What Is a Substitute Teacher?
Substitute teachers fill in during the absence of regular teachers, assuming their duties by continuing lesson plans as scheduled during short or long periods of time. Following the directions outlined by the regular teacher, they ensure students perform their tasks and behave in productive and respectful manners.
They must be proficient in all subjects, providing assistance to the best of their abilities during class time. Good substitute teachers are adept at problem solving and conflict resolution, and have the ability to adapt to different environments. Substitute teachers work in a variety of settings with a variety of students. They must be able to accommodate different learning levels and styles; patience is a required skill.
At the end of the day, they write reports detailing the day’s progress and evaluating the performance of the students. If they performed their duties to the regular teacher’s liking, the teacher may request the substitute to fill in during their next absence.
How to Become a Substitute Teacher
Although education requirements for substitute teachers vary depending on the area, it’s preferred they hold a bachelor’s degree in any major. Of course, majoring in education is most useful because it provides the training needed for implementing lesson plans and teaching kids with a variety of needs.
Additionally, education students become familiar with professional ethics, discipline methods, interacting with parents, and the integration of technology. They take valuable courses such as classroom organization management, foundations for effective teaching, curriculum methods and materials, social studies curriculum methods and materials, mathematics curriculum methods and materials, instructional assessment and special education methods.
Teaching licensure can be procured by passing the Praxis test. Some states require substitutes to be licensed teachers, but most simply require the passing of examinations that measure their basic skills. Of course, like all teachers, substitute teachers must have clean backgrounds, as background checks are part of the hiring process.
Substitute Teacher Career Outlook & Salary
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of all teachers is expected to increase about as fast as the national average of all occupations from 2008 to 2018. As the population expands in the coming years, school enrollment is projected to grow at an equally rapid rate, resulting in the hiring of more teachers to alleviate large class sizes.
With the increase in regular school teachers, more substitute teachers will be needed to fill in during their short-term and long-term absences. This is particularly the case in the growing South and West and underserved urban areas. Substitute teachers will be most utilized at the elementary level, where 1,793,700 teachers are expected to be employed in 2018, the most of any level.
All teachers, substitute includes, earn a median annual salary ranging from $47,100 to $51,180. The top 10% in the occupation make $75,190 to $80,970.
