Enjoy these photos of Monarch butterflies and flowers while I tell you about my experiences with substituting and tutoring in my city in Texas over the last 15 years.
2002 was the year I first substituted in the schools. I had a math college degree and had been a computer programmer before staying home after the birth of my first child. I had plenty of experience with groups of children - from babysitting, to being a Sunday School teacher, to being a Cub Scout and Girl Scout leader and on to raising my 2 children. (8 and 11 years old at the time).
With a little trepidation I walked into a 4th grade classroom as my first Sub job in the fall of 2002. Well, long story short I followed the teacher's lesson plans and I enjoyed the experience! I let out a sigh of relief. I could do this!
I subbed almost everyday, in different classrooms. I appreciated the inquisitive child, unsure child, loud child or shy child. I was pleased to see them learning new concepts. I relished reading the lesson material to them. I enjoyed their questions and I was even learning some new information along the way! I subbed for the Art Teacher, Music Teacher, Physical Education Teacher - nothing was off limits! It was an enjoyable experience.
I eventually subbed in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade(5-13 years old) over the next 12 years. I did encounter some children that were not cooperative. I saw some behavior issues and yes even some students displayed blatant disrespect for me. But that was not the norm; for the most part I could look into a child's eyes and talk with them privately and figure out how to encourage them to do their classwork and let me teach the lesson.
So 
Let me continue on with my experience in the schools. During the fall of 2013-2014, I was an instructional assistant full time at an elementary school(Kindergarten through 6th grade). I worked with small groups of children helping them with reading and math. Yes, there were some behavior problems once in awhile, but I knew the students, I was there to teach them and most of them appreciated the small group atmosphere. We could even have fun while they were learning!
From 2014 through 2017, I took a break from substituting and became self employed and began private math and reading tutoring in student's homes. It has been a great experience! Once again, I was having fun and enjoying working with these students. They looked me in the eye and listened to me. We talked and I was able to figure out how to help them!
So once again,
After 3 years of not substituting, I returned to the classroom as a substitute a few days a week in the fall of 2017 while still continuing my private tutoring.
The students have changed that are being sent to classrooms between 2002 and 2017!
There is a definite difference and it's not good!
In the classrooms where I am encountering problems, there seems to be at least one third of the students who don't know how to control themselves. They don't make eye contact with me. They hit other children in the classroom and on the playground and they don't know how to sit still in their chair or on the carpet. They don't know how to listen quietly to the directions for the lesson on the next activity. They don't listen to their peers when it is another child's turn to talk. This is not unique behavior for me as a substitute teacher. I have friends and a sister who are full time teachers who have all witnessed these changes.
I adore children and I have a few thoughts about what possibly might be responsible for this change.
I'll share my thoughts in my next post.
Meanwhile, what do you think?
Have you been around children and noticed behavior changes
now that you didn't see 15 years ago?
What do you think could be the causes?
February 23, 2018
All photos are my original photos.