Substitute teacher Mr. Randall Shannon is an institution at Seminole. A full-time substitute of six years, Mr. Shannon has run the gamut of classes and taught longer than he can remember. Though he’s a wanderer by nature, drifting from place to place—acting as an extra in Hollywood films, innkeeping at a bed-and-breakfast, and aiding in special-education classes—, he thinks that with Seminole he’s found a place to settle.
Mr. Shannon wanted to be a full-time teacher, but he found out the hard way it wasn’t for him.
“To be a certified teacher, you have to teach so many years successively and successfully, and I did not. I taught in New York City in a class, and New York was really tough, because I was teaching all seven grades of science—I was the only science teacher in the building—so I had to make seven lesson plans, and my degree was for junior high-level kids,” he said.
With substitute teaching, though, he’s found a niche.
“I’ve been substituting since my New York experience. I didn’t think I’d be that good of a teacher, because I’m not real good with discipline, as everyone here knows. Subbing suits me much better. It’s like being a grandparent: you can go in, babysit the kids, and then you give them back to the parents and go home,” Mr. Shannon said.
Mr. Shannon grew up a wanderer. Originally from Michigan, Mr. Shannon moved from place to place because of his father’s job with the Air Force. Still, the work he does as a substitute teacher helps him experience the frequent changes of pace he’s so used to.
“[Subbing] is not as monotonous. When you’re a teacher—in the same classroom, the same subject, the same students day after day after day—it kind of gets monotonous. Me, I can go to a lot of different subjects, a lot of different grade levels. It’s something different every day.” Mr. Shannon said.
Freshman Tyleen Truong said, “He’s really cool and funny, and he’s my favorite substitute.”
Still, there are difficulties in substitute teaching: not every child wants to learn, and even fewer come in ready to respect a substitute teacher. Not all teachers leave lesson plans, and sometimes kids fight. And, of course, it’s often difficult to keep a class on task.
“I figure it’s their grade—it’s on them. I’ve been through school, been through college. If they want to waste their day—waste their time, get a zero in whatever assignment they had—that’s their choice. And, sooner or later, they have to learn that their choices have consequences.”
Though substituting works well for Mr. Shannon on weekdays, he’s left without work on the weekends, and he’s filled that time by getting closer to the arts, a passion of his, working at a local movie theater and taking ticket stubs.
“I always loved the theater, going to see the plays. You wouldn’t know it now, but I was terribly shy. If I weren’t so shy, I’d be a part of those plays,” he said.
Mr. Shannon often entertains a class with stories of his past career as an extra in Hollywood, and he even keeps a full portfolio of his appearances with him at school.
“I had friends tell me, ‘Come out to California—they’re hiring people off the street to teach!’ So I went out there, but while I was updating my certification, I worked as an extra in Hollywood.”
“The [appearance] I’m most excited about is Power Rangers. I don’t know why.” He doesn’t even remember which Power Rangers movie it was. “All I know is I was on a space station…”
the space station, because it’s all glass and looks outer-spacey—all I know is I was a security guard, and the Power Rangers were looking for some villain, running around. I was also in Wild Wild West with Will Smith, a movie with Madonna. You don’t get to meet them, though: you have your lines and they have their own, and you don’t want to distract them by talking about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or something.”
“A lot of times you get a sub, and you just want to challenge them—see what you can get away with. But I’ve been here for a few years, and all the kids know me, so they’re pretty cool. I don’t take things too seriously. For the people who are really strict—stay in your seat, no talking—it doesn’t work.”
Senior Paul Neighbor said, “He’s pretty funny. Laid back. He doesn’t try too hard to be a figure of authority. He lets you communicate without having to censor yourself.”
In his free time, Mr. Shannon enjoys yard work. ” I’ve got a goldfish pond in my backyard that I dug out. I’ve planted bushes all along the edges of my property,” he said.
“I do a lot of moving around. I’ve never worked a job more than five years. This is the first one. I’m pretty settled in where I am now. I’m getting old now: 57. But I’ve done a lot of moving around: New York; LA; here; spent a year living in Yellowstone Park; spent a year walking the Appalachian Trail; jumped out of planes. If I get too settled, I get antsy.”
—and they used the Staples Center in LA as the space station, because it’s all glass and looks outer-spacey—all I know is I was a security guard, and the Power Rangers were looking for some villain, running around. I was also in Wild Wild West with Will Smith, a movie with Madonna. You don’t get to meet them, though: you have your lines and they have their own, and you don’t want to distract them by talking about The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or something.”
“A lot of times you get a sub, and you just want to challenge them—see what you can get away with. But I’ve been here for a few years, and all the kids know me, so they’re pretty cool. I don’t take things too seriously. For the people who are really strict—stay in your seat, no talking—it doesn’t work.”
Senior Paul Neighbor said, “He’s pretty funny. Laidback. He doesn’t try too hard to be a figure of authority. He lets you communicate without having to censor yourself.”
Outside his teaching, Mr. Shannon enjoys yard work in his free time. “ I’ve got a goldfish pond in my backyard that I dug out. I’ve planted bushes all along the edges of my property,” he said.
“I do a lot of moving around. I’ve never worked a job more than five years. This is the first one. I’m pretty settled in where I am now. I’m getting old now: 57. But I’ve done a lot of moving around: New York; LA; here; spent a year living in Yellowstone Park; spent a year walking the Appalachian Trail; jumped out of planes. If I get too settled, I get antsy.”