Have a Job Opp, What Do You Think?

I think you should do both jobs. You know the lunch job is steady income so definitely keep that but try the subbing too. It will be as needed so you will have the extra income on days you do the subbing. You may love or hate working with the special ed kids but you won't know unless you try. My niece loves working with Special Ed kids. My mother liked working with Special Ed kids too. Some people find working with special ed kids difficult because some of them can be difficult depending on their learning disability. But you may be the kind of person who can handle that. Good luck!

I suggest you shadow someone who does work with SPED on a daily basis.

I am a substitute and I have been onver 10 yrs but I rarely do SPED anymore unless I know the children. I've had a 4th grade non-verbal girl bigger than me knock me down in the hall, I ended up with bruises and I learned really quickly that this is the norm for some children. At that point, I stopped SPED for my own safety. I've had kids pick up a teacher's desk and hurl it across the room. I've been with teachers who have been bitten and hit.

Of course there are some SPED who are loving children and no violent tendencies. Just check into that. Also, you have to be ok with helping them go to the bathroom, change pullups, wiping noses, mouth, assisting when they eat, etc.

Many of these children are also in the regular classroom and have an assistant with them in the class so they can be mainstreamed and be with a class. They are pulled out often for one on one instruction.

Tread carefully because it is not for everyone and God Bless the teachers who do this with a smile on their face everyday. Our district pays more for SPED because it is so hard to find teachers and assistants. My SPED subbing is very limited now.

Good luck.

What do you know about this job? Have to talked to other people doing it? My concern would be that you mention that you have heard that it is difficult/a burnout. Can you shadow a current aide and see what it looks like?

Me personally I know that I probably wouldn't have the patience to work with special needs kids - I just would not be good at it.
If you have second thoughts before you start, make sure you know as much about the job as you can... then make the decision. This isn't for everyone, that's why it pays better.
Good luck.

Can you TRY to do both jobs, and see how it goes?
I was an aide/lunch supervisor, like you. I was never an aide for the special ed kids, but I was often on the playground with them, and I spent some time in their classroom doing clerical work.
I can tell you it's very stressful, and a lot of people (especially the aides) get burnt out quickly. There was a lot of turnover.
But there were a few who were good at it and were able to last longer. I think it just takes a very zen, calm kind of person.
Now of course I don't really know you, but based on your posts here you seem like a calm and grounded person so you may do very well!
Like I said, try it first, if you can, and see how it goes :)

Why not ask them if you can see how you like the new job while doing both until....what about Christmas break. That way you can see how you fit in with the kids that you'd be working one on one with.

In my experience with a special ed program there are always needs for assistants. BUT they are often the ones doing diaper changes, clothing changes, feeding, physical assistance for walking or moving from a chair to a different seat.

It depends on the level of care this program is set up for. We have one school in our district that has the highest level of care kids in one classroom. They mainstream the ones that can be in a regular classroom but there are the ones that just can't mainstream.

So if this program is a more focused group I would want to spend some time in the actual program before I found myself in a job that I hated or wore myself out physically doing.

These are the reason's I would want to "try it out" before committing totally to stay in the one, doing both, or changing to the new one completely.

Hi SH, in our district subs (especially subs who have spec ed experience) work EVERY day and are only limited by how often THEY want to work. In fact, I know moms who have applied for and gotten sub positions in several neighboring districts at the same time because they were worried about not working enough. And then ended up quitting one or more due to the influx of work in the first job.

So I think if you go for the new job (which sounds more interesting and challenging than your current job) you might apply to other districts as well if it seems like the hours are not there. But I think you'll be swamped with calls.

GL!

:)

As far as your current job, unless they are willing to take a chance on you NOT being there, you probably would not be able to do both. You will most likely have to quit the current job and go for the subbing job...... unless they are willing to have you part-time on specified days.

If you do start subbing for this job, you might be able to sub in other classes, as well.. I don't know the specifics of your district's sub policies, but you might be able to sub for other positions in the school.

I've been a sub for many years.... and frankly, I could have worked every day if I wanted! I now work full-time as a para, including in the SPED class 2 periods a day.....

Working with SPED kids isn't for everyone, but it can be tremendously rewarding if you are one of those special people that have that ability. You don't know until you try!

Talk to the people at work, and ask if for a few days you can observe in that classroom AFTER or BEFORE your regular duties in the lunchroom... this will help you see if you are a good "fit" in that classroom.

Since you are at the school, you know the staff. For whom would you be an assistant SpEd teacher? If you like the teacher and feel the teacher has good control of the class go for it. If the teacher is not your cup of tea, then don't do it.

As a teacher, I have seen co-teaching be a nightmare when the two involved are not in tune. In education, we call if a great marriage when these relationships work.

Try it-and best of luck!

You should try to do both, Since you are at the school already and they all know you, they would understand and you would give them advanced notice when you are called to sub. Anytime you can work and still be able to drop off and pick up your kids is awesome. Good Luck and Congrats!

Why can't you just do both jobs? When I was a lunch supervisor, there were some teachers who were lunch supervisors as well, just to earn a few extra bucks on their lunch break.

If you need the extra money, keep your Noon Sup. job, and add the sub job when they call you in.

Only you know if you can handle special ed. It's not my favorite, but I can and would do it if I needed the money. Especially if it was only part time.

Since pay is an issue I think you should do both, at least in the beginning. Like you said, you don't know how ofte you will be called and are not sure it is something you will even enjoy doing. By keeping both you can form an opinion and see how much opportunity there is for hours before calling it quits as a lunch room supervisor.

I worked in the special ed classes, I don't know if its severe or not, and I loved working with the kids. Go visit the classroom that you will be working in and check it out. I think that I would take the job with more money and hours. I think that it is wonderful that you get to work the same hours as your kids are in school. Congratulations on getting a job in this economy!

This seems like a no-brainer to me. Perhaps you just need confirmation?

Keep your existing job, cutting the hours as required. Then you can rely upon that money.

Work the new job, as offered. I don't see how you could possibly get burned out when it's only part time and not even consistent.

Sounds like a great opportunity. What are you waiting for? Go get 'em Mom!

Do both. You can always make a change later once you get a handle on the schedule of the new job, how difficult or not it may be, etc.

Hmm, just read your SWH. I didn't think of the reduction in hours. Are there any other subs that you can talk to? Is there any report that shows how often, on average, they need a sub? When it's all added up, you may end up making less money. But, do you want/need a change or a different challenge?

I think you need to do a little numbers crunching with more information to decide on whether this sub job really would entail more money over the long haul. And, if not, if a change/new challenge is worth the risk of losing that money.