Taryn's Unique Learning Email Facebook Instagram Pinterest Bloglovin TPT Store Home About Me TPT Shop Freebies Contact









Monday, August 4, 2014

Ode to My Favorite Substitute

As an intervention teacher in my building, I started as one of two in this position.  Shortly afterwards it became three.  "Wow....that's amazing!"  I know that is what you are thinking.  So don't be mad when I tell you that we have four for the upcoming school year.  With that said, the three of us had all kinds of personal things going on in our lives that required us to be out of school for various and extended time periods.  I had to be out for close to two months and in stepped Mrs. S.  (cue the heavenly/angelic music)  I didn't have to worry about a thing!  In addition, Mrs. S. subbed and assisted with school wide testing and assessments and became a truly indispensable staff member and honorary member of the intervention team.  Ahhhh...I was relieved because she was familiar with the intervention program, could do my job, and handle any of the idiosyncrasies of the job, just as well as I could.

So let me tell you about Mrs. S.  She has been a substitute in our building and she has been there long than I have, way longer. (I'm currently entering my 16th year in this building...I think!)  She can handle any curve ball headed her way, has great management skills, always follows your lesson plans, has your room tidy upon your return, knows building routines, and all of the kiddoes!  She always has great things to say at the end of the day, but is honest in telling teachers what they need to know, and never, ever complains about the firecrackers!   From a time shortly after meeting Mrs. S, she has been saying that "this year" is going to be her last year.  However, every September, she gets that first call from the office, a teacher, or more recently the automated call, and somehow, we lure her back into our building.

Last school year, a few days before the last day, I found out I had to move my classroom.  Mrs. S. was working in the building and she popped her head in to see my progress with moving into my new space.  (I was really lucky to know I was moving and my kids were all occupied by end of the year activities so I started moving my piles of "stuff".)  I jokingly said to her "When you need Beginning Sound Pop, in September, I think I am going to store it here!"   Mrs. S. smiled at me with a knowing smile and moved on with her tasks.  A day or two later, she popped in to see me and told me the news, that this in fact was going to be it for her.   She was officially R E T I R I N G!  She didn't want to tell me the day she popped by earlier as I had company.  But she knew that day, when I told her where she could find the game she had played so many times before, that her Pop playing days were over. 

We have and had many fabulous subs in our building over the years.  In fact, if you are one of them and reading this, you know I adore you too!  Mrs. S became indispensable to me as time passed.  Everyone in our building  has a "go to" sub but I have to say I will be missing my "Mrs. S".  She was the kind of sub who could handle everything, even if you left nothing!  I wish Mrs. S nothing but the best in her retirement.  My "go to" sub has gone.  She will truly be missed...unless by chance that phone rings the first week of school.  One can hope right?  :)

Until Next Time,

Taryn





2 comments:

  1. This is really sweet taryn! How lucky you were to have Mrs. S :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks. I will certainly be missing her this year! Many thanks for stopping by and commenting.

    ReplyDelete