SO, here we are. Another year, another term of service on the DDSB supply list. Considering that the list has been closed for over a year now, I consider myself lucky to have a teaching job. God knows I didn't get any call backs from those dozens of applications I dropped off this summer.
So, after a year of news coverage, that holy grail, the H1N1 vaccine is coming out, and just as it is, people seem to be dropping like flies. People aren't going to work, kids aren't going to school, and in some sectors of our society, it feels as though things are shutting down. The government and health officials are telling us to stay home if we have flu symptoms.
Put that kind of news in the mind of a public school parent and it's a panic. Kids are out of school EVERYWHERE. I've been in classes of 9 kids because everyone else is home sick. Yes, there are confirmed cases of the virus out there, but it can't have escalated to those numbers so quickly.
It makes for a supply teacher's dream! IN September, there was no work. You only got a call in if you knew someone. Thanks to the extremely lucky fact that I know two administrations I've had fairly regular work for 6 weeks. Only in the past two have I begun to get called to other schools. and not just called, BEGGED.
It seems not only are the full time teachers calling in sick, but supply teachers are also calling in unavailable for calls. Three times I've been at a school where there are not enough teachers to fill the classrooms!
You would hitnk, as one of the healthy teachers willing to work, this is a dream come true. Steady work, high demand, no prep work, or take home work. Golden right? Not quite!
It's an over demand now. Today I was called out in such a hurry, dispatch didn't ready their screen properly. The teacher I was in for, is at two different schools. I got sent to the wrong one. When I got redirected, and arrived, I was 50 minutes late. Then dispatch actually called again at lunch to see if I could go to another school.
While I was already booked for the afternoon at the same school.
The shortage has the poor dispatchers running in circles.
Add to that, schools just can't turn kids away if there are no extra teachers. The common solution, from being int eh schools and seeing first hand, is to use teachers on prerp to cover, and these teacher's getting preps back later. However, if you have to take a prep away from one teacher, who would lose it first? A full timer on staff, or a supply in for the day? I've lost about 6 prep periods this week alone.
I'll bite the bullet and take one for the team, if I were a full time teacher, I would feel the same way. I know I can say no, but someone has to teach the class. Someone has to be willing to step up and do it, otherwise the system will break down. I'm exhausted doing it, but it's part of the job, right?
We can see this in so many sectors. People call in sick, but the buisness or service still has to run. Buses need to drive, hospitals need to be staffed, power plants need to be operated. We can't just shut down because people are 'sick' Are there people taking advantage of the system now with this panic over H1N1? You bet. Are there legit cases of people playing it safe and attempting to NOT spread germs? Yes.
We have to come to our senses as a society, and get a grip. Take a look in the mirror. Are you really sick enough to need the day off? or are you 'feeling it' becuase the rest of the province is? Someone else can pick up your slack only for so long. Go get your shot, go getsome medicine to help you out, and get back to it. We all need to pull our weight and keep things in motion.
On that not, In the past two things, shit's got sloppy in classrooms. I don't know why we teachers thing we're miracle workers, but we're not! Especially subs!
1. If I need to pick up the kids, or take them somewhere, please tell me. Where are you attendance lists? Were are the emerency plans?
2. Who are your ID'd kids? Who shouldn't I take the hardline approach to?
3. For Gods' sakes, if you expect me to teach your kids something new, leave me more than "Lesson 3 in their books." What the **** does that even mean! Get with it!
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