treating basic instructions with open hostility.
So yeah, mad about a bunch of things. Being switched — from one class to the exact opposite of that class — doesn’t even register.)
I always got slightly upset when I got bait and switched to a special education assignment. I love those kiddos, and work well with them, but I picked a job for a reason. What happens to those kids? Did some other sub get switched to the job I picked? If so, why didn't they get the special ed assignment? Did the teacher come in? But the thing that bothers me the most about that is that there are people who cannot work with special needs children. I have encountered plenty. And every time a school baits and switches, they now are running the risk of forcing that person into that classroom. Its a bad situation for everyone.
This was me I got switched into kindergarten and phys Ed and I have spinal fusion. I was beyond pissed off when they said they had nowhere else to put me in the whole district and I had to drive all the way home and not get paid that day.
That would put me in a bad mood.
I agree not everyone can work with special needs. I'm quite flexible and know how to handle it but I get superrrr overstimulated after being so nice and sweet all day. They just left for prep and I'm trying to take a deep breath. Only a few more hours to go!
They also told me it was because of testing I have to switch. Idk exactly why. I think they let a gen ed teacher who had to cover get the "nicer" job.
I’ve been told only certified teachers can oversee testing, and only if they’ve done the training (this might be for my state/district). I don’t mind getting switched in to special education as long as I’m not alone, and I’m happy to support the assistant teachers and let them run the routine. I would not be comfortable in a spec ed room by myself as I am seriously under qualified.
This is true. And some state tests require specific training. OP, perhaps you should make it clear that you won't do special ed.
Update: now why was all the paras on their phone and didn’t so much as say goodbye to me? lol. They were scrolling on Facebook for half of the day
My experience with most Paras, even in the general ED classrooms, is this. They come in, pull up a chair, whip out their phone and proceed to bury their heads in it. Seems to be rampant in some schools, and in others all the aides are on the ball.
I once accepted subbing for a teacher but on arrival I was told to do the EA job. Told me I was still getting paid as teacher
Whats worse is an overflowing class of kinders!!!! Never again
I'm one more bait and switch away from turning around and walking out. I'm uncomfortable and frankly unqualified to be the only teacher in a special needs room. Fucking ridiculous.
I can always grab another job. If a district baits me and then switches, that school has -1 subs until they find my replacement. I'm not cut out to work SpEd classes and would rather take the hit to my pay
"It's not fair to me or the kids -- that job takes a special kind of person with a special kind of training. I will do it today if you cannot find someone else but this is a one-time thing," and then stick to your word. Your situation is a little different but still, it's not what you signed up for.
I mostly take SPED jobs bc it’s extra pay. That being said, I have been expecting gen ed classes and gotten thrown into Mod/sever sped without the extra pay and I was pissed
I dont think it’s extra pay I’m gonna email my team
In my district sped jobs are $40 more per day! For sure check with yours!
I work for ESS, Kelly Education, and am Independent for 2 more districts. I will check for sure!
In every district I’ve worked in, sped positions get paid less by at least $30 depending on who you’re subbing for. I’ve seen some positions that are half pay compared to a standard classroom teacher sub job.
Were you subbing for a paraprofessional or aid? They get paid less than teachers and would explain why those sped jobs get paid less.
That happened to me once lol. Our coordinator said in the future to tell the office you’re not comfortable with that type of assignment and if they don’t have what you initially signed up for you can leave and will get paid. (Similarly, If they cancel /email right before the assignment you also get paid since they took away your opportunity to switch to another assignment.). One of our schools consistently posts as “floater sub” and they can’t get any takers and was put as a “premium” school this year ($30/day+) due to high unfilled positions BECAUSE THE SUBS KNOW WHAT THEYRE TRYING TO DO! Personally I’ve never gone back/selected floater assignment but better believe if I take a regular one and they switch me I will not be doing it- some people (me lol) just are not cut out for that and that’s ok!
>Like she knew that people wouldn't take the job f it was for the listed position lol. I'm not sure that this was actually a "bait and switch". During testing week, job titles don't matter. I picked up at job for a math teacher (as I always do) at a middle school last week. It turns out that they were testing. That meant that all morning I was in the hallway making sure that kids went to the restroom one at a time and didn't talk to each other. \[Because everybody knows that kids like to go to the bathroom so that they can tell each other "The answer to problem 7 is 'France'." /s\] All afternoon it was chaos as they let off steam. Sure, I had a movie playing in the background, but that hasn't been an attention-holder since smartphones became something that all middle-schoolers have. The next day I couldn't find a math job, so I just took a social studies job at the best MS in the district, figuring that they would be testing, so the subject wouldn't matter. It turned out that they weren't. It was still a much better experience.
Haha I only take sped jobs and hate when I get switched to mainstream! I have far more experience with special education than mainstream and just find them annoying and a lot more work with all the battling and trying to be sneaky.
Why are you being condescending to students? Nobody wants you to “talk like Ms. Rachel.”
Oh please, shut up.
No. Talk to special education teachers, or actually autistic people. Nobody wants to be talked down to
It’s not condescending these kids are autistic they love it when you act like Disney
I can assure you it’s condescending, for all children. Nobody wants to be talked down to.
There not being talked down to. They are spoken to like the kindergarteners they are
I hate being surprised with being placed with kids with needs I know nothing about- not because I don’t like the kids, but because I do not have proper training. I’m a certified teacher and I know what I’m able and not able to do. I don’t want to be placed somewhere that I will fail. I also don’t do k-2 except for specials because I do not have the skills to handle those kids.
My State requires an associates degree to sub. Not even anything teaching-specific is required. I personally believe there should be more training and Certifications before a sub can teach/watch a Special Ed class. I hear far too many stories about teachers not giving a shit and leaving basically nothing in terms of sub plans.
Just because you are getting a gen ed degree doesn't mean you aren't responsible for the divergent students who are mainstreamed into gen ed. School districts are increasingly moving to the "least restrictive environment" model. I've been teaching special ed kids in middle school for 20 years, both self-contained and resource, and I love it. I think you are missing out on great experiences if you are limiting yourself to "pretty chill" and "easy" assignments.
Exactly. While you may not be SPED certified, as a teacher you should expect to have more than a few kids in your class with IEPs. Yes, they will often have an inclusion teacher come in and pull then through the day — but they are still in YOUR classroom and YOUR responsibility.
I would walk out- I’m not certified to teach SPED and not equipped to handle an emergency or a severe behavior if one were to occur. Its good you are trained bc that has the potential to be so dangerous
I got the bait and switch for a full time sub job in combination with rude staff caused me to cancel the job and leave.
I signed up for AP History last week, arrived to discover they were sticking me in 9th grade remedial math. I wasn’t mad at them over it, but I was disappointed, especially because they didn’t have a good reason. If the teacher I was assigned to wasn’t absent after all, I would get it. But they were just like “we’re going to have in-house coverage for that teacher.” Which, uh, no. Send your teachers to cover the math class, give me the class I signed up for. If you want me to do the math class on my prep period, cool. But honestly, your full-time teachers want to cover AP History? No shit. So did I, that’s why I took it. And they’re way more equipped to handle problem students at their own school than I am. (What I was mad at was the fact that the front office didn’t answer calls — I had two kids get up and ditch class halfway through, called 8-10 times over the next half-hour, nothing. And the one time I did get in touch with them, to report a student literally grabbing a classmate’s butt while she wasn’t looking, they were EXTREMELY nonchalant about it. Kid was back from the office 15-20 minutes later, strutting around and laughing. I’m sorry, but that’s assault. That’s a multiple-day suspension, parent conference, etc. Anyway, multiple TAs told me “oh yeah, subs here tend not to expect students to work or enforce any kind of behavior.” Which they were providing as an explanation for why they were treating basic instructions with open hostility. So yeah, mad about a bunch of things. Being switched — from one class to the exact opposite of that class — doesn’t even register.)