Step Into Substitute Teaching

Profile of a Guest Teacher 

Ever wonder what a great substitute looks like? They look just like you! When a full-time teacher is unable to be in their classroom, an effective substitute must step in. When substitute teachers are prepared with a passion for sharing knowledge as well as many other essential characteristics, they are destined for success! 

Here are our top characteristics of a great substitute teacher:

• Substitute teachers who have a passion for working with students often inspire them. By showing love for what they do, a sub gets students more involved in learning and spark an interest for topics you are teaching.
   
• Displaying enthusiasm for learning helps students become more driven towards learning. By piquing a student’s interest, effective substitute teachers can help get students involved in learning outside of the classroom. The buzz a substitute creates around their own interest for learning can help ignite a connection between academics and "real-life."
   
• While being organized is a great skill to have in all professions, familiarizing yourself with the lesson plan ahead of time is especially important in substitute teaching.
   
• Showing a genuine care for students establishes a supportive and optimistic classroom environment. Students often learn from the teacher’s actions so teachers should exemplify positive behavior for students to emulate. Getting to know needs, interests and talents of individual students helps them feel as though the educational relationship is a partnered learning experience. 
   
• There are many roles a substitute teacher must step into, but the role of classroom manager is one of the most important and difficult. Without effective classroom management, sufficient teaching and learning cannot take place. A substitute teacher must effectively manage time and clearly outline academic and behavioral expectations so that students are prepared to succeed. 

While each of these characteristics are necessary for effective substitute teaching, they are not always second nature. Just as each teacher and teaching style is unique, so is each school and classroom. To prepare accordingly, we aim to provide substitutes with tools for success.