When most people want to take some time off, they just clear it with their bosses and have a good time while their co-workers are at the office. For school teachers, it is not that simple. An adult has to be in the classroom. When a teacher takes off a school day, the substitute teacher takes over the teacher's schedule for that day.

More than anything, the substitute is there to maintain discipline and get at least something on the teacher's lesson plan done.

If you can do that, you will be a successful substitute teacher.

The Selection Process

Substitute teachers are hired by school districts rather than individual schools. In addition to filling out a district's application, applicants may be asked to complete some sort of pre-emploment testing and provide proof of certifications if they are required.

The Education You'll Need

Education requirements vary from state to state. Some states require educator certification and a college degree while others only require a high school education or equivalent. In some districts more education may mean higher pay, so be sure to list all your education on your application.

The Experience You Need

Substitute teaching positions usually do not require any experience. Because experience is not required, substitute teaching can be an excellent way for someone to try out the teaching profession prior to investing too much time and energy into it.

After substituting a few times you can get a feel for how a typical teacher's day will flow depending on the grade level of the class.

You can also see common discipline problems associated with each grade level and observe how other teachers handle the situations that come up through the course of the day.

College students pursuing a teaching career sometimes schedule their classes so that they have days during the week to substitute teach. This allows them to earn some money while gaining practice in their profession.

What You'll Do

Once you are in the substitute teaching routine, you will have planned days that you will be substituting and days when you're called early in the morning to go to a particular school. The more established you are in the district, the more planned days you will have because teachers will request you for their classes.

Many districts now have online systems where substitutes can accept jobs and teachers can schedule substitutes they know and are confident can handle their classes. For days when teachers call in sick, the online systems are sometimes linked to automated phone systems that eliminate the need for an administrative technician to man the district's phone line for teachers calling in sick.

For a planned absence, an experienced teacher will leave you with more than enough to do with the expectation that some of it will be done. This will help you keep the students busy and therefore less likely to cause discipline problems. It also won't leave you floundering trying to figure out something to do that is safe and maintains a reasonable volume.

Unplanned absences are a wildcard. The teacher's lesson plans should be available to you, but you may not have the expertise to deliver the material planned for the day. On top of that, the students will be used to their regular teacher's teaching style and habits. On these days, you just have to do your best to muddle through. If the students are alive and you haven't had any major discipline problems, count the day as a good one.

If you are a good substitute teacher, word about you will spread like wildfire, and you'll be turning down almost as many jobs as you accept.

What You'll Earn

Substitute teachers typically make between $50 and $150 per day they work. Some districts pay more for substitutes with degrees or certifications. They may also increase a substitute teacher's salary as the substitute's tenure accumulates.