Zooming In on Substitute Teaching with Debbie Hattery

Melissa Milner introduces herself as the host of the "Teacher as Podcast," a show aimed at educators.
Melissa mentions the podcast's seventh season and its growing audience.
Episodes are released every other week, and listeners are encouraged to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Melissa announces the Career Mentorship Program, Major Choice, as a new sponsor of the podcast.

Debbie Hattery introduces herself as a substitute teacher in a district school in Massachusetts.
She shares her background, including her upbringing in Iowa, her husband, and their move to Massachusetts in 1997.
Debbie discusses her career starting with the College National Honor Society in Atlanta, Georgia.
She explains her interest in higher education and her journey to obtaining a master's degree in higher education administration.

Debbie describes her career in higher education policy, working for the Board of Higher Education and the Department of Higher Education.
She mentions her experience teaching higher education policy as an adjunct professor.
The onset of COVID-19 led Debbie to become a substitute teacher, starting with para positions to understand the classroom dynamics.
Debbie shares her initial nervousness and the challenges she faced transitioning from higher education to substitute teaching.

Debbie discusses the importance of starting as a para to understand classroom dynamics and teacher expectations.
She emphasizes the need for substitute teachers to be friendly but firm and to set expectations early.
Debbie highlights the value of knowing the building and the faculty to ease into substitute teaching.
She shares her experience of gradually taking on more challenging teaching roles, including long-term sub positions.

Debbie provides tips for new substitute teachers, including the importance of arriving early to the classroom.
She advises writing names on the board and using consistent language to maintain classroom routines.
Debbie suggests having a sub bag with essential items like a clipboard, highlighter, books, and joke books.
She emphasizes the importance of learning student names quickly and using them to build rapport.

Debbie explains her role as a substitute teacher coordinator for the district, focusing on elementary schools.
She describes her efforts to improve the sub community by conducting listening sessions with principals and subs.
Debbie highlights the importance of training subs in classroom management and smart board usage.
She mentions the implementation of online courses for subs and the organization of open houses to recruit new subs.

Debbie discusses the need for district-wide training on topics like CPR, allergies, and emergency drills.
She shares her experience of being caught in fire drills and the importance of understanding evacuation routes.
Debbie emphasizes the need for subs to be flexible and communicate with building managers if they are uncomfortable with an assignment.
She highlights the importance of providing subs with detailed sub plans and supporting materials.

Debbie talks about the challenges of retaining subs and the need to build a supportive community.
She mentions the importance of recognizing and rewarding subs for their contributions.
Debbie shares her efforts to create a positive sub culture by providing resources and support.
She discusses the impact of her role on improving the sub experience and increasing the number of returning subs.

Debbie reflects on the personal and professional growth she has experienced through substitute teaching.

She highlights the importance of giving back to the community and making a difference in students' lives.
Debbie shares her appreciation for the opportunity to learn from experienced teachers.
She encourages other professionals to consider substitute teaching as a rewarding experience.

Melissa Milner thanks Debbie for sharing her expertise and experiences.
Debbie offers to provide additional resources and tips for substitute teachers and teachers preparing sub plans.
Melissa mentions the possibility of creating a blog post with Debbie's tips and resources.
The episode concludes with Melissa encouraging listeners to rate and review the podcast and to check out the teacher as Facebook page for updates.

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