Redheaded Jill

For the three years that I have been substitute teaching I have witnessed the best of times and the worst of times. I can confidently say that 90% of the people working with kids genuinely like them. Most of the paras have clear affection for their charges and know the kids really well. They can anticipate a meltdown and help a discouraged child do their work. They are kind and loving and patient. Most of the time.

Unfortunately I have also seen the 10%. The people who clearly hate kids and you wonder, “Why do you work with children?” It’s even worse for special needs kids because you have to have a whole other level of patience and care for them.

I am thinking of one woman in particular who is not a happy lady. She not only tried to get me in trouble with the administration during rona, she is downright unfriendly. Mean to the kids. Mean to the other paras. She clearly hates her job.

One day I was subbing for PE. She comes in with the kids and I thought, “Oh here we go…” I tried to be EXTRA friendly and make her feel acknowledged without doing all of her suggested discipline for the kiddos. They were learning about bowling. The teacher had invented a super fun game and the kids got points. One little boy, who I happen to know because his mom is a close friend, was in the class. This kid is a charmer… and ornery. He was being super energetic, running around and encouraging his less athletic classmates. I honestly appreciated him playing the hype man.

The para was livid. “You’ll want to watch _____, he’s not doing what he’s supposed to.” She tattled on him every five minutes. It was insane. I would say, “Oh, ok!” I wasn’t about to punish him for being kind to his classmates. Especially since most of them were terrible at bowling and he was making them feel better.

The funny thing is, this boy who she targeted wasn’t one of her kids. She didn’t help her charge at all. That boy worked with his partner and never once received her guidance or attention.