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Substitute Teachers, Short-Term

In the Substitute Teachers, Short-Term occupation, workers teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan. The job can ask you to enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom. With a code of SCA, this is mostly a job for people drawn to helping, teaching or caring for people. Conventional interests also help, rated 3.7 out of 7. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in speaking, reading comprehension, and active listening helps most here. People who want helping, teaching or caring for people usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.

What they do

Teach students on a short-term basis as a temporary replacement for a regular classroom teacher, typically using the regular teacher's lesson plan.

Main tasks

  • Enforce school and class rules to maintain order in the classroom.
  • Answer students' questions.
  • Follow lesson plans designed by absent teachers.
  • Take class attendance and maintain attendance records.
  • Supervise students during activities outside the classroom, such as recess, lunch, and field trips.
  • Teach social skills to students, such as communication, conflict resolution, and etiquette.

Skills

  • Speaking
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Active Listening
  • Social Perceptiveness
  • Monitoring
  • Instructing

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You get energy from helping other people move forward.
  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
  • You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 2.2 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SCA takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Bachelor's Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Building Sub (Building Substitute)
  • Building Sub Teacher (Building Substitute Teacher)
  • Child Development Sub Teacher (Child Development Substitute Teacher)
  • ESL Sub (English as a Second Language Substitute)
  • HS Sub Teacher (High School Substitute Teacher)

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.