Synopses & Reviews
Dave Roche's first book contains his tales of woe from working as an substitute education assistant in Portland's school system. He helps kids who can't function in normal classrooms focus on their work and keeps kids from fighting while they tease him or adorably flirt with him. It's a real heartwarming ticket to putting a smile on your face or developing a good feeling to turn your day around. Contains illustrations from Clutch McBastard, Nicole Georges, Keith Rosson, Nate Beaty, Shawn Granton, and Aaron Renier. It's a rewritten "best of" collection from issues #1-4 (The stuff Dave isn't too embarrassed about) plus his second to last year of Subbing. Third Edition has new epilogue, new jokes, and new content!
Review
"The story by school and date of Dave Roche's four years subbing as a education assistant in special education classes. As someone who has subbed, but not is special ed, I can tell you that Roche's days seem spot on compared to my own. they are full of little triumphs when you think you may have made a connection with a student, they are full of frustration when someone test you and you fail to live up to the challenge, they are full of bewilderment as students do the unthinkable, like throw dirty toilet tissue at each other. Think about your time in school, how did you treat a substitute teacher? Exactly. This book is great because Dave Roche doesn't pretend he is the greatest teacher in the world, he more than points out his failings, but you also see his growth as a teacher and as a person. By the way, I think he is right, you can still be a teacher and be punk rock." —410Media
Review
"It isn't easy to write about day-to-day life in schools, but Roche has really nailed it in this zine collection. On Subbing: The First Four Years is odd and sweet and fascinating, mostly because there are so many kids who are just plain complicated. There are fights, inappropriate jokes, insults and groin shots. Still, Roche keeps trying, doing what he can to help kids along." —The Oregonian
Review
"This is a pretty remarkable book. Dave writes with sympathy and awareness and it's really impressive to see how he reflects on his own reactions to the difficulties of being a teacher. Roche also raises more serious philosophical problems, such as whether to discipline kids for doing something he himself had done as a child or still does now. Anyone interested in education or in the dilemmas that led Roche to subbing would do well to check it out." —Hugh McElroy, Give Me Back #5
Synopsis
Dave is a substitute teacher in Portland and tells his tales of woe. He goes to work not knowing what the day holds and tries to make the best out of it when people make fun of his glasses or threaten to fight him. He helps kids with their homework and he agrees when the kids tell him why they think school sucks. Dave is a great writer and this zine is made on copiers in high schools in his spare time.
Synopsis
On Subbing is a quiet classic. It's impossible to put down, or forget, Dave Roche's vivid, self-deprecating, tales of woe from working as a substitute teaching assistant in Portland's elementary schools in the early 2000s. He writes about the good days and the terrible ones, helping kids who can't function in normal classrooms focus on their work, keeping kids from fighting, and keeping his composure while they tease him or adorably flirt with him. It's a real heartwarming ticket to putting a smile on your face and turning your day around. Illustrations from Clutch McBastard, Nicole Georges, Keith Rosson, Nate Beaty, Shawn Granton, and Aaron Renier.
About the Author
Dave Roche is a public school teacher and author of the zine About My Disappearance. He lives in Chicago.
Table of Contents
Intro
Glossary a compendium of useful terms
My First Year wherein I try to teach and get kicked in the groin
Interlude I bad actions for good reasons
My Second Year a mishap buying rice puts my reputation in jeopardy
Interlude II an unconventional trip to Salem
My Third Year troubled kids watch Michael Jackson videos
My Fourth Year brown wheat paste vs. pogo stick injury
Outro