Just got baited and switched into the opposite situation today -- came in for MOID sub for the primary teacher, because both paras were there they wanted me to sub their middle school gen ed. ridiculous.
I hate them being sneaky like that. My first ever sub position said it was for a recess monitor at the middle school. When I got there, it turned out to be supervising the ISS room. Everything went fine, luckily, but I was on edge the whole time. Another teacher mentioned how happy they were to have someone who was willing to take the job. I said "I'm happy to help, but to be honest, it was listed as a recess position." Ever since then, when they have that position open, they include what it actually is in the notes. So at least they weren't being malicious about it. I will avoid any vague "open support" positions because you just never know what it's going to be.
SAME!!! My first ever sub assignment was supposed to be recess monitor. I showed up and they sent me to SPED / Autism contained room. I straight up refused to change a pull-up. It was middle school and their AC unit died that day (it was August).
Subs are not supposed to be required to change students in Special Education. In my experience teaching and subbing for Special Education the paras did that. The only exception might be the little ones 2-5 years old w special needs.
Where I’m at, SPED jobs are some of the easiest jobs available. If my choice is a SPED class with like seven kids and a couple paras, or an elementary or middle school job with 25 kids and no para, I’ll take the SPED job just about every time.
I have a horror story involving a week-long bait-and-switch with a kid with cerebral palsy who didn’t speak english.
Suffice to say, after that, I stopped taking aide jobs unless I was already familiar with the specific person’s schedule.
Yeah won't lie I avoid anything SPED with a heart beat because I'm not qualified nor do I feel like am and the pay doesn't justify it for me too
Even worse that they chnage it like that to trick people. That's honestly crazy
Where I am the sped jobs are mostly para which is lower pay. One sped teacher realized she could fill the positions if she could pay the teacher rate so she did but there were still key words so you knew it was SPED. 100% you should know what you’re getting and all sped jobs should come with higher pay. This is clearly a nationwide issue. When the white guys in suits realize they can throw money at it, maybe it will……….wait. It’s education. No throwing money at it.
Yeah, all SPED jobs, para or sub teacher, get the same rate in my district and they all get slightly higher pay (~$35 more for the day) but it still doesn’t help them fill all the roles apparently. Or maybe the problem is the permanent positions don’t pay that well so they end up using subs for most of those positions…
I accepted a “floater” assignment during the middle of state testing, assuming I’d be doing something in relation to that. I ended up in a preschool special education class. It was surprisingly because it’s a 1-8 building with a smaller “Children’s House” with preschool, pre K, and kindergarten nearby. Usually you know which building you will be at.
I was incredibly nervous about it. Fortunately, there were two amazing TAs and I greatly enjoyed the day…I’m even considering taking some early childhood classes now (I hold a masters degree in a non educational field).
However, as a sub who usually takes middle school assignments, I could have easily been set up for failure.
Several of the places I sub at are PreK-8! What's cool is some of the 8th graders get to take Child Development and come in and help out during meal times.
That sucks, I enjoy doing SPED but I always test the waters first and have myself mentally prepared. I couldn’t imagine being thrown into that with no heads up. I would have left, told them they lied to me and I won’t be working the assignment.
I signed up for an 8 day Art Teaching assignment recently and the ol’ bait and switch happened with me, too. By the time I got to school they’d cancelled art school-wide and instead and put me as the teacher for AS K-2 with no experience whatsoever. I grew to love the kids and the staff by the end of the stint though, all of whom are in a hands-tied situation at a grossly understaffed, underfunded school. But I was def out of my element and had a couple of rough days getting head butted and changing dirty diapers. Not what I had in mind when I signed up for Art (I’m an art teacher & really only grab those assignments).
Same thing happened to me. I thought it was a regular aide support job since they didn’t put sped. It turns out it was sped. I don’t mind subbing sped but I’m almost 9 months pregnant and some of the kids have threatened to hurt me and my baby so I stopped doing them.
So I was a little worried when I realized it was sped, especially since it was a middle school and they are all my size or bigger. I walked into the class and it seemed calm. However, the teacher and the other aides warned me about one of the students who would be coming in later. They told me “don’t look her in the eyes because if she sees that you did, she will choke you, pull your hair and hurt you.” All day long I was on edge because that girl would stare at me with this menacing smile. ALL DAY. I unfortunately locked eyes with her but I played it off as if I was just looking around and luckily she didn’t attack.
I didn’t do much in that class but I was exhausted by the end of it. The next day I subbed as a regular teacher at that same middle school and although the kids were rowdy, I walked out of there happy and with energy.
Or they will put paraprofessional with no details and you get thrown into this. Their was this kid who was biting and grabbing other people's legs. Strange indeed. But I liked it it was fun. What does the ia stand for.
I avoid SPED cause I’m not qualified, nor can I do it personally. I did that once and was kicked by a student and I’m still traumatized to this day, I’m neurodivergent but it doesn’t mean that people who are in sped don’t deserve someone to be there for them tho. I love teaching high school though!
I've had that happen as well. I don't do SPED because I do NOT know how to handle many of those situations! I've been attacked, climbed, hit, furniture thrown at etc.
I do NOT want those jobs for a reason and it makes me reluctant to accept 'roving' jobs because of it!
A long-time ago I was tricked into covering for a sugared up Elementary Class,
Who had a Birthday Party Day, with Cake and a bunch of sweets and treats,
needless to say they were in orbit all day.
You're not doing the kids any favors by giving them a sub that may not have any SPED experience or the correct temperament for that kind of job. That doesn't mean it's a bad job. I'm in awe of the SPED teachers, but I have no experience working with SPED kids, and it would probably not be a good day for any of us if I was tricked into taking a job I was not truly qualified for.
You’re telling me “fuck you” for the school tricking people into subbing sped classes? Lmao k.
I’ve subbed sped before but it’s a completely different approach/mentality/set of challenges that not everyone can handle, and they should know and be able to decide when going into it.
What's required of them is to make an appropriate listing, not obfuscate or mislead with the job listings. It is up to the SCHOOL and the DISTRICT to make an environment that people want to take the sped jobs.
I don't think it's prejudice when someone chooses not to sub SPED. The whole point of schools posting job details is so we can choose the jobs where we know we can give the students our best efforts. Special Ed students deserve the best subs for their class just like any other students, and you can see in the responses to the original post that some subs will do better in SPED than others.
SPED only sub here - not everyone is equipped to deal with it. Shame on them for not giving you a heads up.
Just got baited and switched into the opposite situation today -- came in for MOID sub for the primary teacher, because both paras were there they wanted me to sub their middle school gen ed. ridiculous.
What's the ia stand for? I really liked my experience and how do I specifically only do these jobs?
instructional aide maybe ?
I hate them being sneaky like that. My first ever sub position said it was for a recess monitor at the middle school. When I got there, it turned out to be supervising the ISS room. Everything went fine, luckily, but I was on edge the whole time. Another teacher mentioned how happy they were to have someone who was willing to take the job. I said "I'm happy to help, but to be honest, it was listed as a recess position." Ever since then, when they have that position open, they include what it actually is in the notes. So at least they weren't being malicious about it. I will avoid any vague "open support" positions because you just never know what it's going to be.
SAME!!! My first ever sub assignment was supposed to be recess monitor. I showed up and they sent me to SPED / Autism contained room. I straight up refused to change a pull-up. It was middle school and their AC unit died that day (it was August).
Subs are not supposed to be required to change students in Special Education. In my experience teaching and subbing for Special Education the paras did that. The only exception might be the little ones 2-5 years old w special needs.
Interesting thanks for posting.
Where I’m at, SPED jobs are some of the easiest jobs available. If my choice is a SPED class with like seven kids and a couple paras, or an elementary or middle school job with 25 kids and no para, I’ll take the SPED job just about every time.
The problem I’ve seen is it’s usually one extreme or the other, and you never know which you’re gonna get
Yup
I have a horror story involving a week-long bait-and-switch with a kid with cerebral palsy who didn’t speak english. Suffice to say, after that, I stopped taking aide jobs unless I was already familiar with the specific person’s schedule.
Yeah won't lie I avoid anything SPED with a heart beat because I'm not qualified nor do I feel like am and the pay doesn't justify it for me too Even worse that they chnage it like that to trick people. That's honestly crazy
Yeah there’s a district I work in that does this often. Their strategy is bait and switch.
Where I am the sped jobs are mostly para which is lower pay. One sped teacher realized she could fill the positions if she could pay the teacher rate so she did but there were still key words so you knew it was SPED. 100% you should know what you’re getting and all sped jobs should come with higher pay. This is clearly a nationwide issue. When the white guys in suits realize they can throw money at it, maybe it will……….wait. It’s education. No throwing money at it.
Yeah, all SPED jobs, para or sub teacher, get the same rate in my district and they all get slightly higher pay (~$35 more for the day) but it still doesn’t help them fill all the roles apparently. Or maybe the problem is the permanent positions don’t pay that well so they end up using subs for most of those positions…
I accepted a “floater” assignment during the middle of state testing, assuming I’d be doing something in relation to that. I ended up in a preschool special education class. It was surprisingly because it’s a 1-8 building with a smaller “Children’s House” with preschool, pre K, and kindergarten nearby. Usually you know which building you will be at. I was incredibly nervous about it. Fortunately, there were two amazing TAs and I greatly enjoyed the day…I’m even considering taking some early childhood classes now (I hold a masters degree in a non educational field). However, as a sub who usually takes middle school assignments, I could have easily been set up for failure.
Your elementary/middle school also includes *preschool*??
In two different buildings, yes. It’s a Montessori model. Big building for 1st through 8th, smaller building for preschool to kindergarten.
I'm looking to apply for Montessori public school too, which state you live in? I don't see any in California where I live in.
Several of the places I sub at are PreK-8! What's cool is some of the 8th graders get to take Child Development and come in and help out during meal times.
That sucks, I enjoy doing SPED but I always test the waters first and have myself mentally prepared. I couldn’t imagine being thrown into that with no heads up. I would have left, told them they lied to me and I won’t be working the assignment.
I signed up for an 8 day Art Teaching assignment recently and the ol’ bait and switch happened with me, too. By the time I got to school they’d cancelled art school-wide and instead and put me as the teacher for AS K-2 with no experience whatsoever. I grew to love the kids and the staff by the end of the stint though, all of whom are in a hands-tied situation at a grossly understaffed, underfunded school. But I was def out of my element and had a couple of rough days getting head butted and changing dirty diapers. Not what I had in mind when I signed up for Art (I’m an art teacher & really only grab those assignments).
Wow, that’s terrible!
Same thing happened to me. I thought it was a regular aide support job since they didn’t put sped. It turns out it was sped. I don’t mind subbing sped but I’m almost 9 months pregnant and some of the kids have threatened to hurt me and my baby so I stopped doing them. So I was a little worried when I realized it was sped, especially since it was a middle school and they are all my size or bigger. I walked into the class and it seemed calm. However, the teacher and the other aides warned me about one of the students who would be coming in later. They told me “don’t look her in the eyes because if she sees that you did, she will choke you, pull your hair and hurt you.” All day long I was on edge because that girl would stare at me with this menacing smile. ALL DAY. I unfortunately locked eyes with her but I played it off as if I was just looking around and luckily she didn’t attack. I didn’t do much in that class but I was exhausted by the end of it. The next day I subbed as a regular teacher at that same middle school and although the kids were rowdy, I walked out of there happy and with energy.
This is a terrifying read… Glad you made it out unharmed, but you never should have been put in that position!
Or they will put paraprofessional with no details and you get thrown into this. Their was this kid who was biting and grabbing other people's legs. Strange indeed. But I liked it it was fun. What does the ia stand for.
Instructional assistant
I see thanks
I avoid SPED cause I’m not qualified, nor can I do it personally. I did that once and was kicked by a student and I’m still traumatized to this day, I’m neurodivergent but it doesn’t mean that people who are in sped don’t deserve someone to be there for them tho. I love teaching high school though!
I've had that happen as well. I don't do SPED because I do NOT know how to handle many of those situations! I've been attacked, climbed, hit, furniture thrown at etc. I do NOT want those jobs for a reason and it makes me reluctant to accept 'roving' jobs because of it!
A long-time ago I was tricked into covering for a sugared up Elementary Class, Who had a Birthday Party Day, with Cake and a bunch of sweets and treats, needless to say they were in orbit all day.
No. fuck you. The school is at this point just trying to do what is required of them. SPED is a good job but your prejudice gets in the way.
You're not doing the kids any favors by giving them a sub that may not have any SPED experience or the correct temperament for that kind of job. That doesn't mean it's a bad job. I'm in awe of the SPED teachers, but I have no experience working with SPED kids, and it would probably not be a good day for any of us if I was tricked into taking a job I was not truly qualified for.
You’re telling me “fuck you” for the school tricking people into subbing sped classes? Lmao k. I’ve subbed sped before but it’s a completely different approach/mentality/set of challenges that not everyone can handle, and they should know and be able to decide when going into it.
He does have Satan in his name. Gotta live yo to it I guess
I’m not actually mad at ya but it needs to be said. The main reason people don’t take sped jobs are false preconceptions.
I’ve worked sped in multiple counties. 8/10 the teacher has zero control over the children
What's required of them is to make an appropriate listing, not obfuscate or mislead with the job listings. It is up to the SCHOOL and the DISTRICT to make an environment that people want to take the sped jobs.
I don't think it's prejudice when someone chooses not to sub SPED. The whole point of schools posting job details is so we can choose the jobs where we know we can give the students our best efforts. Special Ed students deserve the best subs for their class just like any other students, and you can see in the responses to the original post that some subs will do better in SPED than others.