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1 Teachers of Tomorrow. (2025, Jan. 5). What Is an Emergency Teaching Certification? Benefits and Requirements in 2025. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
Approved by the dean of the College of Education on July 22, 2024.
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If you thrive on change, enjoy meeting new people and like to immerse yourself in many different teaching settings, from public schools to private, then a career as a substitute could be a great choice for you. As a substitute, you’ll probably have plenty of one-day teaching opportunities to fill in for teachers who may be ill or taking a business day off. But you might also cover longer assignments, such as filling in for a teacher on maternity leave. Wondering how to be a good substitute teacher? Continue reading for tips and strategies on being an effective substitute teacher
Being a substitute teacher can be meaningful for those who are passionate about education; yet, the job isn’t without its challenges. Substitute teachers often struggle with establishing authority, building rapport with students and managing classroom behavior. This is particularly true for substitutes who are only substituting for one or two days, rather than covering a longer period of time for the regular teacher.
Sometimes, subs might feel a bit overwhelmed with their responsibilities. It can be helpful to follow effective strategies for classroom management for substitute teachers.
When school districts face a critical shortage of licensed or certified teachers, they may sometimes use emergency substitute teachers to fill in the gaps. This certificate is like a temporary permit. Emergency substitutes must follow all restrictions and regulations, and they must follow their state’s established procedure for applying for the emergency certification — all of which vary from state to state.1
The following tips for substitute teachers can help you inspire your students and manage classrooms more effectively.
The way in which students perceive their substitute teachers can play a role in their behavior and academic effort. It’s important to work toward building mutually respectful relationships. Try to develop rapport with your students, even if you’ll only be in that classroom for a day or two. For instance, make an effort to learn each student’s name, ask them for their perspective on the lesson material and try to learn a bit about them on a personal level, such as their hobbies or favorite books.
You may be on the substitute teacher list for multiple school districts. It’s a good idea to get to know each school system you may be working within. For instance, know the names of key leadership personnel and become familiar with each school’s procedures, policies and reward systems.
Another one of the tips for substitute teachers is to be ready to pivot. The ability to pivot is helpful in many areas of life. If, for example, you find that the way you’re explaining a particular concept doesn’t seem to be resonating with students, you need to make adjustments and try something else.
Similarly, you can pivot for the sake of taking advantage of teachable moments that may crop up throughout each day. For instance, even if a student says something that’s a bit off-topic, it may provide a useful segue to discuss an important concept.
One tip in classroom management for substitute teachers is to use positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement can be an excellent classroom management tool. The most obvious way to employ positive reinforcement is to tell students when they’re doing a great job with something. However, there are also other ways to reward good behavior or a good effort.
Substitute teachers often spend their mornings waiting by the phone to see if they’ll get called in or receive an app notification requesting them to cover a class when a regular teacher needs a day off. But before you play the waiting game, you’ll have to let school districts know you’re available. Research school districts in your area and don’t forget to check out the private schools, too. Call their offices to learn about their substitute teacher requirements and procedures. Each school district has its own way of doing things. Meet any requirements the districts have, such as attending orientation and remember to get your paperwork on file with the offices.
When you land a substitute teaching assignment, get to the school earlier than is required, especially if you’ve never taught at that particular school before. You’ll need a little time to familiarize yourself with the school itself and your new classroom. Check out the available technology and look for a lesson plan that the regular teacher may have left.
Most teachers will leave lesson plans for you to follow, or at the very least, they’ll leave some notes about a current project or assignment. Even so, you should always be prepared to improvise a lesson plan, just in case.
Develop your own repertoire of go-to learning experiences for classrooms of varying ages. When introducing yourself to the students, tell them that you will be the guest teacher for that day, and familiarize them with your norms and high expectations. The term “guest teacher” will alert the students to treat you with respect.
Whether you’re filling in for a day or a month, you should always leave the classroom well-organized. Tidy up the books and supplies, correct any assignments that need grading and leave informative notes for the classroom teacher. They will appreciate knowing the status of an ongoing project or how the day went and what the class accomplished.
Remember to say thank you for the opportunity. Making the teacher happy with your work may improve your chances of being hired again.
The College of Education at Grand Canyon University strives to graduate fully capable and confident teacher candidates, including preparing educators for potential long-term emergency substitute teaching opportunities. Our welcoming campus embraces Christian values and servant leadership, offering a modern and comprehensive curriculum designed to help our students excel in their chosen career paths. Explore our online teaching degree programs today by filling out the form on this page.
