When teachers take leaves of absence, it can be hard for students to learn without proper replacements.
Math teacher Jayne Flynn left on maternity leave, leaving her classes in the hands of a sub who students felt was inadequate to teach the subject.
“He [the substitute] did not know how to teach and didn’t know much about math, and even said himself that he did not understand the math and couldn’t help us. It felt like he was just a sub to watch us during class time, instead of teaching us what we were learning,” junior Hannah Bassett, one of Flynn’s Algebra II students, said.
When teachers go on leave, often students must learn the material on their own. Without a substitute teacher who understands the lessons, it can be difficult to fully understand concepts.
“I don’t think it was fair that I had to teach myself the material, because if I didn’t understand something, I had no one to ask for help,” sophomore Madison Welch, another one of Flynn’s Algebra II students, said.
“I don’t think it was fair that I had to teach myself the material, because if I didn’t understand something, I had no one to ask for help.”
– Madison Welch
Sophomore
Some feel it would be more beneficial to find substitute teachers with knowledge on the subjects they are subbing for. Math teacher Jordan Fitzpatrick feels that it is important the district finds a qualified person sooner, to make it easier on everyone.
“The district certainly needs to do a better job of making sure classes are covered by qualified personnel prior to a teacher going on leave,” Fitzpatrick said. “A long-term sub that is able to teach the content should be found far enough in advance so that a teacher can run them through their classroom procedures and lesson plans before they go on leave.”
Many students thought art teacher, Eleni Kelley, set a good example of how the school handled finding a long-term substitute well. Liz Lloyd was hired as a temporary teacher, and students felt she knew the subject and was able to continue teaching them without too much difficulty.
“I felt like Ms. Lloyd knew a lot about art and knows how to bring the creative side out of her students,” sophomore Faith Erol, one of Kelley’s Art and Design students last year, said. “The school did a good job with replacing Mrs. Kelley and they should always hire temporary teachers who know the subject and know what they are doing.”
