This dissertation explores the lived experience of short-term substitute teachers in K-8 public school settings, aiming to deconstruct common assumptions and identify areas for improvement in support systems. A case-selection variant of an explanatory sequential mixed methods design was utilized. In the first phase of the study, quantitative data…

This study investigates the lived experiences of three casual relief teachers (CRTs) and their work within Australian primary schools for a period of one school year. Practice architecture theory was used as a theoretical framework to examine whether participants saw any advantages to working on a casual basis, how they think casual teaching could…

Casual relief teachers (CRTs) are a significant part of the Australian education system. This paper reports how executive staff, such as principals, deputy principals, and head teachers, support CRTs, and the perceptions that executive staff have about CRTs who work at their schools. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with a…

This qualitative study adopts an analytical autoethnograhic approach to present an exploration of school culture and pedagogic effectiveness as experienced by a casual relief teacher in six P-12 public schools in Victoria, Australia, 2022-2023. Organisational culture theory, as presented by Schein, and culture and effectiveness theory, as…

California will need a stable, high-quality teacher workforce to weather the COVID-19 crisis and support student learning in the coming years. However, persistent and worsening teacher shortages threaten the state's ability to meet that need. Teacher shortages, which are often most acute in high-need fields and high-need schools, more severely…

In the 2017-2019 operating budget, the Legislature appropriated $5,000 to create a child care workforce development technical workgroup (Workgroup) and directed the Department of Early Learning (now the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, or DCYF) to convene a group consisting of 13 stakeholders to develop recommendations for the…

Nearly half of U.S. schools are facing COVID-related staff shortages that threaten the efforts to shape programming and invest in resources to solve students' unfinished learning. Without enough teachers and support staff, students won't receive rigorous instruction, won't have access to targeted intensive tutoring to address their unfinished…

Casual academics form the backbone of learning and teaching practice in higher education in many developed countries and in many respects can be considered the norm around which academic policy and practice might be formed. Yet a narrative inquiry into the lived experience of women casual academics within Australian universities reveals that…

Effective professional development (PD) can be a powerful tool in school success and teacher satisfaction; however, teachers often report their PD experiences as lackluster or not responsive to their immediate needs (Desimone, 2011; Guskey, 2009; Lutrick & Szabo, 2012). Teachers need professional support in today's educational environment to…

Research suggests that many substitute teachers do not have the educational pedagogy or teacher certification necessary to be considered highly qualified by the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. To address that concern, professional development training for substitute teachers who lack proper certification and educational pedagogy has become an…

This article explores the expectations of support for and the experiences of substitute teachers in an urban school division in Saskatchewan. Data were collected in semistructured interviews with seven substitute teachers. The purpose of the study was to explore how substitute teachers frame their professional experiences and construct their roles…

Describes the development of a substitute teacher training program. The process began with surveys of substitute teachers, classroom teachers, and administrators about what such a program would require, following which a committee was formed to make recommendations on program design, materials, and delivery; conduct a literature review on…

Presents results from the First Annual SubConference: A National Conference on Substitute Teaching. The theme was "Best Practices in Managing Substitute Teaching." The conference examined what works and what does not work concerning practices and policies related to substitute teaching. Topics included recruiting, screening, training,…

An efficient way to help students achieve academically is to maximize the consistent attendance of permanent teachers in the classroom. Students nationwide are spending increased amounts of time with instructors other than their permanent teachers. A large contributor to the problem of teacher absenteeism is mandatory leave for professional…

Though substitute teachers spend significant amounts of time with students, they receive little training. The Substitute Teaching Institute at Utah State University has developed training materials that include six content components: being prepared and professional, classroom management skills, legal and first aid issues, teaching and…