Substitute Teacher Job Description (2021)

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Free substitute teacher job description. A substitute teacher is a temporary substitute for a primary teaching position. This temporary teacher fills a primary educator’s role while on leave for personal reasons, health reasons, or maternity reasons. This educator is a professional who teaches a school classroom when the primary teacher is unavailable.

A substitute teacher sometimes gets referred to as a "sub" or "long-term subs." A long-term sub in the event the substitute teacher is filling in for a full-time teacher for a prolonged period of time.

substitute teacher job description

Substitute Teacher Job Description Sample

Our education system is seeking a temporary and long term substitute teacher. They will help fill positions for regular teachers while experiencing illness, maternity leave, or other absence reasons during the school year. The substitute teacher will fill the absent teacher position, pick up existing lesson plans, and begin classroom instruction as normal. A substitute teacher must follow all district requirements and code of conduct.

Substitute Teacher Duties and Responsibilities

Below are sample responsibilities and job duties of a substitute teacher:

Pick up the primary teacher lesson plan and begin classroom instruction immediately.
Prepare all instructional material needs for the classroom.
Perform general classroom management duties. Take attendance of the students.
Review each student assignment and grade homework.
Create a classroom environment conducive to student learning.
Follow public school and school district curriculum requirements.
Work closely with students to educate, review course material, and more.
Be a collaborative staff member with other faculty members.
Assume the substitute teaching position until the regular teacher resumes responsibilities.

Long Term Substitute Teacher Duties and Responsibilities

Spend time comprehending where the lead teacher left the classroom.
Assist with general classroom management.
Coordinate with faculty on student testing requirements and other education needs.
Follow a curriculum and student lesson plan outlined by the principal and teaching staff.

Special Education Substitute Teacher Duties and Responsibilities

Understand children's IEP's or Individualized Educational Plans
Collaborate closely with parents and staff to track students' progress.
Assess children's skill levels, needs, and educational requirements.
Follow a curriculum and student lesson plan outlined by the principal, faculty, and education board.

Substitute Teacher Requirements

Qualified candidates should have the following:

High School Diploma or equivalent.
Bachelor’s Degree in Education.
Master’s Degree in Education preferred.
State teacher certification required.
Experience with in-classroom management.
Experience as a classroom teacher or “regular classroom teacher” preferred.
Minimum requirement of 2 years as an educator.
Special education experience preferred.
Elementary school experience preferred.
Must have a flexible schedule.
Professional Educator License (PEL)
Substitute Teacher License (SUB)m
Paraprofessional License
Short Term Substitute License (STS)

To be eligible to get considered for a “Retired Teacher” based nomination. Then at the time of retirement from the NYC Public Schools, the candidate must have been a full-time Teacher. In addition, the candidate must continue to possess valid, non-expired NYS Teacher certification (or Board of Examiner’s Teacher License). Candidates who served as full-time Teachers in the NYC Public Schools, but retired as Principals or Assistant Principals are also eligible to apply. Provided their teacher certification is currently valid.

Substitute Teacher Salary

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a substitute teacher earns $15.15 per hour, on average. Equalling $31,510 in median annual wages.

Substitute Teacher Skills

A substitute teacher spends the majority of their day interacting with guests and customers. Therefore, these examples of skills must be a priority. Top teaching candidates have one or more of the following:

Outstanding interpersonal skills.
Outstanding ability to turn education into an entertaining experience.
Social skills that can get applied to education.
Planning skills that can get applied to curriculum building.
Organizational skills that can get applied to homework assignments and grading.
Classroom management skills.

Skills for a Substitute Kindergarten and Elementary School Teacher

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, top candidates in the elementary and kindergarten grade level have the following skills:

Communication skills. Teachers need to discuss students’ needs with parents and administrators. They also need to be able to communicate the subject content to students in a manner in which they will understand.
Patience. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers must respond with patience when students struggle with material. Working with students of different abilities and backgrounds can be difficult.
Physical stamina. Working with kindergarten- and elementary-age students can be tiring. Teachers need to be able to physically, mentally, and emotionally keep up with the students.
Resourcefulness. Kindergarten and elementary school teachers must be able to get students engaged in learning. They also should be prepared to adapt their lessons to meet students’ needs.

Skills for a Substitute High School Teacher

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, a high school teacher should have one or more of the following skills:

Communication skills. Teachers must share ideas with their students, other teachers, and school administrators and staff. In addition, they need to discuss students’ progress with parents.
Patience. High school teachers must stay calm in difficult situations, such as when students struggle with material.
Resourcefulness. High school teachers need to engage students in learning and adapt lessons to each student’s needs.

Additionally, Maria Orlando (EdD) of FaultyFocus.com says that a great teacher and substitute teacher is "warm, accessible, enthusiastic and caring. This person is approachable, not only to students but to everyone on campus. This is the teacher to whom students know they can go with any problems or concerns or even to share a funny story. Great teachers possess good listening skills and take time out of their way-too-busy schedules for anyone who needs them."

From Maria Orlando's statement, we can see that being warm and caring is a key skill amongst substitute teachers.

Teacher Job Boards

When hiring for a substitute teacher position, it's best to search for prospective teachers using a "niche" job board. Rather than national job boards like Indeed, Monster, or Career Builder. Using a smaller job board can assist in finding a more passionate and higher caliber job applicant. In addition to posting a job description and job advertisement (sometimes referred to as a "job ad") on a smaller job board. Employers and administrators should post available jobs on community job boards.

Community job boards consist of local city and village Facebook groups or community center bulletin boards. Many teaching positions are filled on a local level rather than a national level.

Top substitute teacher job boards

Principals and administrators are advised to post on these job boards before posting the job advertisement to a national job board.

Related job descriptions

Download the free substitute teacher job description PDF template. And use the sample substitute teacher job description provided to make an efficient job posting for your company. For more information please visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.