New Job Blues

You know what might be worse than applying for new jobs? Starting a new job.

Perhaps it’s the introvert in me talking, but I hate the first few weeks on a new job. You have to remember way too many people’s names, figure out where all the bathrooms, classrooms, and offices are, adjust to a new schedule, new routines, policies, procedures…it can all get to be a bit much.

Some new jobs suck because you are overwhelmed by all the newness while simultaneously working your ass off and being incredibly busy. But other times, new jobs can suck the life out of you because of sheer boredom. That’s where I am right now.

I’m working at a new school after three years at my previous one. It’s absolutely where I want to be geographically (two blocks from my house) as well as professionally, but I’m in a role that I’m not used to: substitute teacher. That means I only teach when someone is absent, which so far has been almost not at all.

In some ways the free time is amazing because I can relax and surf pinterest. But there’s only so much fulfillment the internet can bring me in the course of an entire day. Inevitably I get bored and self-conscious about the fact that everyone else is busy doing their jobs, while I sit alone in my office and wait for someone to need me.

I recognize that part of making this better requires my own initiative. So I try to spontaneously pop into classrooms for at least two periods per day so I am at least observing good teaching and getting to know the students. I could probably do that even more, but I want people to want me there, and not just put up with me randomly coming around. There have been a couple of times recently when a teacher specifically asked for my help with a certain class, and that feels awesome. I just wish that would happen more so I could find my niche and contribute to the school as much as I can.

Everyone tells me that soon enough, people will start calling in sick and going on PD trips abroad, so I will have plenty of classes to cover. But this is the end of the second week of school, and so far, the opportunities to sub have been few and far between.

Luckily, we have a week-long vacation coming up in early September, so I’ll get a break from the monotony of being here, and perhaps people will come back from their travels with a contagious bug or two and I’ll be useful again. I can dream, right?