#12 Calling All Subs, We Need Backup!

There are many districts throughout the country finding themselves overwhelmed with substitute possibilities. With the economy in shambles, our nation's educated went back into the marketplace and fell back on the fact that anyone can be a substitute teacher for a buck. There actually isn't a desperation for substitute teachers like there were just a year ago. Our superintendent urged us to not take our employee days off if we could help it. There were too many substitute teacher shortages and often they'd have to fill in with office personnel or administrative staff to help out in areas that couldn't be covered. If it was an elective schedule like music or P.E. that was lost, they let it go, even with the union breathing down their necks saying they can't break the contract like that. This year, it's quite the opposite. Instead of substitutes being overwhelmed with phone calls from schools and trying to decide where they wanted to go for the next two months, we have substitute teachers who rely upon the job as their only form of income advertising their desire to help to the entire teaching staff. They're sending personal "business" cards, resumes, and letters to full-time teachers to have them be the choice to fill the vacancy for absence.

I'd say that the schools of our nation could possibly serve as the "frog in the pond" for our nation's economic standing pretty well. When the schools are suffering, so is the nation. When people are turning to the schools for jobs, it's like they've exhausted almost all other means besides working at McDonald's or God forbid, Walmart. Oh no!

What has it meant for districts who are also cutting jobs even though the stimulus apparently saved so many? We have more and more loonies on the loose and people who have no business being in the classroom entering, and it's not a joke. Fortunately, for my classroom, our district has a list of about 12 absolutely amazing substitute teachers we call upon regularly. There are few times, if we give them time, that we cannot get them to help us out. Thank goodness we're not in an area that doesn't have the small school mentality or community group that keeps an eye out for the loonies.

Another thing to consider, according to this article Round Rock, Texas has over 1,200 substitute teachers in the pool this year. That's more than double what they're used to having. Not only that, they had 5,000 apply for 322 jobs. That is just about as bad as me not getting to even apply for a teaching position north of Seattle my first year out of college. Many places there had 500 applicants for a 4th grade position that hadn't been advertised publicly. The boss there told me that they're overwhelmed and unless I have a doctorate or straight A's from Harvard, I need not apply. That was in 1997. I wonder what it's like now.

With all the people just trying to stay afloat these days, and more pressure on education and the business sector from above, I wonder how it will turn out in 10 years. Will we come out ahead of the educational and business world, or will we be set back 50 years and more backwards than the hillbilly? I'd say we need backup now, but definitely don't need any more substitutes.

#11 Holistically Accepted

Teach to the test. That's the command many districts are giving these days. Get our student prepared to test well and appear successful under the scrutiny neighboring schools, counties, states, or even countries judge our education standards. Will it be effective enough for admission to our universities? What happens to the students who come from districts that eliminated all extra-curricular activities, music, P.E., and even interest groups? Do we think they'll make the cut in the new challenges universities are expecting our students to complete and show evidence of completion?

To gain admission into various institutions throughout the nation, the requirements vary. One thing that seems to be changing and becoming more common place is the inclusion of an essay or further involvement in extra-curricular activities or community organizations. No longer can a student be admitted under the review of high GPA, SAT, or ACT scores. According to this article at New York Times, public universities around the nation are utilizing a holistic or comprehensive review of student applicants. What do we think the trend will be after the budget crisis is eventually averted if it ever is? Will higher learning be an untouchable for more and more students? Currently, California is bankrupt. Our schools have cut music education, physical education, and extra-curricular activities for years for various reasons. The trend in schools out here is to focus mainly upon reading, writing and arithmetic. I worry that this will adversely affect the next generation's ability to perform at the higher learning level.

I think it's a smart move on the part of the universities around the nation. Why not know they have students who will have more of an impact upon their peers beyond being book smart? Promotion of students who are more well rounded will provide higher learning that is well rounded. There are many students who may be meant for the classroom for life, but can they practically apply their book smarts to the street and job world? Not everyone can. With this shift in admissions process across the nation, we'll find more people are going to need to get their noses out of their books enough to move to the next level.

Join community organizations, seek out districts and schools that promote diversity in curriculum and activities. Make yourself the jack of all trades and become holistically accepted.