New training program for substitute teachers now available in Virginia
RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- With more than 3,100 teacher vacancies in Virginia, more and more school districts are relying on substitute teachers to educate your children.
“Some data’s even showing that our students are going to spend up to a full academic year before they graduate working with a substitute teacher,” Dr. Stephanie Wall, Director of Learning at Kelly Education, told 8News.
Currently, in addition to certain age and education requirements, the only training Virginia requires for substitute teachers is that they shall “receive orientation to the school's policies and procedures.”
“Some folks might be getting a 20-minute, hey, here’s where the restroom is, and here’s where the keys to get into the building are located. Some folks might be getting a little bit more,” Wall said.
That's why Kelly Education is launching a new online training program to better prepare substitute teachers in Virginia. The company is now offering five, ten or 20-hour training programs to districts in Virginia that focus on classroom management, executing a lesson plan and understanding how students learn.
“We’re seeing substitute teachers cover classrooms for weeks, for months, and if not the entire school year," Wall said. "And especially in those cases, it’s really critical that they’re not just rolling in that movie cart and making sure that the students are behaving and staying in the classroom. They’ve got to advance learning while that teacher is out.”
Dr. Wall said Kelly Education’s substitute teacher training program is already being offered in two other states: Missouri and Wisconsin.