How to become a substitute teacher after 50

For years, Jill Feeney led a busy life raising her children, volunteering and, in more recent years, running a nonprofit founded in memory of her son, Michael, who died from cancer in 2013.

In 2021, in her 50s, she was looking for a part-time job that would let her interact with others and earn some money. A friend encouraged her to apply to be a substitute teacher in her New

Jersey school district. “I looked into it, and it was an opportunity that had a lot of flexibility — you can work at will. The money was decent, and it offered lot of freedom and a lot of

interaction with adults and kids of all different ages,” Feeney says. She began the paperwork required in New Jersey to become a substitute teacher, a process that took a few months to

complete. Since then, she’s been working in local schools. “If you like being around kids and like having flexibility in your work, it’s a great choice,” she says. SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS ARE IN

DEMAND Substitute teachers for grades kindergarten through 12 are in demand nationwide. A 2023 report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) found that one out of five requests for

substitute teachers to fill in when teachers are out for illness, training, parental leave or other reasons goes unfilled. “There is a need for substitute teachers in virtually every school

district,” says Kim Bailey, former director of professional learning and instructional support for the Capistrano Unified School District in California. Bailey, along with elementary school

principal Kristen Nelson, is co-author of The Successful Substitute: How to Prepare, Grow, and Flourish as a Guest Teacher. People with life experience are often ideal candidates because

they have skills and knowledge honed over decades, Nelson adds. “Some of my school’s best substitutes have retired from other jobs.” The variety of roles and flexibility are two of the most

appealing aspects of substitute teaching, says Lori Schieffer, founder of Substitute Teacher Academy, which offers continuing education courses for substitutes. Substitutes can often choose

the grade levels and subjects they prefer to teach and turn down those that are not appealing to them. “If a person is more interested or their career is based in the scientific area, then

they might enjoy high school substitute teaching for classes like biology, chemistry, earth science, all of those kinds of things, versus maybe somebody who's an engineer who might

enjoy teaching math and calculus,” Schieffer says. If you think substitute teaching might be an interesting career path to explore, taking a few important steps may help you get to the head

of the class. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A SUBSTITUTE TEACHER? Requirements to be a substitute teacher vary depending on state and school district. Some states require a college

degree or minimum number of college credits to obtain a license or certification to be a substitute. Others simply require a high school diploma, while some require coursework to obtain

substitute teacher credentials. So, check with your local school district or state department of education to find out the specifics for the school in which you intend to teach. Private

schools may also have less specific requirements.