Meet Substitute Teacher Emylee Taylor
For Emylee Taylor, substitute teaching wasn’t always the plan—but it quickly became her passion. After earning her Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Eastern Oregon University, Emylee had already spent two years working as an Instructional Assistant. While she had a feeling that teaching might be in her future, she wanted to be sure before committing to a career in education.
“I decided I would finish my degree, substitute teach to make sure that was my end goal, and now I am pursuing my Master’s in Teaching through EOU, on my way to becoming a full-time teacher!” she shared.
A Journey Through Local Classrooms
Emylee has been substitute teaching for 2.5 years, primarily in Redmond, but also in Bend and Sisters. One of her favorite aspects of subbing has been the ability to build connections with students and staff across multiple schools.
“I loved finding a few schools to frequently substitute at, getting to know students of all grades. It made my day going to sub at a school I frequented, having students of all grades shout ‘Ms. Emylee!’ in the halls and building relationships that were beyond surface-level.”
The Challenges of Being a Sub
Like many substitute teachers, Emylee has faced some challenges, particularly with last-minute assignments.
“Sometimes you don’t know where you’re working until the night before—or even the morning of the job!” she explained. “That’s why I tried to frequent a few schools, and over the past year, I’ve had jobs lined up almost every day I wanted to sub.”
Another challenge? Classroom management. “Some classes may try to push their limits with a sub, but I found that the more I frequented a class, or simply set clear boundaries, students built respect fairly quickly, and we were all able to have a good day and report for their classroom teacher.”
Advice for Future Substitute Teachers
If you’re considering becoming a substitute teacher, Emylee highly recommends it—especially if you’re thinking about a career in education.
“Subbing is an amazing ‘trial run’ opportunity. I second-guessed whether I wanted to teach many times, but subbing helped me solidify my passion before I went all in on a Master’s degree,” she said.
Even for those who may not want to teach full-time, Emylee sees subbing as a flexible and rewarding option.
“It pays better than many entry-level jobs, you can work one day a week or 40 hours if you want, and if you have a bad day, you never have to go back. If you have a great day, you can come back whenever there’s an opening! It’s a one-of-a-kind job that has major benefits.”
With her experience, passion, and dedication, Emylee Taylor is making a lasting impact in classrooms across Central Oregon—one substitute assignment at a time.