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Every Dog has its Day; apparently, substitute teachers’ day occurs during National Substitute Teacher Recognition Week, or SubWeek, according to The Substitute Teaching Institute at Utah State University. Interestingly, this week of recognition coincides with Teacher Appreciation Week, recognized by parents and administrators, and the National Education Association. There are approximately 270,000 substitute teachers in the United States and it would be interesting to know how many of them received recognition during SubWeek, May 4-8, 2009.
Arguably, substitute teachers are “regular” teachers. In most districts in the United States, substitute teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree. For many of us, it is a choice to work on a part-time basis and our credentials are equal to or better than the contracted teachers; after all, No Child Left Behind mandated highly qualified teachers and specifies requirements for long-term substitutes.
Recent research indicated that students experience the equivalent of one year with a substitute teacher over the course of their education. Sadly, the same research revealed that frequent teacher absences results in lower test scores. This type of research is damaging and may not be relevant. It is entirely possible that the lower test scores reflect poor teacher quality; however, the classroom teacher may be experiencing more absences due to the strains of teaching and it is actually the “regular” teacher responsible for the lower test scores.
At any rate, substitute teachers join the ranks of many under-respected, underpaid, and overlooked professionals that include law enforcement, firefighters, and social workers. At least substitute teachers are sustained by the thought that every dog has its day and for substitute teachers it is during SubWeek.
Refernces
Miller, R. (2008). Tales of teacher absence: New research yields patterns that speak to policymakers. Retrieved November 6, 2009 from, http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2008/10/teacher_absence.html
Substitute Teaching Institute at Utah State University. (2009). Retrieved November 6, 2009 from, http://stedi.org/subm/events/subweek/
Tamara Ryan
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