According to the U.S. Department of Education, the average teacher takes an estimated 9.4 days off during a 180 day year. As a result, there is a huge demand for substitute teachers in many school systems. In many school districts, you are only required to pass a background check and have a high school diploma or GED. However, you should check with your local school systems to learn specific criteria they have in place. As with any job, substitute teaching has its own unique rewards as well as challenges. Let’s examine some of the advantages associated with becoming a substitute teacher.
Working as a substitute provides you with more flexibility than most occupations. You have the option of accepting a job if it fits in your schedule, but you can also decline a job without giving a reason. Along the same lines, you can choose to work as much or as little as you like. You may have the option of accepting a long term position as a substitute or fill-in for one day. The one thing you can almost always count on is never being asked to work on weekends or holidays. Additionally, according to the National Substitute Teachers Alliance the average pay per day nationally for a substitute is $105. This is not bad considering you will likely have free periods throughout the day.
Substitute teaching can be a great way to decide if you want to pursue a degree in education as well as the grade and subject matter you prefer. If you already have a degree in education, it can be the perfect stepping stone to a future permanent position with benefits and greater job security. Also, if you have been out of the field for a period of time (examples include being a stay at home mom), it is a great way to ease back into the responsibilities of being a fulltime teacher. You may need to readjust to the clamor of the classroom. Additionally, if you are a new graduate it will give you the opportunity to obtain actual classroom experience besides your student teaching and experiment with different classroom environments and teaching styles. Finally, if you are a retired educator, it is an ideal way to stay active and earn extra income.
Substitute teaching does not require that you be an expert in a particular subject matter. Along the same lines, you are able to work with numerous age groups. There is a huge variety in what you can choose to do. Today you may be teaching sight words to kindergarteners, while tomorrow you may be reading Shakespeare with an AP English class. If you find that there is a particular subject or age group that you prefer not to work with, you can simply decline similar jobs in the future.
It is important to know that substitute teaching is not a job for everyone. However, it offers many advantages to versatile individuals who enjoy working with children.