Obviously you would want the next generation to know their fair share about art, music, and various other aspects of life. In addition to that, they need to know the history of the world. They need to know what mistakes were made, why they were made, and what impact those mistakes had on the world as a whole. For this reason, teachers are perhaps the most important part of any society.
While being a full time teacher can be a rewarding career, there are times when being a substitute teacher will suffice. There are many reasons for taking a position as a substitute teacher. Some people find it hard to stand for long periods of time, and others might not have the credits required to become a full time teacher. Substitute teaching jobs can be a great stepping stone on the road to a full time teaching career.
But what does being a substitute teacher involve? What types of tasks will you need to complete? One thing you will need to note, is that as a substitute teacher you will probably not be implementing your own lesson plans unless specifically asked to. Substitute teaching jobs will require you to conform to the regular teacher's plan. Typically the teacher will leave lesson plans behind for the substitute, but this is not all the substitute is responsible for.
In substitute teaching jobs it is very important for you to maintain control of the classroom. You are expected to be firm, but polite with the students. In addition to that, you will need to keep a record of everything you have accomplished during the day. School districts are often very strict on substitute teachers, making them conform to a specific set of rules.
Substitute teaching jobs come in two types. The first type is the long-term substitute. These are substitutes that will stay in the school for a long period of time, filling in every time there is a teacher absence. There are also day substitutes which can be called in when there is no long-term substitute to replace an absent teacher.
Substitute teaching careers can be rewarding, but all in all it is up to the state as to whether or not you can exist as one in any school system. In some cases you will only be required to have a high school diploma as long as you take some substitute teacher training. In other cases you will need at the very least an associates degree.
Keep in mind that substitute teaching careers will require you to stand up for long periods. If you have trouble doing so for a medical reason, many school districts will accommodate you by allowing to to sit or at least use a wheelchair. There are different requirements for different districts as you can imagine, but the general duties of a substitute teaching position remain largely the same wherever you go.
Because of increasing child abductions and abuse instances, most schools will fingerprint their substitute teachers. These prints are submitted to the FBI and police department for processing. This will ensure the safety of the children, and allow you to continue in your substitute teaching career.
The pay for a substitute teacher is not great unless you can arrange to have a job every single day. You may expect to be paid somewhere around $60-$70 for a single day. You could live on this if you can arrange consistent work, but as we said, it would be best to consider substitute teaching careers as a stepping stone to something greater if at all possible. Once you situate yourself into this career, it won't be long before you are stretching your legs and looking for new possibilities.
When it comes to teaching, there are all kinds of possibilities, from teaching in a public school, to taking on a private school. When you become experienced enough you might even try home tutoring. Just try to remember that teaching any class is never an easy endeavor. You will find that gaining the students respect as a substitute teacher can sometimes be very difficult, so stick with it, and soon enough substitute teaching will be a breeze.
