Karen loves Ms. Colman’s calm instruction and finds school enjoyable; so when she hears that Ms. Colman will be away for some time and her class will need a substitute teacher she is dismayed to hear that Ms. Colman will no longer be leading class sessions herself.
Karen and her classmates play tricks on Mrs. Hoffman by wearing their clothes backwards or not talking at all in class, such as talking or not dressing like Madeline. Karen quickly learns of Mrs. Hoffman’s rules which include no talking and dressing students two lines like Madeline. Karen plays tricks on Mrs. Hoffman by doing things such as wearing their clothes backwards to mess with her!
1. Don’t Take Things Personal
Karens have an annoying habit of shouting and being disruptive, so it is wise to avoid acting out against them as doing so will only give them power they desire.
They often possess an air of superiority, thinking they are in charge of everyone around them and take a strong dislike to being told what to do. They may try to put others down or take things personally as well as have trouble with authority; tending to be very rude with no regard for rules or boundaries. A male counterpart would be Ken; both would behave similarly.
As soon as Karen substitute teacher comes into class, students often attempt to gain her favor by telling on classmates – including such tactics as not taking a quiz or abandoning their science book.
Karens can become irritatingly rude by misappropriating popular TV and movie characters to make comments about a lesson, even when it doesn’t pertain to them. This gives them an excuse for rude behavior while discussing something they don’t fully grasp.
If you are a student, try not to let their comments have an adverse effect on you. Your teacher just wants your approval, so if they sense any displeasure with them they will do whatever it takes to gain it.
Substitutors often become subcontractors for various reasons, from graduate school to retirement and former teachers no longer wishing for full-time work; as a result, these subs may not be as invested in their work and more likely to get frustrated by any mistakes that arise.
As this can cause tension to mount quickly, it is crucial not to take anything a substitute does personally. For instance, if a student misbehaves or fails to answer a question correctly as expected by a sub, don’t grab their hands and push them out of the classroom; doing so would only escalate their anger further and escalate the situation even further. Instead, ask them calm down before continuing with your lesson plan.
2. Stay Calm
When dealing with disruptive students or challenging behaviour, it’s essential that teachers remain calm. Allowing yourself to become upset will only exacerbate the situation and students can often tell if you are becoming stressed and take advantage of it; by keeping your emotions under control you can maintain control of the classroom and ensure all learners can focus on learning rather than behavior issues.
Simply taking a deep breath and reminding yourself that everything is under your control can help bring some much-needed calm during these stressful moments. Furthermore, try picturing what the classroom teacher would do in your position – this will give you more confidence and an authoritative presence which should deter students from exploiting your nervousness.
Keep in mind that students have experienced this classroom environment before and understand what is expected of them. When faced with newcomers in the room, they may want to test out what their limits are in terms of testing the waters – this is part of learning process, not personal confrontation.
At times, dealing with Karen in class who refuses to listen can be particularly difficult. Finding ways of handling her behavior without placing you or the student at risk can be especially trying; physical touching a student in order to stop inappropriate actions from occurring could further escalate this situation and become disruptive for everyone in the room. If you find it impossible to control this particular student alone, perhaps discussing their case with their classroom teacher or other parents at school can help.
As long as you follow these tips and stay calm during your substitute teaching day, hopefully it will be an enjoyable experience for you. If that is not the case, perhaps a different career option is necessary? Good luck and have fun!
3. Be Prepared
Karens can be quite annoying and rude in class; it can make it very challenging to be around them, so avoiding them whenever possible is best. If one does happen to walk into your classroom, take things calmly; it could just be them testing the waters to see what gets away with.
Management of classroom behaviors can be a challenging task for both full-time teachers and substitute teachers alike, yet there are proactive measures you can take to better prepare yourself and minimize these difficulties. These steps include developing a classroom management plan, gathering supplies for a substitute binder kit, reviewing student handbooks at your school and reviewing any student handbooks as soon as they become available – this way ensuring greater success for your teaching practice and an exceptional education experience for your students.
When dealing with someone like Karen, it’s essential to remain calm. Her actions aren’t your responsibility – they simply reflect her personality. Being upset at her will only escalate matters further and forceful attempts at changing her will only escalate things further. If she refuses to listen, don’t force it as that could only escalate things further; rather try talking privately afterward instead.
Truth be told, Karen likely has an arrogant superior complex and believes they know more than everyone in the room. They often cast aside coworkers outside of their clique. Furthermore, their status as teachers gives them added authority at staff meetings.
Karens also enjoy fooling their teachers, whether by not taking quizzes or wearing clothes backward, to cause irritation. Although Karens may be annoying, fighting with them only serves to embarrass and diminish their reputation; therefore, it’s best to remain calm until they leave the classroom.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help
Even though you might want to explode or start fighting with Karen substitute teacher, it would only make matters worse for everyone involved. If she refuses to listen or provides no help at all, consider asking a trusted colleague for assistance as they might know where her lesson plans can be found in the classroom.
If you don’t have anyone to rely on for help, try approaching either your neighboring teacher or student who appears most responsible in class for assistance. They might have seen your lesson plans fall onto the ground or be in plain view; additionally they could give advice about how best to manage Karen as a substitute teacher and keep situations under control.
Karen has had many teachers throughout the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series, but Mrs. Colman remains her favorite due to being pleasant, non-yelling, and making school enjoyable. When Mrs. Hoffman will replace Mrs. Colman for a month-long replacement assignment, Karen becomes disgruntled; trying to persuade her classmates that Mrs. Hoffman won’t be an issue by showing them new rules – such as no talking and forming two lines similar to Madeline – while students play tricks on her such as dropping books or wearing clothes backwards; students play tricks on her by dropping science books or wearing their clothing backwards – only making matters worse!
