Can anyone talk to me about being a substitute teacher?

I sub at a variety of districts. They have some similarities and some differences. All I can pick if I want to sub elementary, middle or high school (but that's because I'm licensed for those). Some I can pick specific schools others I can even pick subject area at the middle/high schools. All of them sub hours are teacher hours and that is longer than student time.

I taught, had my kids and now sub. It has changed a lot. At least in my experience & what I'm told by friends still teaching, there are always plans. Due to testing requirements here, teachers can't really just have a sub throw in a video and babysit. Almost always, the teacher has well written & specific plans for me. On the rare occasion that it is a true unexpected/emergency absence I've been given the plans of another grade level teacher and use those.

You'll need to check the license requirements for your state and district. They may vary depending on grade level and even subject.

I'm not a substitute but have friends that are... they pick and choose the "jobs" they want online on some website early in the morning. I think here you have to be qualified as elementary-middle or middle-high you can't do all three. One friend subs in the elementary library a lot. They can also have a teacher request them as a sub before it goes online. I don't know anyone in my district who subs for high school. The pay is pretty good in our district for subs (and there is a shortage).

A friend in another state/district seems to be all over the place, every day at a new school and everything from health class to teaching Spanish... also in September when school had just started she was complaining about not having any jobs because teachers weren't needing subs...

It depends on your state and your local district. Ours lets you choose not only which town but which teacher, as it is all listed online for registered subs. Also, teachers can request certain subs they have found that they like.

I subbed when I first got my teaching degree and found it very hard. Even elementary kids know very well how to sink a sub, including saying things like, "Our teacher always does this, or never does that," whether or not it's true. So be prepared with an answer to that one.

I do think subbing is a good way to get used to teaching, and it can sometimes be a way to get your name around in a district for permanent employment. Some subs are really great and have a bag of tricks prepared so that they can walk into any classroom and have fun stuff to do with the kids. I know two people who would never want permanent employment as teachers but love to sub -- so I am sure my not-so-great sub experience doesn't speak for all.

If you have never taught, you will be in for a rough ride.

Can you manage to get 25-30 elementary age students under control? Do you know how to handle special needs children? Do you have any skill at engaging the interest of the children for at least 45 minutes at a time?

If you have never taught, I suggest you ask a local principal if you could sit in the back of a classroom for an entire day and observe.

ALL teachers expect the sub to teach the lesson plans left behind. ALL teachers are a bit miffed to return and find out it was movie day while they were gone. You will often get a class where the teacher left no plans--none, nothing. Can you fill the 7 hours with activities that are age appropriate?

Substituting is not just sitting in the room with the kids.

I have been ashamed for years of my part in what happened when I was in the 7th grade. No one announced the plan--but we were all jerks until we made the woman cry. After that, we were willing to follow her directions.

What about looking for a job as an aide/paraprofessional in a school? You might find it easier to be working in the same school, same position, same schedule every day. Easier to learn what to do for one position. My district has had some changes recently (resignation, in one case) and we have several aide positions open even though we are in the second quarter already.

Or, as mentioned above look for office or cafeteria jobs, maybe as a "sub" for those to get started.

You need to have at least some classroom management skills to survive subbing. The teacher will leave lesson plans, but depending on the teacher, they may be detailed or not. I was a teacher for 15 years and subbing is totally different - you have no relationship with the kids and no authority with some. You need to be able to engage with the kids and establish expectations pretty quickly. You also need the thinknon your feet and adapt activities as necessary. It’s not for the faint hearted.

Don't be scared off! Here is my experience.

In my district we can choose to sub at all three levels (elementary, middle, high) or only one or two. I choose to do only elementary school. We have an online system where we can go and browse through the available jobs. However, I only sub at one school, the school where my kids went. If your county works the same way you could do your kids' school. 

I would recommend doing elementary school. Fewer attitudes. And I'd much rather teach something than be a babysitter. Every teacher who I've ever subbed for has left detailed plans. There is rarely any actual new material to teach, although I do have one teacher who will leave me with new stuff. If you can teach your kids things then you can teach other kids things. Think about when you've had your kids at the store...."let's get some apples, $1.29/lb, and we have 3 pounds, let's figure out how much that is.." etc. Often at my school there will be a resource teacher who comes in to help anyway. You might read a story to them and then they'll do a writing lesson. Just recently I read the Dr. Seuss book "Which Pet Shall I Get?" (or something like that...I've forgotten the exact title). The last page of the book shows the kids leaving the store with a cage but all you see in the cage are eyes looking out, so you have no idea what pet they bought. The writing assignment was to write about what pet the kid thought they bought, then draw a picture of that pet at home. This was 2nd grade.

It will be scary in the beginning, but if you stick to one school (or even a couple) you'll get to know the kids and they'll know what to expect. Be tough at the beginning and don't fall for "Mrs. Teacher lets us do it". The answer is "okay, but since Mrs. Teacher isn't here today we're doing it my way." 

Also, you could start subbing as an assistant to get a feel for the classrooms. Here that means kindergarten or special ed, and I'd watch out for the special ed ones. Do not take autism classrooms unless you feel very qualified to help with that. It takes extra-special people to work properly with those kids. But kindergarten assistant would let you observe a regular teacher and you'd pick up a lot of little management tips. -- Actually, in my county if you have no teaching experience they won't let you start as a full teacher until you've had some assistant time. I had taught overseas but that didn't count, so I did assistant jobs all over the county. Once I got "promoted" then I moved to just taking jobs at this one school.

Once you get in at a school you'll get jobs directly from the teachers. They'll see you in the halls and chase you down to see if you're available. It's a nice feeling to be wanted. lol

The most important things to being a sub:
1. love kids
2. do what the teacher has left in his/her plans. If you don't finish it all they don't mind, but they'd like to see you at least start with what they left. I hear stories all the time (which amazes me...I mean, how hard is it to follow directions?) about subs who played games all day, or let the kids draw, etc. There's a time and place for those things of course, but during the writing workshop time is not it. 

I love being a sub.

Schools need great subs. It isn't easy and the pay (in general) isn't great, but your day will fly by and working with kids is as rewarding as it is exhausting. If you stay in elementary school, you shouldn't have a problem teaching the concepts. If teachers leave crappy/no plans, then you don't have to worry about doing it right. Most teachers take a good three hours to leave detailed plans for subs though (IME). Sometimes subs get asked to do long term subbing and the daily pay goes up quite a bit.

This. I've subbed, mostly in the elementary schools in my area. There is power in knowing the kids names. So if you are in a building enough where you establish connections with the kids and earn their respect, it is much easier. If not ... it's not very fun. And to give you perspective, I've been an attorney and am now a semester away from being a high school teacher (I subbed a couple of years ago).

However, if you like kids and like a bit of a challenge, then don't let us scare you off. It can be meaningful, and a decent sub is like gold in the school community.

Also, in MN, you have to get a subbing license from the state to sub. So check your requirements.

If you are looking for something similar but not as exhausting, the private tutor market is on the upswing in my community. A lot of kids with dyslexia are using the Barton system and have private tutors that do the program with them. It's 1:1 or small group, at least around here. It wouldn't be as many hours, probably, but it is an alternative to do something meaningful. I haven't done it. My friend does, and it's very scripted so you won't need a big bag of teacher tricks and classroom management tools.

I love subbing but I taught for 6 yrs before staying home with my babies. Now I sub at my kids' school which I love because I usually know at least a small handful of students in each class already and in some all but 2-3 new students.

CA just changed the requirement for subs, previously you had to have a teaching credential. Not sure the exact requirements now.

It isn't just hanging out with kids all day. Yes you are expected to follow plans and teach. I recommend volunteering in your children's classroom. Maybe let the teacher know you are considering subbing and see if they would let you volunteer for an entire day vs a couple of hours.

My district uses an online system you can see all jobs with grade level k-12, location, & teacher. You can choose which jobs to take. Teachers can identify their top 5 subs that get notified 1st of that teacher's absences.

They always need subs for instructional aides and playground supervisors if that might be more approachable vs classroom sub.

tasha
How would you feel if you had to sub in a situation as described in this thread? I want you to be aware of the challenges of the job.

2peasrefugees.boards.net/thread/68958/teacher-peas-help

I've been subbing for about 8 years, mostly elementary, and mostly at one school. Does it cost you anything to sign up? If not, there is no risk to at least trying it a few times and see if it's for you.

I agree with the others, it makes your day SO much easier if you stick to one school and are there frequently. You get to know the kids, they know you and you don't have to set up expectations/introduce yourself every morning, as they know how you operate. I only take jobs that are set-up in advance, and there are some teachers I won't sub for in certain years because of the kids in their class.

I sub at my kid's school and it was absolutely no problem to have him with me before school started and then meet me afterward. In fact, when he was in jr high, he would get bussed to the school and come in and help me for the last 15 minutes of class. The kids (especially the 1st & 2nd grade boys) LOVED that.