Have you ever worked as a substitute teacher? You know there can be all sorts of personalities out there who might annoy or even offend. Sometimes their actions might just be annoying while in other instances they can become downright offensive.
What should you do if you find yourself working with a Karen? Here are five strategies to help manage them!
1. Be Prepared
Substitute teachers play an essential role in the education of children. They offer classroom management services, student assistance, and support during class activities. Substitute teachers may also serve as instructors at youth programs, museums, camps or sports leagues.
Karen White began teaching as a substitute teacher in 2006. Since then, she has completed Robeson Community College’s Effective Teacher Training program and now leads kindergarten at Long Branch Elementary School in Robeson County. Karen credits her success to both the skills learned during this course as well as support from friends and mentors.
She is now 50 years old, having always had an interest in children. While teaching wasn’t initially on her career list, it quickly became one of her passions.
Karen finds the joy and satisfaction in helping young children grow, learn and progress invaluable – she couldn’t imagine doing anything else!
Her journey to becoming a substitute teacher began while pregnant. At Robeson Community College, she completed Effective Teacher Training before substituting in a 2nd grade class for six months as an effective substitute teacher.
Experience gained as a substitute enabled her to return to education once her child completed his educational journey, leading her to decide to make this field her profession of choice and remain within it ever since.
Attitude makes all the difference in how students and teachers treat you as a Karen substitute teacher. By taking time to plan, you’ll be better equipped to handle unexpected surprises with ease and be an outstanding performer in every classroom you enter.
2. Be Polite
One way to approach dealing with a Karen Substitute Teacher is being polite. No need to bow down in submission, but showing some respect will go a long way toward making sure your day runs as smoothly as possible.
At times of distress or tension in class, a quick hello and goodbye from you can make all the difference. Even when teachers seem preoccupied and reluctant to listen to you discuss concerns directly, a handshake or hug from you can let them know you care and they may consider your emotions more seriously.
As part of your academic preparation, it’s also a smart move to use the classroom effectively. This may involve making note of when and where the class should be used, when to arrive and leave, what activities are expected from teachers in the room, etc. Taking notes in class will ensure you don’t forget anything important or provide you with an edge when answering questions correctly.
At last, it is wise to prepare a backup plan should your main teacher become unavailable due to illness or travel plans. Many resources exist that can assist with this matter such as the student assistance program of your local school district. Furthermore, taking initiative may result in discounts being given if an external professional assesses your child’s classroom environment.
3. Be Flexible
Being flexible and adaptable when serving as a substitute teacher is vital, as you never know what may arise in a classroom or for how long. Furthermore, having various materials at your disposal is also recommended.
Paper clips, name tags, seating chart forms, duplicating paper reams and emergency lesson plans should always be on hand in the classroom in case something unexpected comes up during class time – these can help keep things on schedule and ensure students are learning.
As part of your preparation, it is also advisable to be ready to work both alone or in groups. Before attending class, ask the teacher if there are any students willing to assist during your stay in their class.
One way you can show flexibility as an educator is to ensure you know how to properly supervise your students, particularly elementary ones who will require supervision both inside and outside the classroom, during lunch periods and special programs or events.
As part of your school district or school’s rules and procedures, be sure to abide by all their rules and procedures pertaining to students in your presence, using your cellphone without permission in their presence and not leaving classes unattended for any reason such as fire drills.
Finally, teachers should avoid touching students in ways that might make them feel unsafe. Hugging, patting or simply holding their hand could all be misinterpreted and put both you and your students in jeopardy.
5. Be Respectful
When working with Karen substitute teachers, it’s important to keep in mind that they may have their own reason for being there; be it illness, maternity leave, or recovering from an injury. Treating them poorly could cause them to feel treated unfairly and cause tension within the class.
If you want to show respect and show that you care for your teacher, that means listening carefully when they speak and taking them seriously, not interrupting when they talk and following all instructions given by them. Furthermore, feel free to ask any questions if something was unclear to you during their lesson.
Respect can make life much simpler when dealing with Karen subs, and can help build stronger relationships among your classmates.
If your teacher is being mean to you, make sure to inform the school immediately by reaching out to school administrators and scheduling an appointment with them. Furthermore, speaking to other parents at your school might provide further insights as well. Providing evidence that this behavior is unwarranted will only increase their likelihood of stopping it; getting other kids involved could prove even more effective! Having a mean teacher can be extremely stressful so making sure you’re prepared can save everyone involved from further distress!
