Indefinite Employment

First of all, I have to apologize for not updating this through the summer. I could have (and should have) written something about summer school which I decided to teach this year for some reason my mind still hasn't divulged, but I was just too busy. After summer school came vacation and since this blog is about teaching I decided no one needed to hear about my sunburns and photo ops of August.

Now on to the actual article.

I am a supply teacher this year. You may know the term better as a "substitute teacher," but here in Ontario we're 'supplies'. Actually, our technical title is "Occasional Teacher," but I personally hate the term since it implies that I'm just a teacher occasionally. You know, whenever I feel like it. Like I wake up in the morning and go 'hmm, should I be a teacher today?'

Most supply teachers find themselves working throughout the week at various schools and for varying amounts of time. You could teach at a one school in the city and then the next day you're needed for the afternoon in the country. It's a normal thing for us and we're resound to the fact that until we get something more long-term, it's our life. The plus side is that, since you don't have a class, you don't mark or prepare lesson plans (unless you are supplying for a teacher who has nothing ready for you - then you're making it up as you go along).

This year I find myself supplying in a constant setting. The classes aren't mine, but I'm running them like they are. I'm preparing them and marking them and I'm bonding with the kids all the while knowing that with the new contract imposed on Ontario teachers, I will not get the job when I apply for it because I am not very senior on the list. I keep weekly logs of what I'm doing and my observations on the student's needs because I know that someone else is going to take over and I want them to be as prepared as possible.

But it's not fair.

I know what you're thinking - life isn't fair. And as long as you're not reciting it from this ridiculous list I will agree with you. However, it doesn't make it suck less. I'm the one who has to walk into class and get asked by the students "why aren't you our teacher yet?" I don't have a real answer for them. These students have gotten used to how I mark and how I teach and where the proverbial line is in the classroom. Soon they'll have to start all over again when they should just be learning the material.

It's frustrating.

But here's the thing - it's steady work. That should be verbal irony when attach to the term 'supply teacher', but it's not. I have been teaching (read: supplying) these classes since day one. I'm invested. I'm working hard. So I should be grateful, and to some degree I am. I just wish circumstances were different.

Now if you'll excuse me I have to go prepare this week's worth of work for my classes that I may or may not be teaching next week.