SUBSTITUTE TEACHER EXPECTATIONS
Oct 14, 2021
Substitute teachers play a vital role in the effectiveness of any school. Ensuring that every substitute teacher is prepared and provided with everything they need to successfully manage and teach a class in the absence of the teachers starts with a set of clear expectations.
When creating your set of substitute teacher expectations, keep the following in mind and be sure to address these areas in your expectation document:
- Building safety procedures and plans
- Attendance expectations and procedures
- Substitute dress code
- Arrival and dismissal procedures for the substitute
- Use of personal cell phone and other technology during the work day
- Classroom management philosophy
- Feedback from the substitute to the teacher
- Substitute flexibility during the day
- What to do if I need help
- Ethics and confidentiality
All of the above areas are important to address in your Substitute Teacher Expectations document. Doing so helps to eliminate misunderstanding and minimize the possibility that issues will arise which requiring principal intervention.
One way to address substitute teacher expectations with all substitutes is to hold a Substitute Teacher Orientation Day (or half day) in your building. During this time you can go over the expectations with all substitutes, lead a building walk-through, and be available to answer any questions or provide clarification as needed. Having all substitutes in attendance sign in provides you with formal documentation that they attended an orientation. This can also be the time when employment paperwork is completed and ID badges are issued. From there, you would simply need to make sure an onboarding process exists for all substitutes hired after that date during the school year.
Setting clear expectations from the start and reviewing them with every substitute teacher prior to them starting in your building will help ensure that student safety and quality instruction in the absence of the classroom teacher still exist.