According to a USA Today report, schools and school districts are deepening their pools of substitute teachers. With the uncertainty of the virus and teacher uncertainty about entering the classroom, substitutes are in high demand for in-class and virtual learning. In normal times, schools struggle to find enough substitute teachers to fill classrooms when the assigned teacher calls in sick or must attend a training session. With increased teacher absences expected due to COVID-19, the need for subs is even greater. And, districts are not certain that there are going to be enough teachers to reopen schools.
Many classrooms may be vacant by teachers who are ill, quarantined, immune-compromised, or caring for a loved one at home who is at high risk of infection. Substitutes will be the next line of essential workers.
According to the USA Report, Kelly Education commissioned the EdWeek Research Center to survey more than 2,000 education leaders from across the country about the need for substitute help. The survey found that 60% of respondents said they were increasingly using substitutes to fill vacancies. Almost two-thirds of the educators who responded to the survey said higher pay and more professional training were needed to maintain and grow the pool of subs.
Training is essential to prepare a potential pool of applicants who may have lost their jobs to COVID-19. These individuals have probably never substituted before. With proper training and encouragement, these individuals may become excellent substitutes.
In order to train a large pool of substitutes for the upcoming school year, virtual courses offer anytime and anywhere learning. Virtual learning will also allow your substitutes to get started immediately to be prepared when the school doors open. By using a virtual learning course, districts may train substitutes throughout the year to constantly increase the substitute pool.
The App-Garden Virtual Leaning offers COVID-19 courses to prepare your substitutes to enter the classroom in this unusual time. The curriculum also includes orientation that covers polices, safety, health, and bloodborne pathogens. Most importantly, for the individuals who are new to the classroom and have not been trained as an educator, An Effective Substitute Teacher Training curriculum is available. This course provides basic information about schooling, classroom management, and tips to be a great substitute. We are here to help! Please reach out to us and let us help you with the challenges of training your substitutes and increasing your substitute pool.