Article Categories    •   Classroom Teaching    •   Teaching With Technology

Substitute Teaching: An Insider's View

What's All the Hype?

By: Deborah Bouley

I assumed that substitute teaching would be a breeze. I asked myself how difficult could it be for a responsible, intelligent, 40+ year old career change graduate student to enter a classroom and deliver pre-written lessons? After all, I had over 20 years of business experience. I was a financial analyst, a sales analyst, a sales manager, a financial manager, a human resources manager, a customer service manager, and an Executive Director at some of the most profitable companies in America. I began traveling the United States for business at a time when women who did such were labeled in peculiar and sexist ways. With my education and work experience was I not fully qualified and prepared to substitute teach? Well...!!!

There are no mentors or supports in the field of substitute teaching. There are few, if any, training programs to educate us in regard to what we can and cannot do and should and should not do with the future citizens of our nation. In fact, in this my second year of substitute teaching, I have never even seen a job description of what the job entails. Interestingly enough, I have never received any type of feedback in regard to my strengths and weaknesses in teaching in any of the over 175 classroom experiences I have had.

The purpose of this article is to provide you, current and potential substitute teachers, some guidance as to what you can expect in various situations and suggestions of what you should consider when you substitute teach.

>Next Page