Tips to Support Substitutes
• Provide an orientation to the district , led by classroom teachers who can give suggestions .
• Offer open seats in training sessions , such as projectbased learning , assessment , engagement , technology .
• Offer classroom management training .
• Require engaging substitute plans be written , including “ emergency plans ” for last minute absences .
• Assign a specific staff person to supervise and provide needed assistance .
• Have administrators visit the classrooms where substitutes are present and personally thank them .
environment makes an impact on substitutes , beginning with a sincere welcome and greeting when they arrive on campus ( Vail , 2000 ).
Substitutes often feel ignored , neglected and treated with indifference by some staff members , so simple suggestions to staff are helpful . Greetings in the hallways , introductions as a “ guest teacher ” at flag salute or in morning announcements , invitations to the staff room at lunch , engaging them in conversations at recess and lunch , and offering support help make the substitute experience more positive .
Information about school procedures should be available , as well as necessary supplies and equipment for assignments . A work environment that does not provide for daily support for employees , including substitutes , might become bothersome enough for them to pursue other schools or even other positions ( Dorward et al ., 2000 ).
Permanent positions
The presence of substitute teachers is essential to maintain and advance student learning , yet the role tends to be one that is underappreciated . It is increasingly important that school leaders take an interest in and actively support substitutes so they will return to their schools and districts . Let ’ s face it : when they can work in different schools and districts each day , they have a choice , and we want that choice to be our schools .
Returning to sites where they are valued
and respected , where assistance is available , and where working conditions are the best are attractors for substitute teachers . Substitutes love working with students and they choose to teach because they like to help students learn .
Proactive steps to recruit and retain those critical classroom positions will help further the work of the district . It may just be that those substitutes who perform well in the classroom can then become permanent teachers when openings arise .
The future of public education depends on fully credentialed , well-trained teachers in every classroom . A very practical place to start is with our current substitutes .
Resources :
• Cardon , Peter W . ( 2001 ). “ Recruiting and Retaining Substitute Teachers .” Sub- Journal 2 ( 1 ), 37-44 .
• Dorward , J ., Hawkins , A . and Smith , G . G . ( 2000 ). “ Substitute teacher qualifications , training , and evaluation : A national perspective .” SubJournal , 1 ( 2 ), 31-41 .
• Frost , Jeff . “ Politics and Policy ” ( 1996 ). California Educator 2 ( 1 ), 41-42 .
• Gonzales , Lisa Marie ( 2002 ). “ Inspiring the Pinch Hitters – Job Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction Characteristics of Substitute Teachers .” Ed . D . dissertation , University of La Verne , La Verne , CA .
• Herzberg , F ., Mausner , B . and Snyderman B . B . ( 1959 ). “ The Motivation to Work .”
New York : John Wiley and Sons .
• Mattero , Alyssa . “ Substitute Policies and How They May Impact Student Achievement .” TalentTalk . Available from https :// www . teachermatch . org / blog / substitutepolicies-and-how-they-may-impact-student-achievement ; accessed Oct . 23 , 2016 .
• National Council on Teacher Quality . “ The Recession ’ s Impact on Teacher Salaries .” Washington , D . C ., ( 2012 ).
• National Education Association . “ Substitute Teachers : A Nationwide Survey .” Available from www . nea . org / teaching / substudy . html .
• Pardini , Priscilla ( 2000 ). “ Are you Available to Work for Us Today : Improvement Efforts Cannot Ignore the Substitute .” Journal of Staff Development 21 ( 4 ), 27-31 .
• St . Michel , Terrie ( 1995 ). “ Effective Substitute Teachers : Myth , Mayhem or Magic ?” The Practicing Administrator ’ s Leadership Series . Thousand Oaks , CA : Corwin Press .
• Vail , K . ( 2000 ). “ Organizing Substitute Teachers .” American School Board Journal 187 ( 8 ), 36-37 .
Lisa Gonzales is ACSA ’ s presidentelect and a White House selected # FutureReady superintendent . This article was based on her 2002 doctoral dissertation from the University of La Verne .
16 Leadership