The Components of Effective Substitute Teaching They Don't Teach in College

This book addresses aspects of substitute teaching that are essential to making your teaching experience a worthwhile one. For some reason however many colleges universities and professors dont teach from this perspective. Sometimes it takes a person looking from the outside in someone whose mind has not already been filled with opinions and dogmas to offer a fresh perspective on issues that need to be addressed. This book provides a fresh perspective on the potential solutions to problems that substitute teachers face everyday. Renee was probably the least educated least experienced substitute teacher in the school district. In fact she had no formal education or experience in the field of education. Yet she was a highly coveted substitute teacher in the school district she taught for. She handled and taught the students so well that well-educated and experienced teachers asked for her advice on how they could manage their classes. If you ask some of the best substitute teachers (and teachers for that matter) how they are able to effectively manage their classroom and enjoy their teaching experience many will tell you that they have used the concepts that have been outlined in this book. The author defines what it means to be a substitute teacher and outlines a holistic approach to substitute teaching that requires the teacher to consider his/her responsibility to their students which goes beyond teaching textbook material. In order to teach textbook material students must understand the significance of being at school first. If this foundation is not laid then in many situations teaching textbook material is futile if not impossible. In order for the student to understand his/her purpose at school they should understand that they have a purpose in life and these formative years are their opportunity to discover that purpose. Providing this understanding of purpose will empower even the worst of students to go on to be productive members of society. The students can only go as far as teachers themselves have gone. As a result if the teacher has not discovered his/her purpose for being alive it is impossible for him/her to empower his/her students to discover theirs. The author therefore challenges teachers everywhere to first discover their purpose and who they were created to be so that they can challenge their students to do the same. The author also equips substitute teachers with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively manage the best and worst classrooms. She reminds the teacher that teaching textbook material is very important and should be put in proper perspective so that they can lead their students to become successful not just in school but in life. The role of the substitute teacher should never be trivialized and when you know your role and operate in that role you can have a tremendous impact on those you teach even if you are in contact with them for only less than one day.