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

Mathematics K-12 Essentials Forum Helping Students Succeed in Math
Student Well-Being Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: The Power of Emotion Regulation to Drive K-12 Academic Performance and Wellbeing
Wish you could handle emotions better? Learn practical strategies with researcher Marc Brackett and host Peter DeWitt.

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 Quiz Trump’s Surprise Freeze on School Funding—How Much Do You Know?
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz What Lowers Teacher Turnover? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz Which State Is About to Pass a ‘Science of Reading’ Law? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz What is a Project 2025 Author Doing at the Education Department? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read