Substitute teachers are not given the credit they deserve. These educators, yes I said educators, often have the same level of college training as certified teachers. In many places across the nation, substitute teachers are required to have at least an undergraduate degree. In Wisconsin, substitute teachers are not only required to have an undergraduate degree, but they are also encouraged to have obtained or work towards obtaining teacher certification. When certified teachers are unable to make it to school, substitute teachers step up each day and ensure that classroom instruction continues. In many places across the nation, substitute teachers are asked to shoulder a significant amount of responsibility, especially if they are long-term substitutes. The work they do is important to helping our children to ameliorate their academic achievement.

Substitute teachers are professionals. They deserve to be considered as more than “babysitters.” When you think of substitute teachers as “babysitters,” you are being tremendously disrespectful to these professionals. Most substitute teachers have other jobs or careers besides their substitute teaching positions. You should not, therefore, assume that these professionals don’t have professional lives outside of the classroom. Most substitute teachers could become certified teachers if they desired, but they elect not to because their work outside of the classroom does not allow them to be full-time teachers. Being a certified teacher is a full-time job. When one commits to being a certified teacher, he or she has committed to a full-time career. This is one of the dominant reasons why substitute teachers don’t become certified teachers—their schedules simply will not allow them.

Students should not view having substitute teachers in the classroom as an opportunity to abandon their responsibilities in the classroom. They should work just as hard as they do when their regular teachers are in the classroom. When I was in middle and high school, I took substitute teachers for granted. I thought that they were just people who needed a job that didn’t require them to have much skill and education. My lack of respect for the position and them led me to perceive substitute teachers in the classroom as opportunities to misbehave and just play around for the entire duration of class.

When I graduated from high school and learned the important role of substitute teachers, I deeply regretted my views about them and how I disrespected them. My undergraduate experience taught me just how vital they are to our children’s education. Substitute teachers are not placeholders—they are valuable contributing members to our children’s future. I had good substitute teachers but I didn’t give myself an opportunity to benefit from their true value.

Parents can play a stronger role in helping substitute teachers to have a better experience with doing their jobs by teaching their children to give substitute teachers just as much respect as they do their regular teachers. When a student sees a substitute teacher in the classroom, this should not signal for him or her that it’s time to play. A substitute teacher should signal that it’s business as usual in the classroom.

I want to thank all substitute teachers for the often thankless work you do. The work that you all do makes a difference in advancing the academic achievement of our children. Thank you!

Antonio Maurice Daniels

University of Wisconsin-Madison