This year, multiple classes have had to face the issue of long-term substitute teachers, with teachers in Forensic Science, Spanish four and AP Literature all missing some substantial time. Lots of discussion around the use of long-term subs and how they affect the classroom has been had over the years; however, the issue has been very prevalent at WJ this year, and the problematic effects of learning from a long-term sub have become evident.
Sometimes, for one reason or another, a teacher has to take a break from teaching and is unable to be with their classes and students for an extended period of time. This is unavoidable, and as a result, a scramble to find a replacement is quickly made. This often results in substitutes who may not be used to the school or the subject, which can result in a turbulent atmosphere in the classroom.
Long-term subs have to quickly learn about the grading policy, adjust to the curriculum and try to keep everything running as it was, which can be exceptionally difficult. Of course, this also puts a strain on the students, who have to deal with rapid change, uncertainty with grading and lots of overall confusion.
Long-term subs in AP classes can also make preparing for the AP exam more difficult, as gaps in content coverage are more likely to occur and the impacts of that are more heavily felt in AP classes than in any other.
More than just the confusion and chaos a long-term sub can cause, they can also seriously affect the learning experience for students. Teaching is often a lot less stable with a long-term sub, and sometimes parts of the curriculum may be accidentally skipped over or not explained well. Additionally, long-term subs are less likely to be able to provide thorough explanations for questions students may have, making it harder for students to grasp difficult concepts.
Long-term subs do cause a lot of stress for students, especially in terms of missed content, and are often put in very difficult positions just by the nature of their jobs, but this can be dealt with, or at least handled in a more productive way.
One solution to help the long-term sub situation is to make sure the sub in question is at the very least familiar with the class being taught. While the shortage of substitutes available is definitely a concern, for long-term situations it should be a priority to bring out teachers who are familiar with teaching the class at hand. There have been scenarios this year at WJ where the long-term subs were a little unfamiliar with the content being covered, which only makes it more difficult for the sub and for the students.
Another potential solution is to get other teachers from the same department to temporarily cover the class, although that also may come with restraints due to time restrictions and willingness.
Regardless, the current long-term sub situation could definitely be improved upon, and that should be a focus for MCPS and WJ.
