Planning for a substitute can make you feel a little insane. Having to miss school/class is super hard for teachers. Many times I went to school sick because it was just so much work to miss. It's not like other jobs where you can just call in and say, "Yeah, I'm not going to be there today." Instead, you've got to come up with something that will keep you kidlings busy all period so that they don't have time to destroy your classroom or make your sub cry. In addition, it needs to be educationally sound. THEY DON'T WANT MUCH, DO THEY?
The administration will say something like...just leave them what you would normally do. WHAT????? Now who is insane?? What would take my students all period to complete when I am there, would take them about ten minutes with a sub. Hmmmmm.....
The administration will say something like...just leave them what you would normally do. WHAT????? Now who is insane?? What would take my students all period to complete when I am there, would take them about ten minutes with a sub. Hmmmmm.....
So much depends on the substitute that you get.
I’ve had GREAT subs,
and I’ve had HORRID ones.
The problem is....you never know what you're going to get. Especially if there are a lot of teachers out on the same day. Sometimes the administration is lucky just to get a warm body in the room. Occasionally, other teachers must give up part of their planning period to cover your class. (Yeah, that's always a great experience!!)
So what do you do?
So what do you do?
The most
important thing I have discovered is to have information for a substitute to
access that can be easily located when they are in your classroom that contains clear, concise instructions for managing your class.
Keeping a substitute teacher binder can be especially helpful. I like to use a small (1 inch) three-ring binder with pockets to keep everything in place. I also try to find one that has the clear cover that you can slide a sheet of paper with the words SUB FOLDER on the front. It makes it easy for the substitute to find.
Keeping a substitute teacher binder can be especially helpful. I like to use a small (1 inch) three-ring binder with pockets to keep everything in place. I also try to find one that has the clear cover that you can slide a sheet of paper with the words SUB FOLDER on the front. It makes it easy for the substitute to find.
Into the pockets I can put things
like Office Referrals or Detention Slips as well as Emergency Sub Plans in case
I have to miss at the last minute and don't have time to write out elaborate lesson plans. (You just never know when your kids are going to wake up puking their guts up. Or your tire goes flat. Or....well, I'm sure you have your own experiences in this department.)
Inside the binder itself, I can put handouts that I think will make the sub’s job easier: seating charts, reliable students, class rolls, etc. Then I just put it somewhere on my desk where it can be easily located.
You can find some great printables for a Secondary Sub Folder in my TPT store here.
You can also find some easy to use, no-prep Emergency Sub Plans by clicking the links below:
You can also find some easy to use, no-prep Emergency Sub Plans by clicking the links below:
I hope the ideas you found here will help save your sanity when you have a substitute teacher!!
