WEA's Emergency Substitute Teacher Support Project
Substitute educators meet a vital need
Substitute educators face one of the most challenging jobs in education today. And, they are crucial to our public education community. They are expected to step into an unknown class, often in an unknown building, on very short notice, and pick up ongoing lessons without the benefit of knowing exactly where a teacher left off or what material students have already covered.
Statewide, the WEA Emergency Substitute Teacher Support Project provides professional development, community, and career coaching to emergency substitutes and substitutes - and is led, designed, and delivered by current practitioners and leaders from around the state. The project is funded through a partnership grant with OSPI.
Mission statement
The Emergency Substitute Teacher Support Project’s mission is to change the culture of how emergency substitute educators and the greater substitute community are supported, trained, and valued within public education.
Career Coaching
Career coaches support mentees in navigating resources and systems while guiding mentees in making their own well-informed decisions based on all available information and personal best bit.
Career Coaching 101: This is a 2-hour informational session for emergency substitutes interested in pursuing full teacher certification. During this session, career coaches provide guidance for personal goal setting, funding considerations and certification requirements, routes, & programs. Career Coaching 101 is recommended prior to registering for 1-on-1 career coaching.
1-on-1 Coaching: At the end of each Career Coaching 101 session, interested participants are invited to register for 1-on-1 coaching with an ESTS Project career coach. Participants can schedule up to 5 one-hour sessions for additional support navigating resources, systems, and options. If you are interested in 1-on-1 coaching, but unable to attend a group session (recommended first step), you can register here.
WEA SubAcad
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SubAcademy events invite emergency substitutes, as well as any other substitutes, for a half-day of in-person or virtual professional development offering multiple courses specifically designed for substitutes.
SubCollaborative
SubCollaborative is a monthly online series to support emergency substitute educators and certificated substitute educators in developing and refining their instructional and professional practices. Each month, the SubCollaborative will focus on a specific topic (e.g. classroom management, student engagement, high leverage instructional practices, classroom technology) aligned with ESTS Project professional development offerings to dig deeper into the selected topic and allow attendees to discuss the topic in practice with their peers in breakout groups (e.g. regional, grade level, subject matter).
Free Online EST and Substitute Educator Professional Development Courses
WEA's Emergency Substitute Teacher Support Project is providing professional development via Zoom. When you register, you will automatically receive an email with a Zoom link. Courses are free for all Washington ESTs and subs
titute teachers.
SUBposium
School district and association staff join together to share and collaborate ways they support substitutes across the state. WEA's SUBposium is an opportunity to focus on leaders who are providing support and professional development for substitutes. Attendees collaborate, share and provide feedback to each other. They also receive resources to support their locals, districts and regions.
SUBposium Monthly Check-Ins
This course is a monthly series to provide ongoing support of district professionals who work with substitute educators in identifying, developing, and strengthening strategies, resources, and opportunities for substitute educators to grown in their professional practice.
Stay connected
Join the Emergency Substitute Teacher Support Project contact list.
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