These negatives are not exclusive to Koku but are relevant for the position all the same. Exposure to Germs Being exposed to an entirely new microcosm of germs is also a downside of substitute teaching. The potential for contracting a myriad of illnesses from the kids is significant unless you wear a mask all of the time, which can be inconvenient and uncomfortable but doable if you choose to do so. School kids (and some adults) often struggle with hygiene and personal space, especially in the lower grades, so even if you are fastidious about handwashing, the likelihood of you catching something is quite high, especially if you take a long-term position. I was consistently sick for the entire time that I taught my kids (Yes, I said my kids. You get attached!) and am still struggling to return to normal. The good news is, my assigned school conducted weekly COVID tests for the kids, which provided some personal reassurance of protection from COVID, even though I am fully vaccinated and know that negative test results don’t mean you can’t contract COVID anyway. If you are concerned about exposure to COVID, you may want to ask about COVID testing at the school before you take a long-term assignment. Inadequate Pay One of the most significant downsides to being a guest teacher at any organization is the pay, which is consistently low across most organizations that source subs for charter schools (Kokua included). Working full-time as a long-term sub, the pay wasn’t enough to cover my rent, much less my basic living expenses. As a single person living alone, I needed to have at least one source of consistent income while I searched for full-time permanent employment, which is why I happily took the position. Depending upon your role at the school, energy level, and personal responsibilities, you may be able to balance having an additional position. However, this wasn’t an option for me. I had no way to anticipate how mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting being a guest teacher could or would be. Although I made slightly more money hourly ($2) as a long-term teacher than I did working day-to-day, the pay wasn’t nearly enough compensation. I did not have sufficient paid time to maintain my work space, prep for classes, lesson plan, grade papers, deal with issues, gather resources, communicate needs and information, and read up on teaching methods used in the classroom. I limited the unpaid time I spent completing work as much as possible but I could not avoid spending money out of pocket (not reimbursable but tax deductible) for incentives and treats for my students, which I found necessary to manage behavioral issues, provide motivation, and soothe several students dealing with trauma. Yes, I chose to do this despite not being paid nearly enough because the kids are at the center of my work as an educator. Insufficient Time Each school is different regarding the length of prep and lunch time, and what you need to do to be a successful guest teacher. I have taught day-to-day at schools where the schedule allowed generous amounts of time for prep and lunch but the trade-off was an untenable school culture where the administration wasn’t supportive and/or the kids were undisciplined and disrespectful. At the school where I chose to teach, I had roughly 20 minutes for lunch time instead of the stated 30 minutes (It took 10 minutes to get the kids to lunch and settled before I could return to my class to eat and relax). I had an hour for prep time but that was not enough time to accomplish everything that I realistically needed to do any given day. Some days I needed that time just to gather myself and mentally prepare for what was ahead! You really have to decide what works for you ahead of time because none of this information is available until you actually work at a particular school. Poor School Communication At every school where I have taught, both day-to-day and long term, I was not provided with necessary information regarding students (issues, challenges, needs and supports), school and classroom protocols, or class assignments. For example, important information wasn’t shared with me about students regarding medical issues, restraining orders, significant behavior issues, upcoming field trips, dismissal times or grading, which made my job much harder. The school operations were disorganized and more than once I found myself in situations with angry parents and/or students because administration provided me with specific information regarding a policy that they either changed at the last minute or made an exception for without telling me. Behavior Issues and Discipline The last significant downside is dealing with behavior problems. Support from administrators varies and unfortunately in too many schools you will get the worst behaved classes. In these schools, the administrators are unsupportive and don’t care if you come back. They get relief for the day and move on to another fresh guest teacher. Ask as soon as possible who to call if you have questions, need support with students or feel unsafe. I have been in at least one school where I felt threatened by a student, and many schools where administration was unsupportive. I have also spoken with other subs who have had similar experiences. I obviously NEVER went back to those schools and was grateful to other guest teachers who warned me about schools and grades to avoid. Get to know your colleagues. There are clearly many reasons for how poorly kids can treat subs. However, for most kids, particularly the youngest kids, their reaction to you and poor behavior is a response to managing the change of having an unfamiliar face and a change in their routine. Cell Phones The final negative to the job is competing with cell phones. Some schools allow the kids to have cell phones in the classroom, which is a horrible idea. Avoid these schools if you can unless they have really engaged and supportive administrators and a clear policy that outlines and enforces limitations for cell phone use during class time. You can't compete with the cell phones because the kids are always on them, despite being told otherwise. In these schools it isn't worth your time to constantly tell kids to put their phones away; it won't happen. You can either decide to ignore kids being on their phones or spend your entire class time policing them. It's a headache!
