The Bubble

I heard a lot during my student teaching and final education classes that teaching is a hard profession because so much of it is practiced alone.  For most possitions you create lesson plans alone, you develop your curriculum alone, you teach your students alone.  There is very little feedback from other professionals.  In fact, most of your feedback comes from complaining students and irate parents.  Then there's the occasional principal twenty minute observation every few years.

Subbing is worse.  Most weeks I'm in five different classrooms.  So far I've visited nearly twenty schools and been in so many classrooms I can't even count them anymore.  Every day I arrive, teach, and leave.  No feedback, no pats on the back, no getting used to the kids and learning their behavior.  When I teach special education classes and have the kid with the attitude, I have to remind myself that I'm not a bad teacher, the student is just testing me.  It gets difficult being tested everyday. 

The instibility is wearing sometimes.  But some days are good.  Some days I get a class that I connect with right away.  Some days I find a group of kids I can joke with, laugh with, and enjoy the day with.  Some days I get compiments and encouragement from surrounding teachers or para educators that happen to see something they like.  These compliments shine like gold.  They give me the ability to get through the tough days and look forward to the good days, whenever they might arrive.