How DOES one score a long term sub job?

I received a call a few week ago from a principal asking if I would be interested in a six week sub assignment.  YOU BETCHA was what I thought.  However, I managed to make it come out as a sedate "I sure would be interested". 

I think this is what happened.  When I subbed in his school last spring, he walked in unexpectedly to observe.  I was doing a readaloud of my report to the kids' teacher - something I do when I feel I need something really interesting to claim their attention and calm them down.   The kindergarteners were riveted despite the fact DEFCON 3 was going on inside me and I was in a cold sweat.  In other classes, I would try to have some fun with the kids and parents during pick up time.  Instead of asking the parent tp pick up their child, I would ask the kid which parent belonged to him/her.  The role reversal always bring smiles to all the parties.  I received some positive reviews from the parents and they let the principal know.

Nothing beats doing a good job in getting subbing referrals and opportunities.  Of course, it helps if the principal walks in at a good moment.  Sometimes I think we forget the power of parents as a substitute.  They get feedback from their kids and as I found out, it can make a difference.

Other colleagues I know who scored long term sub jobs succeeded because they impressed someone.  However, these are just my single person impression.  I would love to hear about other perspectives.

Veteran subbing, year 2

OK. So maybe the veteran piece is a bit of over reaching but technically it's true. How about sophomore subbing? Now that I'm known in some schools, can I sit back and wait for calls?

My guts tell me H*** NO! While I'd like to do nothing better than to hang out, read books, and get massages all day long, an Energizer Bunny Ancestor passed on the very annoying gene that is pushing me to do a little bit more.

1. Review business card and stationery design - I developed and taught a series Chinese Painting classes last year. Perhaps I should use a sample painting for my image to differentiate it from all those other cards with books or apple images. It would be a nice conversation point as well.

2. To let the teachers and schools know I'm still in the market, I should go to all the schools before they open (when they are killer busy) and drop off my card for the secretaries and teachers I've subbed for last year.

Any other ideas for sophomore subs? All contructive comments welcomed.

Other People's Ideas

I just read a blog by another substitute teacher in a similar situation as I - subbing while looking for a job in this dry, dry, dry job market. She chose to set her blog up under her name so that all she needed to do was to change the title of her blog as her situation changes.

AAAaaargh! What a great idea and why didn't I come across it earlier! Or, think of it myself? Sad and humbled, I'm borrowing her other ideas. More witty headlines, better descriptions, better quality writi - Ok. gotta stop. I can manage only so much.

Since I can't always look out, I'm asking for help. How can I make this blog better? All constructive commentes appreciated :)

How To Get Sub Jobs - 1st year

It's late August and time to dust off the old brain cells, gird the loins, and start drumming up business for the coming school year. What strategies did I use last year that worked (after I submitted my application of course)?

I. Prioritize what's important - I thought about where I wanted to work and where I could make it to work on time. After all, I won't make a good impression if I can't make it to a job site after dropping off my son at childcare. In my case, Shoreline School District and the north end of Seattle School District. I thought about what I want to do. I want to teach at elementary level and middle school, but not high school. I also prioritize what I want to teach. I like grade school and specialist jobs but I'm so surpremely intimidated by PE that I know I won't check that off on the subsitute interest sheet.

With all that, I was prepared to fill out the hours of paperwork at a sub orientation.

II. After getting a substitute number - That's right, it's not the millitary but you get a number by which the system will know you. When a teacher wants you, they will most likely request you by your sub number. In my case, I made some business cards and stationery that has my name, sub number, phone, and e-mail address. I dropped off my cards with the secretary in all the schools I want to work in. I would introduce myself and try to include something that would distinguish myself from other substitutes. I got several calls back this way. I keep the stationery to write notes after subbing in a classroom as another way to differentiate myself from other subs.

I also e-mailed all my friends, cohort, contacts, etc. who work in the schools I want to work in letting them know I'm available with my sub number. A few of them wrote notes to their colleagues at their school and brought me quite a few jobs that way as well.

Note: What didn't work - I made mini posters with my vital stats and business cards in an envelope and posted them in building cafeterias. I received no calls from this strategy nor did anyone I talked to who tried this method.

I'm curious about what worked and what didn't work for other fellow subs. Please comment.

Professional Development that leads to networking and networking that leads to professional development

Although I usually don't get paid to take professional development classes, I try to take some anyway. As a substitute, I can usually get in for free if there is room in the classes offered to certificated teachers. I don't think I ever had a problem finding space. After all, it helps me do a better job. Plus, what better way to network. In addtion to improving my skills, I meet other teachers who will eventually need substitutes. They get to know me and I get to know them. It is a great way to get jobs and put out my name.

As an education alumni of UW Bothell, I'm on a distribution list that sends me information on professional development opportunities and other information of note. I take advantage of that material.

I took a class about "Cool School Challenge" (program on reducing carbon footprint) in April. It was a Saturday but what the heck! I was inspired by that seminar to think about starting a program in my son's school. Eventually I ended up talking to the program director who then paid me to be on the team to write an elementary curriculum for this program!

Through the same distribution list, I found out about a class on "Energy Transfer" offered at Seattle Pacific University where they pay teachers and offer college credit to attend. The topic dovetails beautifully with the "Cool School Challenge" and my work with them so I jumped on it. It turns out the instructors at SPU heard about the CSC program and so I ended up talking about it in class. I was able to give the teachers there the late breaking news that an elementary curriculum was being written and should be available soon.

Everything connects.

Who knew that a saturday investment of training would lead to meeting so many good people, authoring credit on a growning program, and getting paid for all that!

In the beginning...

After getting my teaching credentials and joining the workforce as a substitute teacher, I thought about starting a blog many many times to share my thoughts and experiences. I would encounter situations where I wonder what other people thought or would do differently. I would often think too, what a great tip to pass on! But something was always coming up and I never got around to it. Suddenly, it is July and I had a year of substituting under my belt! Oh well, better late than never.

When I graduated last spring from UW Bothell, I was hopeful that despite the dour economy, I would be one of those exceptional graduates who would be hired in my dream job. Never mind that my dream job (1/2 time job share in a classroom, elementary grade, Shoreline School District)barely existed and that I had five billion competitors vying for each opportunity. Despite applying for every part time job in two school districts, my optimism was not rewarded. However, I was accepted into every substitute pool I applied for which did console me quite a bit.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only do I enjoy subbing, but that I am thriving in this environment. I love the flexibility in work time, I enjoy leaving at the end of the day and being DONE, I love working with and learning from so many different teachers, and I love meeting and knowing all the different kids at various schools.

I had so many wonderful, thoughtful, and just plain weird experiences this past year. I expect and anticipate more this coming year.