Page 6 - The Edge Issue 7

Substitute Spotlight
Going sub-surface with these unique teachers Story and photos by Rhiannon Drysdale
Get up up Go Go Go to to to to to to to school school Go Go Go to to to to to to to class class Go Go Go to to to to to to to lunch At first glance this looks like it it it it is is is is is shaping up up to to to to to to to be be be just another typical school school day Then you you you get to to to to to to your your fifth period class class or or or maybe your your sixth or or or seventh You You walk in in in in the the the the the the door Your usual teacher is is not there there Instead there there may may be be written instructions on on on the the the the the board next to to the the the the the substitute’s introduction: my name is is is _______ This may happen to to you you fairly often or or almost never depending on your teachers teachers For the the substitute teachers teachers who frequent Edgewood this is is is a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a typical day Go to to to school teach teach teach another’s class class rinse repeat “It’s “It’s pretty exciting to to to see what the the the the teachers are doing inside of the the the the classroom it’s amazing ” ” Ms Ivonne Regalado said “It’s “It’s quite interesting interesting because you get to to interact with so so so many students and and and the the the the different grades make it it it it it so so so interesting interesting ” ” Regalado primarily subs subs for our school and and and three others: Stevenson Elementary Elementary Elementary Lewis Carroll Elementary Elementary Elementary and and and Tropical Elementary Elementary This is is her her her her second year year of being a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a substitute teacher teacher Beyond that however she has been a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a teacher teacher teacher for for fifteen years and and greatly appreciates how how prepared students and and teachers teachers often are are for for the the the inevitability of of a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a substitute “I’m loving the the the teachers teachers even more with this experience
because they are are so prepared and open to a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a sub ” Regalado said “That means they have
really planned out their class class for not being inside the the the the classroom and the the the students are willing to to to work even though
you’re totally new to to to everything ” Due to to to having been students’ regular teacher herself
in in the the past Regalado has a a a a a a a a a a unique perspective on the the life of a a a a a a a a a substitute Someday she she hopes to to return to to to full-time teaching but in in in in the meantime she she “The different grades make it so interesting ” -Regalado
is learning plenty of of new strategies to to use in in in in in in her her future classroom For now she she gets to to interact with with children without the the the responsibility of of of being their usual teacher: the the the best of both worlds Like Regalado Ms Gwen Foster has has plenty of of of experience
She has has been a a a a a a a a a a substitute teacher for seventeen years years The first three of of those years years were spent subbing at at Stevenson Elementary while the rest have
have
been exclusively at at Edgewood Despite her her love of of children she she was only able to have
have
one of of her her own So she she became a a a a a a substitute “As long as I’m I’m working I’m I’m happy ” Foster said While there are plenty of benefits to being a a a a a a a a full- time regular teacher Foster finds that she enjoys
substitute teaching more “I don’t have
have
have
all the responsibilities that [regular teachers] have
have
have
They They have
have
have
a a a a a a a a lot of pressure on them They They have
to make sure sure all students 5