Why should I become a Para-educator substitute?

So you're thinking about becoming a teacher?

Why not become a Para-educator substitute? I'm sure most of you don't ask yourself this question, but I've met several people recently who told me they were interested in teaching. I personally am very glad that I was steered toward this opportunity when I was exploring my career options prior to graduate school. In those days, all I knew I wanted to be a teacher, preferably working with ELLs, but beyond that I had no idea. Elementary, middle or high? What subject/s? What kind of school (K-5, K-8, 6-8, K-12, 9-12)? I didn't really have any idea. And I knew nothing whatsoever about Special Ed. Well luckily for me, a couple of people shoved me in the right direction: Classified (Paraeducator) Substitute.

What is a Para-educator? Para-educators usually work in tandem with a certified teacher or a specialist. Usually they work in Special Education settings, but not always-you can also work in ESL, or other specialized support functions within a school. A Special Education Para-educator usually works with students in seslf-contained classrooms, but some provide supports for students receiving Special Education services who spend most of the day in mainstream classrooms. Others work with students one-on-one. In Special Education, the job is quite varied, and you work with students from birth (early intervention programs) through age 21. Bilingual paras work with students who need language support, and often work in mainstream classrooms, but some work in self-contained ESL classrooms.

Being a para-educator substitute means you can test-drive an entire district and see the inside of numerous schools. You can get a better feel for different age groups and school configurations. You'll have the opportunity to see both special education programs and regular education programs because most special education students spend time in both settings. Para-educators work with students in the classroom, school district programs, work-sites, and community-based settings, so as a sub you'll get a whirlwind tour of what your district has to offer. This is a level of exposure most pre-service (aspiring) educators never have prior to taking classes, and would probably benefit from. This is a good way to figure out what you're good at and not good at. This is a good way to see what you might be interested in doing, and a good way to figure out what you definitely aren't interested in doing. This is a safe and easy way to explore where your career interests lie. I'm glad I did it.

Para-educator substitute teaching offers a safe, low-risk way to test drive a lot of aspects of education with minimal risk on your part. Unlike volunteer work, you get paid. You can gain great work experience and face time in a school district you might want to work in later as a certified teacher. You can mentally note which schools you might want to work at--or not. You'll experience a much greater range of diversity than you would working at a single site. You'll know quite a lot about the variety of schools and programs offered by a district, and probably to a certain extent, the curriculum.

This is ideal for a pre-service aspiring teaching candidate, because if you have a few years of college under your belt, and some experience with children, you can get your foot in the door. What you'll need to be good at this job is the same set of skills you'll need as a future teacher: flexibility, patience, tact, an understanding of kids, good communication skills, and some familiarity with office equipment. The rest you can learn as you go.

For me, the best part about being a substitute is meeting so many kids. I often forget the names, but I'm pretty sure I remember most of the faces. Kids love paras so it's usually a very positive experience. I learned some pretty surprising things about myself while I was out there. One thing was that I am surprisingly good at working with kids who have Autism. Special Education was always very mysterious to me, but I learned that labels don't matter a whole lot, and that kids are kids are kids, and a pretty standard set of moves will work with most. I learned that teens can be fun, and I still like them the best. I learned that kids with MR are total sweethearts. I learned a lot from the teachers I've worked with/for. The experience gave my later graduate school classes a meaningful context. I got a lot of good advice about school. I also have a really good idea of what to look for in a future job/school. Above all, the best part about doing para subbing is that I can continue exploring aspects of education that I never learned about in graduate school on a totally flexible schedule. Although I ostensibly use para subbing to fill the holes in what's available on the certified subbing list, I do appreciate the fact that I can choose to use it as a safe space for exploring the more "advanced topics" in education like Specialized Autism programs, alternative education, and EBD.

So for all of you out there who think you may want to change fields and go into education, I would strongly suggest you do something like this. This is doubly true if you are interested in Special Education and want to see if you really have what it takes. While the pay isn't necessarily spectacular, it does meet the needs of most students who need part-time work, and like all forms of subbing is sublimely flexible. Need to stay home and work on a project instead? No problem. Want to take a class or two? Fine! On the other hand, it looks way better on a resume than a waitressing job.