Want to learn how to become a substitute teacher? Substitute teaching is a stepping stone to a career in education, or it can be good part-time work if you are a mother who wants to have the same hours as your child or children.
How does substitute teaching work?
Substitute teachers can register for nearby schools and can say yes or no to assignments when they come up. Assignments will vary from day jobs to long-term commitments where you may be asked to replace a teacher who has been let go or is on a long-term leave, such as maternity leave or sabbatical. You will get calls the morning of some assignments, but you may have a notice of several weeks if the assignment is known in advance.
What are the substitute teacher requirements?
Substitute teacher requirements vary from state to state. In some states, you do not even have to have a bachelor's degree or any kind of substitute teacher training. In other states, you will need to have a bachelor's degree and a substitute teacher certification, a license granted after you have passed a test of competency.
To find out what your state's requirements for becoming a substitute teacher are, visit teacher-world.com. Most states prefer you have a bachelor's degree and are willing to take a certification test showing proficiency in basic facts. If you wish to substitute in a specific advanced subject, such as a foreign language, advanced math or advanced sciences, you will have to demonstrate adequate knowledge on the subject matter and will most likely have to pass a competency test. However, some states will let you take short-term assignments teaching on any and all levels no matter what your knowledge of the subjects are, as long as you take only short-term and not long-term assignments. Again, the requirements vary from state to state and sometimes even from school district to school district.
How is the pay?
Most substitute teacher jobs pay by the day. Pay varies according to education, experience, region or school district. Substitute teacher pay scales vary from state to state as well. Pay can be as low as $20 a day or as high as $190 a day, with the national average coming in at $105 a day.
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