A Unique Relationship
Schools and substitute teachers have a unique relationship. Outside of education, there aren’t many places that depend on people stepping in for a day to keep things running smoothly.
The nature of being a substitute teacher means that you often go where you are needed, helping different schools, grades, and classes. There are a lot of firsts—first time at a school campus, first time teaching a certain subject or grade level, or the first time you supervise a lunchroom as part of your duties.
Because you are a guest at the school and not a part of the permanent staff, it can be difficult to understand what is common, expected, and appropriate in your relationship with the schools.
Here are some tips to help you understand school perspectives and help you build great relationships with schools!
Flexibility
Schools have a lot of moving pieces in terms of schedules and staffing. Schools do their best to post their needs by specific teachers/classes, but if you work as a substitute long enough, you will likely get asked at some point to shift to a different class or need than the one you accepted.
For example, maybe you accepted a job to teach a kindergarten class, but when you arrive, the school changes and asks you to cover a 5th-grade class. This might feel unfair or dishonest. Please understand that this means the school is probably facing an unexpected staff absence, and your support is most helpful in this new class.
In this example, perhaps the school makes the hard decision to have a kindergarten aide take the class, and they move you since the 5th grade doesn’t have an aide…in other words, that is where they really need your support now.
Schools share that flexibility is a top reason that they give substitutes a 5-star rating and favorite them for more jobs.
In addition, they also share that those are the individuals who they contact to offer full-time positions when they open up.
Communication with Schools
You might wonder: How does communication with schools work on the Senya app? When should I communicate with schools? Or when should I reach out to Senya instead? Here are some answers to those questions!
What the Senya App Does Automatically
Schools receive an email whenever substitutes accept or cancel a job, so you don’t need to contact schools—although it is polite to reach out personally when you cancel last-minute to explain your emergency and apologize for leaving them in a tough spot. This goes a long way with building relationships.
When to Contact Schools
If you aren’t sure about contacting a school, don’t hesitate to use the Chat with Us feature on the Senya app. Our customer support is happy to offer guidance.
Here are a few common situations that you can or should reach out to a school directly:
- When you are interested in a job on the Senya app but have a questionsome text
- For example, you might be interested in covering a long-term need, but you have a prior commitment on one of the days. Is the school okay with you missing one day out of the longer range? Call and ask!
- When you are going to be latesome text
- It is not only polite, but also many schools cancel the job when a substitute has not arrived on time. Check in so the school knows you are still coming and your ETA!
- When you can take a job that has already startedsome text
- Some schools are willing to have substitutes come even though school has started, and others make arrangements to cover the class, so you are required to contact the school and make sure before you go.
- When you see school feedback that is clearly a mistake, such as references to someone else’s name or a class that you didn’t sub for
When You Shouldn’t Contact Schools
Schools have shared that they are frustrated when substitutes reach out
- to solicit high ratings
- to ask to be favorited
- to argue a low rating
Schools share that these kinds of interactions turn them off from wanting to have you return to their school. If you receive a low rating and the school doesn't leave any feedback, consider these common reasons that might have been a factor in the school's rating:
- arriving late
- being on your cell phone
- remaining at the teacher desk all day (not circulating and engaging with students)
- not following the teacher's lesson plan
- discussing personal life details or other off-task topics
- leaving students unattended
- yelling at students
What if I get a rating that I disagree with or think was a mistake?
Schools are able to rate substitutes on the Senya platform, and on the flip side, substitutes are able to rate schools. When schools or substitutes receive a low rating, there is often a disagreement about something that happened or an expectation that either side felt was unfair.
Senya does not mediate rating disputes, and our platform's data shows that rarely (almost never) do schools or substitutes change a rating. Whatever the circumstances, substitutes may choose to not accept jobs at a particular school in the future, and schools are able to block substitutes who do not meet their expectations.
Occasionally schools may make a mistake, such as when they have many subs on campus for a day. A clear sign that it might have been a mistake is if the school comments reference another sub's name, a class that you did not cover, or things that you did not experience. For example, if the comments mention that you were an hour late, but you were on time, the school may have gotten their reviews mixed up. If you think a low rating was given by mistake, you are encouraged to contact the school to politely ask about the rating. Keep in mind that reaching out aggressively will make things worse, and substitutes can be deactivated from the Senya platform for using inflammatory or inappropriate language toward school personnel.
How to Contact Schools
Calling the school office, or emailing the person who posted the job, is the best way to get direct answers to your questions. Calling the school office can be hit-or-miss, especially during arrival and dismissal times, so be patient, especially if your question is not urgent.
You can find contact information by searching up the school’s website. If you have trouble, you can also use the Chat with Us feature on Senya for customer support.
