By Marcelo G.R, Grade 9
Amidst teacher shortages and unexpected absences, substitute teachers are an essential but often overlooked part of MIS.
Substitute teaching can be both a rewarding and challenging profession. Substitute teachers play a critical role in MIS, stepping in to ensure that students receive a quality education when regular teachers are absent. However, despite their importance, they often face a unique set of challenges that can make their work difficult. So, what’s it like being a substitute teacher? And what sort of unique challenges do they face that a full-time classroom teacher would not encounter? Substitute teachers Ms. Moser, Ms. Hübner and Mr. Wohlleb help us answer these questions.
One of the biggest challenges that sub-teachers face is the lack of familiarity with the students and the classroom environment. Mr. Wohlleb, who assists with the Student Life Program and has been a substitute teacher for a little under a year, said that there is a big difference between how students treat substitute and full-time teachers.
“As a full-time teacher, you get to know your students better, you can learn which students need which support and you can form a stronger bond with them… they’ll get to know you, as well as respect you as a teacher. But when you come into a new class as a substitute you always have to make yourself respected.”
Ms. Moser, an ex-MIS pupil who has been working as a sub-teacher for a year said:
“It’s really difficult to strengthen the bond with the students when you’re just a substitute, they do view you and treat you differently.”
Additionally, substitute teachers have to develop strategies and tools to manage students that may be acting up in the classroom. However, they say that there are many strategies in place that they often use. Ms Hübner, who used to teach at MIS and has very recently returned as a substitute teacher, said:
“Well, I haven’t had that many problems, and I try to be assertive…but I think I’ve got some tools in my hands to help me.”
Furthermore, Ms. Moser said: “One thing I do is quietly redirect the students. If they don’t respond to this, I try more rigid measures like sending them out of the classroom, and if it gets really bad, I know I can always get another teacher that they are familiar with to come into the class to get them back to where they should be.
Mr. Wohlleb also believes that one of the biggest things that has to be made clear about substitute teaching is that it is not an excuse for a free lesson.
“For some of the students the thought process is; oh, my teacher isn’t here, it’s just a substitute. The challenge is that the students don’t understand that even if it is a substitute, the class should continue as normal, as it won’t change when they write their summatives. You have to make clear that this is a substitution and not a free lesson.”
However, although substitute teachers face a vast amount of challenges, all three teachers say that substitute teaching is nonetheless a fulfilling and rewarding profession as they have the opportunity to make a positive impact on the lives of their students, even if it is only for a short time.
“Substitute teaching, while challenging, is also a very fun experience as you get to meet all sorts of students from every grade and help them learn”.