Had my first substitute teaching gig today

Last night, while I was at dinner with my family, I received a call from the substitute teaching Hotline. The Hotline said that there was a job available, but unfortunately I didn't have my pin number with me. So I wasn't able to take that job. I was surprised that I had already received a call to substitute so soon after the class on Monday. I guess they really are in dire need of teachers and subs out here.

I thought that because I missed that opportunity last night that it would be a while until I received another one. But to my surprise I got another call this morning. My wife and I didn't sleep much last night and I promised to watch our kid today, so I wasn't looking for a teaching job for today. But I decided to enter my pin number to hear what kind of job was available.

They needed someone to teach Special Ed at a Special Ed School. This sounded way beyond what I could do. Special Ed can be a tough area with young kids. So I was going to decline the job, but accidentally pressed the wrong key on my phone and accepted to be the sub for the class.

At this point, I could either take the class or call up the Substitute Clerk and council. I didn't want to cancel, they needed me there in four hours. So I decided to let my wife sleep in and I took my daughter to her grandparents house. Luckily, my mother-in-law was home and could watch my daughter.

So, after lunch I showed up to the school to teach. At the front office, the first thing they mentioned to me was that this was a special ed school for children with major physical and mental disabilities. They also mentioned that I lot of subs ask to never be sent back there. It was kind of a warning to me about the kids.

Well, I lasted about a half hour. But not by my choice. The class that I was given is the most difficult in the school. There were three other teachers in the class of 12 kids. I was the substitute for the fourth teacher who had to go to an appointment.

My first task was to help one child eat his lunch. What I thought would be easy turned out to be a difficult task. Turns out he doesn't like to eat. I got him to eat fifteen bights, but then he ran off and laid down on the floor. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. Guess they wanted me to pick him up and put him back in his seat. Oh well. One of the other teachers took over that task.

My second task was to take one of the kids that was acting up and a walk. So I held his hand and walked him around the school for about ten minutes. Turns out this happens often with these kids.

The class went on with kids hitting each other and then one started biting another kid. I was told that these kids will sometimes do this when someone new shows up in the class. They are retesting the boundaries.

So the main teacher over the class asked the front office if there was another class I could help out with. Unfortunately, there wasn't. So they told me go home. I was a little upset at this, but I guess this sort of stuff happens. However, they did say that I would still be paid for a whole days work. That was nice of them.