You are an administrator and you know that a teacher in your department is going to leave in the middle of the spring semester to have a baby. The subject terminates in a brand new regents exam.
Do you?
Hire an inexperienced substitute to take over the class while the teacher is out on maternity leave?
Give the class to an experienced teacher before the new semester begins so the students can have continuity for the entire term? (Incidentally, these are the weakest students in that particular subject.)
Big decision--aren't you glad you are not the administrator making the decision?
8 comments:
Do you think the pregnant teacher should have been given an advanced class because she could not finish the term?? What if she had gotten sick instead?? I don't know the rules for assignments on the HS level, but
Admins should keep a list of extremely qualified subs. Usually we use retired teachers or subs who are great but not interested in long-term employment. But I am sure a qualified and caring sub can be found if not already found given the amount of notice.
But I think one good teacher can do more in a few months than a mediocre teacher can the whole year.
Schoolgal
Do we get a prize if we guess the answer?
Yet one more reason I don't regret not going to administrator school.
WE have this for Living Environment, no idea what will be done 4 - 5 weeks from now.
Administration knew well in advance of the teacher's maternity leave. Why wasn't this thoroughly planned before the beginning of the Spring Term? By November, the teacher is approximately four months. That's enough time to see who can take over the class. Bring in a dependable, experience F-status teacher for that one class. Send a memo to teachers who would be interest in teaching a 6th class in lieu of prep. The teacher would get paid for one semester $5,660. See if a teacher is willing to take their present 5 classes (if teaching the same course level) and spread them into 4 classes. Then take on that class only if administration doesn't assign her to any prof. act. In other words, let the teacher have two preps a day.
I would do it if they gave me two preps a day instead of a prep and prof. act. each day.
Things are different on the elementary level.
Even the best sub will have trouble on a high school level being in a class for only 6 weeks, especially a regents class.
Many years ago I knew I was going to have surgery in May so I made sure I didn't get any regents classes that term. Sickness is unforseen, other things aren't and they should be treated differently.
I think it will depend on whether or not the admin likes the teacher. If not, get a babysitter sub and then blame the pregnant teacher for the low scores. If admin likes the teacher, get a good sub that can finish the curriculum.
*heh* That sounds similar to what I'm dealing with...
We're in CA, so no regents - but we DO have benchmarks, and state testing happening while/right after my maternity leave.
I had two subs requested (one as backup, just in case.) I got neither of them. Two weeks before I left on maternity, they assigned me a sub who seemed like he would be decent. Exactly one week before I left, I was informed that he would not be subbing after all, and they were looking for someone. The Monday before I left, I finally got a sub. He seems alright, but I still worry about my kids, 'cause I didn't have much time to get to know him, and prepare them for him.
I left for maternity on Thursday, baby will be born this week. I'm planning on checking in on the sub the day before I have baby, supposidly to make sure he has everything he needs from me. But still, I worry.
They're my kids, y'know? I want them to have the best.
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