Opinion
Education Letter to the Editor

Substitutes Should Be Applauded

September 11, 2012 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Substitutes Should Be Applauded

Being a substitute teacher is a daunting challenge, especially in high school, and too often an unrecognized act of courage (“Don’t Hire Substitute Teachers in High School,” Aug. 22, 2012). In a matter of minutes, our heroic substitute needs to evaluate, organize, and present the important concepts, goals, and objectives for each lesson. Creating the climate for learning is the goal of each educator, and the substitute is no exception.

Choosing a reliable and effective substitute is the responsibility of each school district. Schools of excellence take the time to interview prospective substitutes, as well as prepare, evaluate, and observe their work.

On the other hand, there are districts that undervalue the importance of the substitute teacher. They have little time to coach, nurture, evaluate, or advise them. They believe substitutes are useless, wasteful, and unimportant. It is no wonder substitutes often feel fearful, invisible, and underappreciated.

The National Education Association, in support of substitutes and their hard work, has made an effort to celebrate substitutes during National Teacher Appreciation Week in early May. In addition, stedi.org (formerly known as the Substitute Teaching Institute) promotes the importance of substitute teachers through advocacy and recognition awards.

Substitute teaching can easily be thought of as a thankless job. As we embark on a new school year, let us all include and welcome, encourage, and support our tireless substitute teachers as important shareholders in our children’s education and give them the forgotten respect that they deserve.

Joseph A. De Leo

Instructor

New York University

New York, N.Y.

A version of this article appeared in the September 12, 2012 edition of Education Week as Substitutes Should Be Applauded

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Equity & Diversity Webinar
Classroom Strategies for Building Equity and Student Confidence
Shape equity, confidence, and success for your middle school students. Join the discussion and Q&A for proven strategies.
Content provided by Project Lead The Way
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Disrupting PD Day in Schools with Continuous Professional Learning Experiences
Hear how this NC School District achieved district-wide change by shifting from traditional PD days to year-long professional learning cycles
Content provided by BetterLesson
Jobs Virtual Career Fair for Teachers and K-12 Staff
Find teaching jobs and other jobs in K-12 education at the EdWeek Top School Jobs virtual career fair.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Briefly Stated: March 15, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: March 8, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
8 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 22, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
9 min read
Education Briefly Stated: February 8, 2023
Here's a look at some recent Education Week articles you may have missed.
6 min read