No matter what job you have, developing in your role is important to success. One way to grow is to get feedback both formally and informally. So, how is substitute teacher performance evaluated—and by whom?
Informal evaluations are the most common way substitute teachers, paraeducators, and support staff are evaluated. From the moment you arrive until you leave, faculty, staff , students, and administrators in the school are observing your work and interactions.
Depending on their performance evaluation of you, your likelihood of returning to the school for future teaching assignments is impacted. It’s up to you to ensure your impact is positive.
The front office staff are the first people you communicate with when you arrive at school. They are busy people, but they will notice whether you have a warm or cool greeting, professional appearance, and seem flustered or confident. If you’re late, this may negatively impact their impression.
Other teachers, especially those in close proximity to the classroom in which you are working, may evaluate your effectiveness based on how well you manage your class. For example, if they hear you yelling or if noise from your classroom echoes through the hallway, they may report it to an administrator. The teacher for whom you are covering will also note if you followed their instructions.
Paraprofessionals within your classroom will observe how well you manage the classroom, execute the lesson plans, and engage students in learning. If you make an excellent or poor impression, it will likely be noted and shared. Likewise, district teachers may share their impression of substitute paras with the principal.
Co-workers will also note their interactions with you outside the classroom.
Students will evaluate substitute teacher performance and provide feedback to the returning teacher and/or their parents about their day with you as th eir substitute teacher. They will also share with their parents. Parent complaints won’t help an administrative evaluation of your work. Here are a few tips:
Principals want the school day to run smoothly. They will hear and process information from other school employees and students about substitute teachers whose performance is amazing—or not. It is likely that substitutes who don’t fit into the school culture won’t be invited to return.
Make an effort to introduce yourself to principals and contact them for support and recommendations.
Most of the information above also applies to support staff, like food service workers, custodians, and nurses. For many of these roles, certain policies, such as HIPAA or OSHA regulations, must be followed.
Familiarize yourself with the rules and restrictions involved in your position, and don’t be afraid to ask questions to clarify — your initiative will make a good impression.
If you work for a staffing partner, like Kelly Education, you are accountable to them because they are your Employer of Record. That means you should report to them (not the district) if you need to call off an assignment, have an injury at work, or experience something unusual. When you break policies, the district may informally or formally report it to the agency.
At Kelly, we pride ourselves on providing schools with top-notch educators and school support staff (custodians, food service, etc.). Informal and formal evaluation is a key component of maintaining our reputation for success.
School districts typically work through the processes set up by human resources departments to evaluate their team members.
There are also ways for the principal or district to submit more formal substitute teacher performance evaluation to a staffing partner. Kelly Education uses a risk management system that allows school officials to make reports regarding potential disciplinary actions that may be necessary if a substitute breaks school or Kelly Education policies. This system is available online 24/7. At Kelly, we also have a formal way to collect positive feedback about our employees. Our A+ program recognizes great educators who go above and beyond. Additionally, our Substitute Educator of the Year ( SEOTY ) award program receives hundreds of nominations annually!
There are a few ways to make a good impression:
If you or someone you know is interested in substitute teaching jobs, fill out our brief interest form, and one of our recruiters will contact you to answer your questions. We’ll also share more about opportunities to become a substitute teacher or support staff with one of our school district partners.