Call in a Substitute

Recently I had a friend who is a new teacher and is expected to have substitute plans. She has no idea where to begin so I thought it was time to write a post about this.

I decided to put my substitute plans in a 2 in. three ring binder.

I had separate sections for the following items:

·      Teacher schedule

·      Class attendance

·      Class routine

·      School procedures

·      Classroom and School discipline

·      Emergency procedures

·      Notes

·      Class and Student Activities

Teacher schedule – I list if I have any morning, lunch or afternoon duties and which days these take place.

Class attendance – I keep a list of the students and their class schedules. This is updated every time there is a change in my class roster or if the student’s class schedule changes.

Class routine – I include the routine for each class. This includes, taking attendance, 5 min. opening journal writing, whole group instruction, individual seat work, and any other things that happen routinely in my class.

School procedures – I give the school daily schedule and any special events. I also include the school calendar for the year.

Classroom and School discipline – I give the list of my class rules and consequences. I also include the school discipline policy. If there are discipline forms, I include these in a plastic sleeve.

Emergency procedures – I explain where to go in case of an emergency and the procedures to follow at that time.

Notes – I includes sheets of paper for the substitutes to leave me notes about the class behavior or anything else the sub feels that I need to know about.

Class and Student Activities – I include emergency plans for three days. I explain what instruction to give to the students, and any worksheets that the students must complete. I put each day in a separate folder and slip it into the back of the binder.

This binder is kept on a bookshelf by my desk or in a drawer in my desk. If I’m ever absent, I just have to notify someone at school where it is located and ask them to put it on my desk for the substitute.

When I return, I go through the book to make sure nothing is missing other than the class activities. Then I replace the activities with new ones for the next time I need to be absent.

What do you do when planning for a substitute? Please share.

A Good Substitute…

In John: I Have My Teaching Certificate, Now What? Part Two from Reality 101: CEC's blog for new teachers, John shares some tips for substitutes. These are some good tips! He says,

“I’m going to focus on how to make a good impression with the teacher you are substituting for because that’s what I know best. Some of the tips might sound like common sense, but they are all here because someone has violated them at some point while subbing in my classroom.”

I decided to add a few of my own tips for a substitute teacher.

1. If you know in advance which teacher you will be subbing for, go meet that teacher ahead of time. Schedule a meeting with that teacher and explain you will be the sub and wanted any last minute tips or instructions that might not be in the plan. If you have the time, offer to volunteer during a class period so you can how the teacher runs the classroom.

2. Review the school’s discipline policy ahead of time. It helps to be familiar with it before you arrive at school. So, in case you have to deal with a problem, you are prepared and show that you are in control instead of looking for procedures on how to deal with it. This makes you look unorganized and the students will take advantage of it.

3. Find out the school’s schedule ahead of time (notice class change times and lunch schedules). This is one less thing you will have to deal with when you arrive. I hated when my students didn’t go to something planned or went to the wrong lunch shift because the sub was unaware of the different bells.

4. Take photos of the empty classroom and the teacher’s desk. At the end of the day, you will have a frame of reference to make sure that everything is put back to order as much as you can. I hated returning to my classroom and find all my pens and pencils had disappeared. Or I would have to put the desks back the way I had them.

5. If you lend something from the teacher’s desk or any materials, jot down the name of the student who borrowed it and make sure they return it. A couple of times my stapler disappeared and never returned.

6. Bring some of your own activities in case the lessons end quickly. Share something with my class that you enjoy or tell them stories about your hobbies. This keeps my students engaged and out of trouble. I hated having to deal with discipline problems that arose because my students were bored.

7. Please follow the lesson plan provided by the teacher! Nothing is more irritating than returning to class only to find out that the lesson plan wasn’t followed. Sometimes it is important that the lesson is taught in that specific time frame so when I return to the do the following lesson and find out I can’t, I’m resentful. I hate taking all that time to make detailed lesson plans and find out it was a waste of time!

8. Leave a note telling me what lessons you did, the response from the students, any problems, any notable good things that I can praise my students for. If you enjoyed subbing for me, leave your name and phone number so I can contact you again for possible future absences.

What other things would you suggest for a sub to be considered “good” and would hope for a repeat performance? Please share.

Image: 'Substitute Wanted'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/93525584@N00/7323652226
Found on flickrcc.net

Preparing for a Substitute

As spring gets near, allergies can wreak havoc on my body. If I am going to be absent, this time is probably harder for me than the winter months. I do many things to prepare for days that I am out which helps my students and my substitute.

Throughout the year, I try to meet the substitutes at come to my school. I try to get a feel for their personalities to see if I think they would be good with my students. As a special ed teacher, many subs won’t work in my class so I find the ones who are willing to do this. Once I find the ones that I like, I get their contact information for the future.

I invite subs to come observe me so they can see what procedures I follow and meet the students. This really helps for the future also so this person is not unknown to them. My students have a difficult time with new people and new situations.

I have a 3 ring binder that is designated as the “Substitute Book.” This binder has several sections designated in it.

1. One section holds seating charts, copies of attendance rosters, locations of important places and things (faculty restroom, asst. principal offices, cafeteria, and emergency bag for fire drills).

2. One section labeled “For Help” contains the teachers nearby including names and locations that the sub can go to if help is needed. I also include names of trusted students for each class that can also help the substitute with the daily routine and locating places and things.

3. One section is for my class rules and consequences (along with behavior referrals for the office).

4. Another section holds the emergency lesson plans. I keep a copy of lessons for each class/subject that can be used at any time of the year. This may cover some new information but does not teach any new skills. It is more of a review using skills they already know. I don’t feel this is a waste of time or busy work as long as they are practicing skills that they have learned this year. It never hurts to practice them.

5. One section holds a copy of the routine procedures that is also posted on the wall. I have routine procedures for the subjects I teach. This routine is very helpful to my students also. Even though the content matter will change, many of the routine classroom procedures are the same on a daily basis.

6. One section is just blank sheets of paper for the substitute to leave me any notes about the students, the lesson, or anything in general.

7. The last section holds the student copies of any material needed in the emergency lesson plans.

A lot of this take times to plan and prepare but it is well worth the effort. The students and the substitute will appreciate this in the long run. It also makes my life easier when I return to the class.

What do you do to prepare for a substitute when you are absent? Does your school require certain things?

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original image: 'Migraine'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94247240@N00/3716450912 by: Craig Munro