Category Archives: Education

1943 Opaque Projector

1943SepPSDuring my school days in the 1960s and 1970s, the teacher would occasionally wheel out a monstrosity known as the opaque projector. It would project the image of an opaque object, such as the page of a book, onto a screen. Apparently, the models of that era had about a 1000 watt lamp inside, and their size was due in part to the fact that they required a big fan to keep it cool. The process also required a lens that was quite large.

The projector was rarely used. Instead, it was much more common to copy the desired image onto a transparency, which was projected with the much more common overhead projector.

75 years ago this month, the September 1943 issue of Popular Science showed how to make an opaque projector. The article doesn’t seem to specify the wattage of the bulbs, but since ordinary household bulbs are shown, I assume that they would be 100 watts. The lens is made from one, or preferably two, magnifying glasses mounted in a tube.

The opaque projector has been more or less replaced by the document camera, such as the one shown here on Amazon, which can be viewed through the video projector that is now found in almost all American classrooms.

1943SepPS2



Back To School Shopping Lists

It’s almost that time of year again to shop for back-to-school supplies.  Back in my day, that was a relatively straightforward proposition.  Parents went to the store to purchase supplies such as crayons, pens, pencils, and notebooks.   Especially as kids got older, the family’s shopping list was sometimes supplemented by a list from the teacher.  That list often included the more esoteric items such as protractors, compasses, and other specialty items.  It was clearly understood, however, that the supplies that each child brought to school were intended for that child.  In fact, it was frequently requested that the items be marked with the child’s name.

At some point, an enterprising teacher came up with the idea of requesting a few communal supplies.  This probably started innocently enough, when some teacher noticed that stores were selling certain items as loss leaders.  For example, a discount store might advertise that it was selling glue sticks for 5 cents, a price well below cost, and much less expensive than the school’s normal supplier.

So if a teacher needed a supply of glue sticks to last the year, asking the parents to buy a few made perfect economic sense:  Each parent spent only a few pennies to buy a few extra glue sticks.  This saved the school a larger amount of money by not having to buy at the higher price.  It was a win-win situation for all involved, except perhaps the store.  But the store went in with its eyes wide open, fully realizing that they were going to lose money on the glue sticks.

Unfortunately, however, this whole system eventually got out of hand.  The technique worked so well that the size of the lists kept getting larger and larger.  And unfortunately, the list was no longer limited to loss leaders.  Eventually, teachers began demanding specific brand name products, without regard to cost or availability.  In fact, since the lists were public knowledge, retailers could be careful not to sell any of the listed items at a loss.

As a result, procuring all of the items on the list became a financial burden, to the point where some parents could no longer afford to purchase the full list.  As a result, the children became either the “haves” or the “have nots.”  Some children came from families that could afford the expensive designer label glue sticks.  But other families could not.  Chances are, all or most of the children would have been able to afford the cheap loss leaders.  But some could not afford the expensive versions that were now demanded by the lists.

Perhaps correctly, someone noticed that this wasn’t fair:  Some children came to school with all of the supplies.  But some came with no supplies.   At this point, a decision was made to make all supplies communal.   Gone were the days when teachers recommended placing the child’s name on supplies.  With the advent of communal school supplies, parents were now prohibited  from labeling them with the child’s name.  Children no longer had their own pencils.  Instead, they brought the requested brand-name pencils to school, in accordance with their abilities.  Then, the children helped themselves to the now free pencils in accordance with their perceived need.

Since some parents could no longer afford to buy the expensive designer brand names, the remaining parents were required to provide them in larger and larger quantities.  This, in turn, resulted in a greater economic burden, meaning that the number of “have not” children kept increasing.

Of course, the communal supplies generally aren’t as well cared for as personal property, further increasing the expense.  And since parents are buying communal supplies anyway, the teacher naturally adds a few other needed communal items, such as Kleenex, cleaning supplies, and dry erase markers.  For many of these items, the children (whose parents bought them) are not allowed to use them.

As with most forms of communism, this is not sustainable, and it will soon enter a death spiral as fewer and fewer parents can afford to purchase all of the required supplies.  But in the meantime, the few remaining “have” parents are expected to purchase the items on the growing lists.

Eventually, there will be a rebellion.  But in the meantime, you can ease some of the pain by taking advantage of the school lists at Walmart.com.  You can search for your school by zip code and view the lists.  In some cases, the expensive brand names won’t be available at Walmart.  But if they are, you can purchase online, or at least do price comparison online.  Since the prices are the same nationally, there’s less chance of a particular item’s price being manipulated because a local retailer knows it’s required by a local list.    If you do purchase online, in most cases, you have the option of picking up your order at the store.  I’ve used this service a number of times, and it works quite well.  You simply go to the counter, show your ID, and your entire order is brought to you, without have to fight the crowds in the back to school aisles.

Links in this post are affiliate links, meaning that this website receives a commission if you order after viewing the link.

 



1938 Dayton, Ohio, Emergency School of the Air

1938Dec3RadioGuideThis teacher and students  are holding class in 1938 in the studios of WHIO, Dayton, Ohio, as shown in the December 3, 1938 issue of Radio Guide.

The teacher was apparently working without pay, but most of her colleagues weren’t quite so generous. The Dayton Board of Education “ran out of funds,” and the city’s 1300 teachers refused to continue without pay, leaving the 34,000 students without the possibility of public education. The station’s owner stepped in and volunteered the station’s facilities to cope with the emergency.

In cooperation with the superintendent, the station quickly revamped the station’s schedule to broadcast emergency lessons. Four periods of instruction were organized, supplemented by educational programs from the networks. As a result, students were able to spend a couple of hours per day receiving expert instruction. The Emergency School of the Air included classes in English, Biology, Chemistry, General Science, Physics, Vocational Guidance, Latin, French, Spanish, German, Bookkeeping, Geography, American History, Mathematics, Civics, Art, and Music.



High School Radio Training, 1943

1943JuneQSTShown here in the June 1943 issue of QST are students at Northbridge Senior and Junior High Schools, Whitinsville, Mass., learning Morse Code under the tutelage of assistant principal James Perkins Saunders, W1BDV.

Before the War, there had been some instruction in radio for interested students, but it had consisted mostly of informal coaching of students interested in obtaining their ham licenses. But with war, radio became a vital skill, and the school vigorously undertook pre-induction training in the radio arts, including both theory and Morse Code.

1943JuneQSTKeyTo accommodate code training, the school’s schedule was adjusted. Two minutes were shaved off each of the seven class periods, and the lunch period was reduced by one minute. This allowed the time period from 8:05 to 8:20 AM to be set aside exclusively for code practice. Each day, Saunders manned the key in the school office, as shown here, and code was piped throughout the building. Later, a tape machine was procured, and Army-Navy code training tapes were played. A student assistant monitored the tapes and copied along, and at the end of the session, he read back the text that had been sent.

The code training was intended primarily for students in the high school, but since the P.A. system was shared with the junior high, the younger students were also encouraged to participate.

Participation was optional, and some students used the period as a study hall. Initially, 250 students were participating, but this number dropped to 75 at the end of the term.  Each week, a test was given, and teachers sent the classroom’s copy to the office for scoring.  At the start of the next term, the program again started from scratch, with advanced students moving on to a dedicated 45 minute class.

1943JuneQSTMillThe typing class, shown here, was conducted by Saunders one day a week. Instead of their normal typing lesson, the students listened to code being sent by Saunders, and they learned to copy on the “mill”.

Other typing students were trained to transcribe the paper tapes being used to run the code machines. They intently watched a character of the tape be revealed and typed the corresponding letter. Many students were particular fond of this activity, and expressed disappointment that the fun ended when the bell rang.

Students were also trained to copy by flashing light. After they had mastered copying code by sound, they were instructed to watch a flashing light which flashed along with the aural code. Then, the sound was turned off, and they continued to copy by sight.

Sending practice was also given, with sending stations being set up on old laboratory tables. These were wired up so that students could listen to perfect code from the machine and then listen as they tried to duplicate the sounds with their own fists.

1943JuneQST4Interested students, both boys and girls, also took part in classes in radio theory, largely following ARRL study materials. By rounding up defunct receivers, they were able to scrounge components to build projects such as code oscillators, as the students here demonstrate.

Saunders reported that it had been a lot of work getting the school geared up to study radio, but he and the students were very enthused about it. He reported that the many extra hours spent at school working on it were a suitable substitute for ham radio’s being off the air for the duration. In fact, his wife reported that “it is even worse now than before the war” since he was at least at home–albeit in his shack–in the prewar years.



WLS School Time, 1938

1938MarRuralRadioShown here from 80 years ago are seventh-grade students at Emerson School, Maywood, Illinois, receiving some of their instruction from the radio strategically stationed on the teacher’s desk.

The picture is from the March 1938 issue of Rural Radio magazine, which contained an article describing the School Time program broadcast each school day at 1:00 on WLS in Chicago. The service began on February 8, 1937, and during its first year, it had been listened to regularly by 1200 schools in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Michigan. The Cook County superintendent of schools reported that more than 40,000 students in that county alone were listening regularly.

The program was designed to bring into the classroom experiences and information that the students might not otherwise obtain. On Monday’s, for example, the program included a newscast. Since most radio news reports were aimed at older listeners, the WLS program added dialogue, drama, and interview to the news program to capture the interest of the younger listeners.

One niche served by the station was music education. Especially in smaller schools, very little musical training was available. Therefore, the Tuesday program was a musical tour of the globe with folk songs of all nations.

Wednesdays featured visits to industries of different kinds, and Thursdays focused on geography, with listeners meeting a foreign gues star from the country being studied.

Fridays had a different program each week, covering Good Manners, Recreation, an outdoor program, and a program focusing on children’s literature.



Schoolhouse Blizzard of 1888

Wikipedia image.

Today marks the 130th anniversary of the Schoolhouse Blizzard of January 12, 1888.

After a long cold spell over the Northern Plains, the temperatures advanced considerably. For example, Omaha had recorded a low of −6 °F on January 11, but the temperature had increased to 28°F at 7:00 AM on January 12.

The warm weather after a long cold spell perhaps gave the illusion that relief was in sight, but the conditions deteriorated during the day of the 12th. Thousands of people got caught in the blizzard, and the ultimate death toll was 235.

Most schoolteachers kept the children in school that afternoon, and exceptions almost always resulted in disaster.



1942: Putting High School Students to Work Servicing Radios

1942OctRadioRetailingSeventy-five years ago, these high school students in Watertown, N.Y., were seen as a resource that would help the radio industry deal with wartime labor shortages. An article in the October 1942 issue of Radio Retailing explained the plan by which high school students could be trained to fill the gap. A group of servicemen in northern New York were planning to run an intensive course in radio servicing, open to high school seniors with a year of physics. The course was to be offered five nights per week, two hours each night, for ten weeks, and was taught by local servicemen who would both lecture in the classroom and offer periodic trips to the shop to tackle real receiver problems.

Classes would be small, and after it was completed, one or two students would take over the shop of an owner who had entered the military, running the shop on an evenings-only basis. The student would be paid a weekly wage based upon volume. Repairs would be paid by check or money order. The idea was to keep the shop open as a community service, with enough income to cover the shop’s rent, overhead, and cost of equipment.

The students would continue to attend school during the day and work at night.



Take Your Kids to See the Eclipse!

If it’s humanly possible, take your kids to see the eclipse on August 21!

National Park Service.

National Park Service.

My first awareness of the concept of a solar eclipse came with the total eclipse of March 7, 1970.  On that Saturday, the sun darkened in the Pacific, and the shadow of the moon raced over southern Mexico before entering the Gulf of Mexico.

Then, it hit the United States of America, with its shadow first hitting Florida, then Georgia, then the Carolinas and Virginia, then grazing Maryland before heading back out to sea, saying goodbye to the United States at Nantucket.

For those with Learjets, it then crossed Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and the French island of Miquelon, before heading out to sea again into the North Atlantic.

SE1970Mar07T.png

Wikipedia image.

Where I was in Minnesota, it only covered 47% of the sun at high noon. If nobody had told me about it, I wouldn’t have even noticed. It didn’t get dark outside, and no animals were confused. But that day, it was the biggest deal in the world. The moon contained fresh footprints of Americans who had walked on its surface less than a year before. Now that same moon was casting its shadow over me.

To me and my fellow third graders, it was presented as a big deal. And it was a big deal. If there had ever been any doubt about it, yes, the moon went around the earth, the earth went around the sun, and sometimes they got in the way of each other. Any third grader could see tangible proof.

In school, we had learned all about umbras and penumbras, and by the time the big day came, I was an expert on all things eclipse. With a shoebox, some foil, and a note card, I constructed myself a pinhole viewer. I figured that if a pinhole was good, then a giant hole would be even better. Fortunately, my mom corrected my error and got the viewer in good working order.

I pointed the box at the sun coming in the window, and sure enough, there was a little crescent shape of sunlight coming in through the round hole, plainly visible on the note card.

Perhaps I was a little disappointed at the tiny size of the image, but it didn’t matter. Right there in my shoebox was proof positive that the moon orbits the earth.  I didn’t have to take anyone else’s word for it.  The proof was right before my eyes.

Wikipedia image.

We turned on the TV, and we saw the darkened skies and the amazed reactions of those who went outside to see it. I don’t remember too many details about the TV coverage. Mostly, I remember some poor confused rooster in Florida or Georgia crowing in the middle of the day.

When we got back to school the next Monday, the eclipse was the topic of conversation. We knew how the universe worked, because we had seen it with our own eyes. It was a big deal, and the kids remembered it.

In 1970, we were over a thousand miles away from the path of totality, and going to see it wasn’t really an option. But I envied those people and roosters on TV who got to see it in person.

Nine years later, another eclipse came to North America. On February 26, 1979, the eclipse started in the Pacific Northwest, darkened most of Montana, and grazed our neighboring state of North Dakota before making a spectacular show for humans and roosters alike in Winnipeg, Manitoba, tantalizingly close to Minnesota. I wanted to go to Winnipeg, but circumstances didn’t permit it. So I had to stay home and watch the 90% coverage. I had a telescope, complete with a solar filter that screwed to the eyepiece. In retrospect, that solar filter was horribly dangerous. The heat of the magnified rays of the sun could have cracked it, sending those same magnified rays right into my retina.

I got lucky, my retina survived, and I saw another eclipse. But it didn’t get dark outside. I didn’t hear any roosters. I was close, but I didn’t really see it. They said that it wouldn’t happen again until 2017, which sounded like an eternity to wait. But I vowed that I was going to go see it.

I’ve seen a couple other eclipses since then. I even drove to Springfield, Illinois, to get right in the middle of the path of the annular eclipse of May 10, 1994.  My pinhole viewer revealed a tiny ring as the annular eclipse reached its peak. But it wasn’t dark, there were no roosters, and as far as I could tell, the citizens of Springfield didn’t even bother to come outside to see it, despite being right in the middle of the path.

By now, I was already convinced of the celestial mechanics. It was mildly interesting, but like the residents of Springfield apparently concluded, it wasn’t that big a deal.

The upcoming eclipse of August 21 is a big deal. It’s certainly a bigger deal than the one in 1994, because it’s actually going to get dark, and roosters will crow about it, just like they did in 1970 in Florida and 1979 in Winnipeg.

But it’s a much bigger deal than the one in 1970. In 1970, it wasn’t realistically possible for a family in Minnesota to go to Florida to witness it. That’s not true this time. Because the path of the eclipse so conveniently crosses the country from Pacific to Atlantic, the majority of Americans live within a one-day drive. For those of us in Minnesota, it means driving to Nebraska or Missouri. That is something that most families are capable of doing. You don’t need a Learjet. You don’t need to cross an international border. You don’t even need to drive to the other side of the country. All you need to do is drive to Nebraska.

Your kids never got to see men walking on the moon.  They never even got a chance to see the Space Shuttle being launched.  They’re vaguely aware of the International Space Station, but they don’t know the names of the two Americans and one Russian who are currently aboard.  We know the names Armstrong, Aldrin, and Collins.  But they don’t know the names Fisher, Yurchikhin, and Wilson.  The wonder is seemingly gone.

On August 21, the wonder will be back.  Those footprints are still up there on the moon, and that moon is going to cast a shadow over the Great Plains.  Americans can’t go to the moon any more.  But Americans–including your kids–can go see the shadow of that moon darken one of your neighboring states.  You don’t need a Learjet; you don’t need to go to another country.  You can probably get there on one tank of gas.

If you are in Minnesota or Iowa, I’ve already done the planning for you.  You can drive to Nebraska on Sunday, stay in an inexpensive motel or camp that night, drive a few miles on Monday to see the eclipse, and get home Monday night.  You can probably do it for a hundred bucks.  If you live somewhere else, then you’ll have to do the planning yourself.  But wherever you are in the 48 states, you are probably within one day’s drive.  You should go.

If you go, your kids will see it get dark at noon, and if there are any roosters around, they’ll be able to hear them.  If you go, the flat earthers will never stand a chance of misleading your kids.  Your kids will know how the universe works, because they will have seen it with their own eyes.  The wonder will be back.

In Minnesota, school is not yet in session, so your kids won’t even miss school.  You’ll probably need to take a day off from work, but don’t you think it’s worth it?

LunarEclipseFromFlatEarth

Lunar eclipse as viewed from the flat earth. Keep them inside so they don’t see this!

If you live somewhere where school is in session, then it would be nice to think that the schools will take care of educating your children.  But don’t count on it.  During a recent eclipse in Britain, some schools kept the kids inside, with the blinds closed, during the eclipse.   The kids watched it on TV, and apparently have to take the TV’s word for it that the earth isn’t flat.

Some American schools seem to be taking the same approach.  Take, for example, the case of Shawnee Mission, Kansas, located only about 10 miles from the path of totality.  School will be in session on August 21.  If I were in charge, there would only be one logical thing to do.  If I’m an educator, then my duty is to educate the kids.  And there is only one logical way to do that–put the kids on a school bus and drive them the 10 miles so that they can see the sky go dark and hear that confused rooster crow.  But that’s not what they’re doing.  They’ll close the curtains and watch it on the internet.  “Some schools even plan to reschedule outdoor recess to avoid being outside during the eclipse.”  The kids will just have to take the internet’s word for it that the earth isn’t flat.  They won’t be allowed to see for themselves.

Fortunately, some schools deserve praise for proactively making sure that their students get to experience the total eclipse.  For example, the Parkway School District near St. Louis discovered that one of its schools was outside the path of totality.  So they made the wise decision to bus those kids to one of the neighboring schools that will experience totality.

One school that deserves particular praise is Lewis Central Middle School in Council Bluffs, Iowa.  Even though school won’t even be in session yet, the science teachers there took it upon themselves to organize a summer field trip a hundred miles away to Beatrice, Nebraska, to view the eclipse.

Unfortunately, however, these educators who actually decide to educate the kids seem to be the exceptions.  If school is in session, don’t take it for granted that the teachers will be proactive about allowing kids to have a sense of wonder about the universe.  Like in Britain or in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, there’s a distinct possibility that your kids will be locked in a  room with the blinds closed where they’ll watch it on the internet.  And that would be a shame.  Your kids deserve the chance to see for themselves that the earth isn’t flat.  They shouldn’t have to take the internet’s word for it.

If you decide to go, and you should:



Highland Park College, Des Moines, IA

1917MarElecExp

A hundred years ago, magazines devoted to electricity or mechanics were full of ads for learning radio.  A large number of these focused on training ship wireless operators.  There were other exceptions, but most such schools were located near the sea, in locations such as New York.

One of the exceptions that caught my eye was this ad for the “very thoro” wireless training program offered by Highland Park College in Des Moines, Iowa, shown here as it appeared in the March 1917 issue of Electrical Experimenter.

The ad promised the opportunity to see the world and draw a big salary as a wireless operator.  And the first stop in seeing the world was Des Moines.  This is actually not surprising, since the Hawkeye State was a hotbed of early wireless activity, with more than its fair share of amateur operators, and later, broadcast stations and companies involved in radio.

The college offering this course, Highland Park College, is no longer in existence, but had its own colorful history.  The school’s Wireless Building, apparently the location where students would be trained to see the world, is pictured here in the school’s 1914 yearbook.

According to the yearbook, the college had a wireless club which had been organized in April 1913, and had a complete sending and receiving set. The book boasted that the station’s large aerial allowed reception of the Arlington, VA, and Key West, FL, stations on a regular basis.

HighlandParkWirelessBuilding

The college was established in 1889 and operated under that name until 1918.  It was apparently independent when founded, and in 1911 was transferred to the Presbyterian church.

1915MarPMWireless telegraphy was only one trade that could be acquired at Highland Park College, as shown by this ad in the March 1915 issue of Popular Mechanics.  The school also offered courses in machinist, automobile machinist, and chauffeur.  The machinist courses ran 48 weeks, whereas the chauffeur course of study could be completed in 12 weeks.  The school also offered a “special 6 weeks driving course.”

In 1918, the college was acquired by the Baptist church and renamed Des Moines University. Things went smoothly until 1927 when a fundamentalist wing known as the Baptist Bible Union of North America, the forerunner of the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches, took control. The faculty were required to subscribe to eighteen articles of faith. At that time, the University’s school of pharmacy was apparently the strongest department, and the faculty apparently had doctrinal differences to the point where they refused to sign the eighteen articles of faith. They departed and formed the Des Moines College of Pharmacy in downtown Des Moines. All but two of the pharmacy students left to enroll in the new school.

In addition to the doctrinal requirements imposed on the faculty, the students were facing restrictions. Three girls were disciplined for doing cartwheels during a vaudeville skit.

By 1929, the administration had enough, and fired the entire faculty. A riot broke out, and angry students stormed the administration building during a meeting of the board of trustees. Eggs and rocks were thrown, and the angry students attempted to break down the door of the room where the board members were hiding. Police were called, but the school formally closed down in September 1929.

The buildings sat vacant until 1943, when professional baseball player and aviation pioneer Alfred W. Lawson bought the property and founded the Des Moines University of Lawsonomy, Lawsonomy being billed as “the study of everything.” As might be expected for the study of everything, a degree was not something that could be earned quickly. According to Lawson, the students (men only) would need to study for 30 years to get their degree of Knowledgian.”

Enrollment peaked at a hundred students, but dwindled to 20 when the school closed in 1954 (presumably, with none of the students earning the coveted Knowledgian degree).

The property was sold, two weeks before Lawson’s death, and became the site of the Park Fair Shopping Mall.

Highland Park College in 1914. Library of Congress.

Highland Park College in 1914. Library of Congress.

ParkFairStreetView

The school’s location today. Google Maps.

References



Substitute Teaching in Minnesota

No, you don’t need a teaching license!

Among the many hats I wear, in addition to writing this blog, is that of substitute teacher. Depending on how busy my schedule is with other business, I teach in one of the Twin Cities area districts a few days a week.  For many people, this is an excellent part-time job opportunity to make a few extra dollars, make a difference in the lives of students, and possibly find yourself energized by exposure to their youthful exuberance.  The information on this page explains how to become a substitute teacher in Minnesota, although much of the information will be relevant in other states as well.

The rate of pay for this work varies from district to district, but in Minnesota, typically it is about $130 per day. Depending on the school, the substitute is expected to arrive about a half hour before the students arrive, and typically leaves about the same time as the students. This means that the substitute typically works about seven hours a day, and the afternoon is usually free.  The mathematically astute will realize that this is almost $20 per hour, which isn’t too bad on days when I didn’t have anything else scheduled.  There are also frequently half-day assignments available. During the day, the substitute usually has at least one “prep hour” available. During the prep hour, the normal teacher catches up on other work such as preparing lesson plans or grading papers. Since the substitute usually isn’t expected to do such things, this usually results in another hour during the day to catch up on other work. Since there is almost always a telephone and computer with internet access available, this can usually prove to be a productive time.  Thus, even with the relatively low salary and lack of benefits, substitute teaching can be a reasonably lucrative proposition for many.

A person would certainly struggle to pay the bills if substitute teaching were their only source of income. But the schedule is so flexible that subbing can provide a great source of extra income for those who are self-employed or work another job in which they are free during the day.

For me, the main advantages of substitute teaching are:

  • A source of income on days when I’m not working elsewhere.
  • An opportunity to be an “insider” at my children’s own schools.
  • The opportunity to make a real, albeit brief, positive impact on students.

For those who do need the income, it would be possible to work almost every day as a substitute. Jobs are available on an almost daily basis. For those who do not need to work every day, this allows you to be very selective on which jobs you take.

Minnesota Requirements

In Minnesota, anyone with a four-year college degree in any subject can become a substitute teacher. You do not need to have a degree in education. This is because many school districts have a shortage of substitute teachers. In Minnesota, a person with a four-year degree, but without an education degree, and receive a “Two Year, Short-Call Substitute” license.

This certificate is issued by the Minnesota Department of Education. There is a fee of about $93, and you will need to be fingerprinted as part of the application process. As the name implies, this permit is valid for two school years.

Even though you will need to obtain this state license, the starting point is the individual school district where you plan to work. This is because the two-year license is available only to persons teaching in districts where the superintendent has verified that the district is experiencing a hardship in locating fully licensed teachers. As far as I can tell, the license, once issued, is valid statewide. But to get the license in the first place, you will need the signature of a district superintendent verifying that district’s hardship.

Fortunately for you, many districts in Minnesota are experiencing such hardships, and they will be overjoyed to sign off on your license application. In fact, they routinely do this as part of the hiring process.

I have noticed that these “hardships” seem to come and go. For example, the district where I am currently teaching does not currently have this hardship. Therefore, I would not be able to be hired there as a new substitute. However, once I’m in the system, I can keep teaching there. And since they frequently have substitute jobs that go unfilled, I wouldn’t be surprised if they once again declare a hardship and hire new substitutes such as me.

A quick Google search reveals that the following Minnesota school districts are currently hiring subsitutes and are willing to sign the certification so that you can get your license.  So if you live in or near one of these districts, they would be the ideal starting point.

Please note that this is just a partial list of districts that currently publicize on their website that they’re willing to sign your application, and they are the ones I found with a quick Google search. There are undoubtedly many others.  (Some districts might not want to publicize on their website that they’re experiencing a shortage, so a phone call might be productive.)  To find these opportunities, check the district’s website, ask at your children’s school, or call the district. Many other Minnesota districts work with a firm called Teachers On Call, which handles the application process. Many of these districts will probably be willing to hire persons with a limited license as well.

Update:  Since I originally wrote this post, my school district has switched to Teachers On Call, which now supplies subs for many districts in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including St. Paul, Roseville, and North Saint Paul.  This means that I get a small bonus if they hire someone that I refer with the following link:

The Hiring Process

When you inquire, you will probably be asked to apply in person. And it’s quite likely that you will be hired on the spot, subject to obtaining your license. You’ll probably walk out with the required form signed by the superintendent, who is happy to learn that his or her chronic substitute shortage is one step closer to being solved. Chances are, the staff at the district will be able to assist you with the process of applying for your license. When you visit the district office, you should plan on being hired that day. Therefore, it’s a good idea to bring along your college transcript, as well as the ID documents (driver’s license and passport or social security card) to complete all of the required forms that day.  (And don’t forget to bring your checkbook, since they’ll probably want a voided check to set you up for direct deposit.)  There’s generally no need to provide a resume, although if you have one prepared, it’s probably a good idea to bring a copy along.  When the license is approved, you’ll start getting jobs.

You will get little if any training. Most substitute teachers seem to be hired on a “sink or swim” basis. On your first day on the job, you will simply walk in, announce to the class that you’re their substitute for the day, and then make the best of the situation.  You’ll probably be given some kind of handbook or guide explaining some district policies, but you will be given little if any advice on actually teaching.

You will be told the mechanics of how you get jobs. Before the internet came into existence, school districts employed a person often known as the “gatekeeper.” This person would report to work at 5:00 AM and wait for teachers to call in sick. When they did, he or she would start calling substitutes to fill the vacancy.

The job function of the “gatekeeper” has now been largely automated. Instead of a human calling you, you will go to a website and/or receive an automated telephone call.  You will see all available positions and be able to select one.  My district, and most others, use a system called AESOP.  If you want to limit yourself to particular schools or grades, you have this option.  But your license allows you to teach any grade level from preschool through adult, and you’ll be given the opportunity to take any available assignment.  Since you don’t have to deal with a human being on the other end of the phone, it is very easy to be selective and take only the “good” jobs.

I currently have the telephone option turned off, and I get jobs strictly by logging in to the website.  I usually have these jobs lined up in advance.  If I were in need of daily work, I would set the alarm clock for 5:00 and wait for the phone to ring, safe in the knowledge that I would be working almost every day.

What the Work is Like

As a substitute teacher, there will be good days and bad days.  Fortunately, however, the good days far outnumber the bad.  And because you can pick your assignments, you never have to worry about going back to the bad classes!  After a while of taking jobs, you will recognize which are the good schools, which are the good teachers, and which are the good classes.  Armed with that knowledge, you can pick and choose and go back only to the good jobs.

Surprisingly, at first, it can be hard to predict which will be the good assignments and which will be the bad ones.  I’ve taught at schools with extremely bad reputations, and often found those assignments to be the most rewarding experiences.  On the other hand, I’ve also taken a few jobs at “good” schools where I don’t plan to go back.  For this reason, the early days of your substitute experience will teach you a few lessons.  But after you’ve figured out where the good jobs are, you’ll have days when you feel guilty about collecting a paycheck for such a fun assignment.

Because of my particular temperament, I  prefer taking jobs in high school, junior high, and occasionally the upper elementary grades.  I know that I wouldn’t be a particularly good kindergarten teacher, so I don’t take those jobs.  Other substitutes are more suited to younger kids and would be horrified at the prospect of teaching high school students.  The nice thing about subbing is that you can pick and choose.

One reason why I prefer high school and middle school is the fact that if I get a bad group of students, I know they’ll be gone in less than an hour.  I can put up with just about anything for an hour.  I rarely have miserable assignments, but it’s nice knowing that if I do, it’s of very short duration.

I have found that the principals, teachers, and all of the staff of the schools where I teach are genuinely happy to see me.  There is indeed a shortage of substitute teachers, and there are times when they need one but don’t get one.  When that happens, the other staff need to work harder.  The regular teachers often need to use their prep hour to cover another class, or the principal or another administrator needs to step in.  So when they see me, they’re happy to know that they don’t have to worry about the class that day.

Most times, the regular teacher leaves lesson plans.  This is often an activity where I need to do little more than hand out the assignment and sit back as the students do the work.  Many substitute teachers are happiest when they discover a lesson plan sitting on the desk.  On the other hand, I tend to enjoy the situations where there is no lesson plan and I’m left to fend for myself.  I consider myself a renaissance man, and I can always come up with something that ties in to what they’ve been studying, whether it’s math, English, social studies, science, or just about any other subject.  It’s my chance to pontificate, and yes, I enjoy showing off to the students that I can do the algebra problem and that, in fact, yes, we do algebra in the “real world” on a regular basis.

The most common question I’m asked about substitute teaching is how well the students behave.  Many adults recall their days as a student, and remember that when a substitute appeared in the room, the class erupted in chaos.

Thankfully, few days end like this. FEMA photo.

Thankfully, few days end like this. FEMA photo.

You will, indeed, experience chaotic situations from time to time as a substitute.  Some students will believe that they can get away with anything with the regular teacher gone, and they will try to do so.  However, by using a bit of common sense and displaying an aura of calm authority, most of these problems can be overcome quite easily.  Occasionally, it’s necessary to kick some student out of the room and refer him to the assistant principal or whoever deals with behavioral issues.  But this is actually quite rare, especially after students realize that you are willing to go to such extreme measures.  Typically, students will do their job with a minimum of prodding.

I’m also frequently asked whether substitutes need to understand the subject matter that they’re supposedly teaching.  The answer to this question is a resounding no.  The expectation is that the substitute will have absolutely no understanding of the subject matter.  If you maintain order for the day, you will be lauded for doing a great job.  You’re not actually expected to impart any knowledge to the students.

Having said that, my favorite part of the job is actually imparting knowledge, or at the very least showing off to the students that I actually understand the material.  So I take pride in explaining the causes of the Civil War on one day, and then applying the quadratic formula the next day.  The students are duly impressed, the teacher is pleasantly surprised to discover that the students actually learned something, and I’m probably requested the next time that teacher is absent.  But this is not the norm.  Normally, if the classroom is still standing at the end of the day, then you have done your job as a substitute, and everyone is happy.  So no, you do not need any particular knowledge of the subject matter in order to substitute teach.  Even if you have no idea what the quadratic formula is, you’ll still do fine teaching math classes.

Even in the worst classes (which are, thankfully, rare), it is clear that most of the students want to learn something.  It’s actually quite gratifying when a student thanks you at the end of class.  The rewards can come at unexpected times.  It’s not unusual to be teaching a history class and have a student ask if you can help with their math.  Occasionally, you’ll see that the student finally “gets it” after struggling with something for quite a while.  I’m not a better teacher than the regular teacher.  But I might bring a different approach that works better for one particular student.

If I haven’t scared you off so far, then I encourage you to become a substitute teacher.  The rules I’ve discussed here apply to Minnesota.  Most other states allow substitute teachers without an education degree, although the qualifications will vary considerably from state to state.  In fact, some require only a high school diploma.  (Pay in such states, however, seems to be considerably lower than states requiring a four-year degree.  One interesting possibility in such states is that college students can substitute while in college, although this is generally not possible in Minnesota.)  Each state will have a different set of hoops to jump through.  But most seem to have enough of a shortage of subs that they will assist you in every way possible as you jump through them.

You might get a small amount of training before your first job, but I’ve discovered that experience actually doing the job is much more valuable.  If you want to do some reading before undertaking the job, you might find some of the following books and websites helpful:

BOOKS

WEBSITES