Home Introduction The Role of the Substitute Preparing to Substitute Characteristics Inventory Classroom Management for Substitutes Substitute Success Kit Building Your Substitute Portfolio Leaving Your Class with a Substitute Stories from the Field Florida Department of Education Teach in Florida



"I'm sure every substitute has a story to tell about a day that didn't go too well. In the beginning, I had some rough starts. I still laugh when I think about the call I got to teach keyboarding and I thought I would be teaching music that day! Or the time a self-assured first grader said, "Mr. Wilson, you sure can talk a lot." Even I realized that was not a compliment. If I had a word of advice for new substitute teachers it would be, "Prepare, prepare and then prepare some more." The great thing about being a substitute teacher is that you don't have the grading, extra meetings and lesson preparation that a regular teacher has. But you do have to have your own bag of tricks of the trade that can get you to the end of the day with a feeling of satisfaction. I love what I do. I learn something new every day that I am with students. And I'm proud to know I'm doing something really important."

                             Anwar, Substitute Teacher and Actor