Try new assignments as a substitute teacher.

November 8, 2024

Stuck in a bit of a rut? Want to make more money or gain new perspectives and skills? Try breaking out of your usual substitute teacher assignments routine. Accept an assignment in a different grade level, new school, or unfamiliar subject.

Benefits of taking new substitute teacher assignments:

Might discover something you enjoy more.
Expand skillset
Opportunity to make more money
More job satisfaction

Find something new that you prefer.

By diversifying into areas you've never taught before, you may discover a subject you enjoy. Biology, chemistry, physics, or advanced math, for example, might sound intimidating, but they can also be interesting. And even though you may have little experience with music, foreign language, computer science, art, phys ed, special education, or career and technical courses, they could be a welcome change. And who knows? Maybe something will even pique your interest enough to become an interest or hobby in your free time. Check out this guide when substitute teaching new subjects.   Additionally, you might find a new favorite grade level when you take a new substitute teacher assignment. Have you limited yourself to just high school or elementary school? Have you heard that middle school is a waking nightmare? For some teachers, middle school is their favorite. Try other grade levels. You might just enjoy it! 

Expand your skill set.

You’ll likely encounter unfamiliar concepts and ideas when teaching a new subject or grade level. It can be exhilarating to learn new knowledge or see how your understanding of a topic can be broadened or applied in a way you hadn’t considered before.

Reinvigorate your professional outlook.

As you expand into grades or roles you haven’t tried before, you’ll gain new skills and knowledge, which in turn will boost your confidence. When you grow as a professional, you get a fresh perspective on your career.   Soon, you’ll be keeping a special eye out for those substitute teaching experiences you haven’t had yet, and you’ll excitedly choose those jobs over the same-old same-old.

Make more money with a variety of substitute teacher assignments.

This can be true for two reasons. First, when you expand your horizons, you can take more assignments. When you look at your app to see what jobs are available, you'll feel comfortable accepting just about any one of them. Second, some jobs — such as special education — may have a higher pay rate.

Develop your repertoire.

A repertoire? That's right: your repertoire of instructional and management strategies. For example, several strategies you use to manage the 4th grade art class can be used in a 12-grade physics class. You'll also find that you need to adapt well-loved strategies and learn some new ones. As you work in various teaching environments and with different teachers in different schools, you'll pick up many more good experiences, tips, and suggestions.

A sense of personal satisfaction.

By stepping out of your comfort zone, you may have the opportunity to teach in schools in underserved communities or classes with underserved students. By giving these students your personal attention and assistance, you could impact them in a way that they'll never forget. So, if teaching for you is a calling, branching out into other areas could add meaning and purpose to your career.

Grow as a substitute teacher with Kelly Education.

For more guidance on working as a substitute teacher, check out our library of articles, including:

If you'd like to make a difference as a substitute teacher, we'd love to talk to you. We're proud to provide comprehensive training that sets you up for success on your first day in the classroom and beyond. Fill out our interest form to talk to a recruiter about substitute teaching jobs with one of our school district partners.