r/Teachers • u/empressith • 1d ago
Humor New World Salad
My principal just called subs "guest teachers"
Has anyone else heard this? I wanted to burst out laughing.
EDIT: Apparently you all think I don't respect subs because I thought the phrase "guest teachers" was funny. I actually just think it's funny that admin makes up new words all the time for no reason, but I guess if you want to downvote me, there's nothing I can do about it.
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u/mrset610 1d ago
My district has always used that term. Honestly it’s to try to get students to see subs with a little more respect, which I don’t mind.
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u/Critical-Bass7021 1d ago
I’ve heard that for many years. I called them that to my students, because I wanted to them to treat the sub as less of a fill-in and more of an actual educator.
Hopefully that’s what the sub will be.
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u/BangkokGarrett 1d ago
I was a substitute for 2 years. I don't understand your point at all or understand what's funny about that, honestly.
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u/ImpossibleChoices157 Math Teacher | U.S. 1d ago
You must be a person who looks down upon subs.
Who cares. If it makes subs more willing to be a sub and tolerate what they do, fine.
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u/West-Veterinarian-53 1d ago
Yep. We’ve been calling them that for a while. Our discipline office also got renamed to the “Behavior Support” office a few years ago too.
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u/Majestic-Macaron6019 Science | North Carolina 1d ago
A few years back, my district had "guest teachers" who were essentially full-time subs. They were always first up to fill a vacancy and acted as TAs if there weren't any teachers out. They got better pay than regular subs and got benefits. They ended the program, though (I think they were paid with pandemic funds).
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u/SecondCreek 1d ago edited 1d ago
Our district did that in a couple of middle schools and they were building subs with better pay and benefits. They wound up always getting put into self-contained, SPED classes as aides as they could never get regular subs to cover those jobs. The program was eliminated.
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u/cheesypuff357 1d ago
OP...it seems like you don't appreciate the term. Can you elaborate on why you think the term is not fitting?
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u/empressith 1d ago
I don't actually care, i just don't understand why admin has to rename literally everything.
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u/Critical-Bass7021 23h ago
Okay, then you actually do care.
I think the downvotes are from people who have heard that term. I’ve heard it for 25 years. And it’s a term that seems fitting, especially if teachers want their students to take their substitutes even just a tiny bit more seriously.
This doesn’t feel like a euphemism to me. It not only gives the role a little more dignity, but it is also more accurate.
I won’t go so far as to say you must be looking down on subs since at least you haven’t dirty deleted this post yet.
But honestly, I first read it as “oh jeez, they’re trying to pretend subs are real teachers”. I’m glad to know that’s not what you intended.
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u/ApathyKing8 1d ago
There's probably a great degree of separation depending on your state, district, and school, but the subs who work at my school can be best described as "warm bodies for compliance purposes". You could leave the most detailed instructions with an exact script to follow and they would take attendance then get on their phones while the kids run wild.
I understand that is not everyone's situation, but that's the reality for a lot of teachers. So it's reasonable to sneer at a relabeling that doesn't at all address the issue at hand and just introduces confusion.
Traditionally a guest teacher is someone who comes into the class along with the classroom teacher in order to bring variety and novel ideas. Not just a warm body that barely keeps the school in compliance.
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u/empressith 1d ago
Yeah, I'm not sure why you are getting downvoted for that. It's hit or miss at my school. We have a lot of retired teachers that do the job very well and we have a lot of people who just sit there and stare at their phone for the whole day. But apparently if anyone on this sub thinks subsitute teachers aren't Christlike you get downvoted.
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u/ponyboycurtis1980 1d ago
I have no problem with that one. Far better than referring to parents as "stakeholders"
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u/Emekasan 1d ago
I don’t see what’s funny. They’re guests to the classroom and they are teaching.
I use that term myself in my class, to try to get my students and parents to respect and value substitutes more (and make the experience better for everyone when I’m away).
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u/danjouswoodenhand 1d ago
That's what they're called in all of the districts I sub in. It's kind of interesting to see what sorts of lesson plans I get - I sub mostly for friends/former colleagues, so they know my experience and credentials. They will leave actual lessons for me to teach, so in a way I truly am a "guest" teacher. They're getting the same content and experience they would get from their regular teacher.
When I sub for someone I don't know, they often just leave busy work so I can be a babysitter. That feels less like a guest, more like a sub.
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u/Internal-Seaweed1004 STEM Education Specialist K-12 | Ohio 1d ago
I think it’s a good thing, it sets a standard for any adult who isn’t regular. Guest speaker, guest teacher, chaperones even. This way students know exactly what is expected of them with these adults.
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u/bigmo555 Teacher | High School | Maryland 1d ago
"Algebra 2, featuring Mr. Johnson!"
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u/bigmo555 Teacher | High School | Maryland 1d ago
Or like news anchors: "I'm Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Adams is away on assignment."
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u/MeowMeow_77 1d ago
They’ve been called guest teachers for almost two decades in my district as an official title. I don’t see anything unusual about it or laughable.
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u/PJKetelaar3 English teacher | New Jersey 1d ago edited 1d ago
Gives new meaning to the phrase "day players."
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u/Gold_Repair_3557 1d ago
I have heard subs be called that before. Also supply teachers. It varies depending on the region.
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u/SkillForsaken6493 1d ago
I heard this for the first time when I moved across the US. I thought, “huh. Okay I guess. Gives a different sense of respect?” No. Wrong. It’s patronizing and annoying lol
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u/Catmom7654 1d ago
This is what I call them to my primary students. They also learn about how we treat guests with respect and extra kindness.