Why I love my job!

Lately I've been having a really big problem being motivated to actually get jobs. If any one who reads this doesn't know, I am currently employed as a substitute teacher for the Logan & Cache school districts. This means that, unless I am contacted by a teacher beforehand to teach their class, I get to get up at 5:30 or 6 am to get online and try and snag a job. Some days there just aren't jobs to be had, some days there's a lot. It depends a lot on the time of year and day of the week. Mondays are usually pretty slim pickings. Anyway, I've found that it's been hard lately to get myself up and not just let myself sleep in and do whatever all day long. So, since I have my prep hour right now for the class I'm subbing, I thought I would remind myself as to why I like being a sub.

• I get days off whenever I want them. No prior notice required.
• To some extent I get to choose where I work, and with what age group. (I avoid elementary school... the kids are swell, but they can't pay attention for more than 3 min, and I'm supposed to do things just like their teacher whom I've never met... It's stressful!)
• Even if the kids are brats and the day goes horribly, 99% chance I don't have to see them again tomorrow. Or maybe ever.
• I have nights, weekends, and holidays off, always.
• I get out of the school while it's still daylight. (Big thing during the winter in Logan. Didn't always see the daylight when I was student teaching...)
• I've never seen people so excited when I tell them I can do math as do the students in the math classes I sub, especially if they have a test coming up.
• It's actually pretty good pay.
• I get to know teachers at the schools and can see how they run their classrooms and lessons.
• I get to write on the whiteboard.
• I get to watch interesting videos and learn new things from the different classes I'm over.
• You learn a lot of interesting things when you have nothing to do besides read bbc.com and wikipedia.com for several hours.
• I never have to take my work home with me.
• I get a good laugh almost every day I sub. Students are sooo funny. Especially the middle school kids.
• I can deffer difficult questions to their teacher. "I don't know. You'll have to ask your teacher when they get back" is so lovely.
• Good days remind me why I wanted to be a teacher in the first place. Helping people learn to do math is fun!

So in summary: That's what substituting is, you know. It's not just a lesson plan and a roll and a whiteboard and markers, that's what a sub needs but what subbing is... what it really is... is freedom.
And that's why I love my job.
...Today.