Substitute teachers from hell

One of my kids remarked today that the substitute teacher in one class seemed to be insane. It got him angry, as though NOW he could see why his regular teachers were really pretty good, all things considered. Most of the class acquiesced with the stranger’s whims, apparently deciding that if the teacher was insane, there wasn’t much they could do about it, so why not play along. Just another day in Hell. Teens are surprisingly pragmatic aren’t they?

Why, though, was this teacher still teaching?

With all the talk about teacher evaluations, there seems to be no talk about how to evaluate teacher substitutes. Most are just babysitters but there is no effective system for evaluating them. Think about how it would play out. The regular teacher asks her/his class the next day “What did you think of the substitute yesterday?” If they don’t react noticeably then there is no need to do anything. If the class erupts in mirth (and rage), then the regular teacher should mention this to whoever is in charge of hiring substitute teachers. Does this happen? No. Is there a better way to evaluate a sub? I would hope so, but apparently not.

If you think you would like to improve things by volunteering to be a substitute teacher, this is a useful site to get you started.

Photo: Hell Teacher Nūbē (地獄先生ぬ～べ～) manga