Have I mentioned that I have two furry children, Lexie and Theo? Well, I do. And when I head out of town as I did this past weekend, my sweet friend Lynn stays with them. (Yes, my pets are spoiled!) Anyway, because “Auntie” Lynn is familiar with my pets and where I keep things such as towels, pet food, and pet snacks, I don’t need to do anything to get ready for her arrival. I’m a lucky duck, and I know it!
What do you do when you need a sub? Are you able to request someone who knows your students and classroom? Do you have a substitute folder prepared for unexpected absences?
Superthankful for subs,
Diane
It is nice when you are going to have a sub that has been in your room before, but that is not always the case. I keep a sub folder with information for day to day routines, a class list, and extra activities. We are a very close staff and we all do the same lesson plans for our grade level. If one of us has to be out(without notice) the neighboring teacher will make copies for the day and leave them with the sub. If we have a planned absence then we take care of it before we leave. I am very picky about taking off because it is usually more trouble than it it worth.
Diane,
How nice that your 2 “kids” get along! My dog, Jackson would devour Lou, the cat, in a second. Lou is 10, Jakson was adopted last year at age 5. Lou’s appartment is upstairs, Jackson’s is down.
Re. subs: We have several part-timers who are happy to fill in when needed. As they are familiar with the programs, they just read the plan book and roll! We are blessed!
Susan
We are able to request specific subs. I have a list that I work my way through and hope that one of them can come in. If not, the secretary will place a request for someone. I have a sub folder as well. The folder includes emergency information, student and adult expectations for our building, seating charts, a note thanking them for subbing which also includes additional helpful info, class schedule, school map and my lesson plans.
I have always found that it is a lot harder to plan for a sub. I never knew who was going to be in my class, so I always had to plan something easy for them to follow. Some colleagues and I prepared Emergency Lesson Plans. These included work that students were familiar with. This made it a lot easier on the substitute. It was also helpful when I had to give short notice for being absent.
For the past three years I have worked as a substitute teacher. I have been in some organized classrooms and some not so organized classroom. The classroom that are the hardest to sub in are the ones that the students cannot function without their teacher. What I mean is their teacher did not teacher them any procedures or routines. This makes it very difficult for the sub to get through the day. It is also difficult to show your teaching skills to a principal, since you have one day to impress. I have learned a lot about how to prepare my students and my room just by being a substitute teacher.
I always keep a simple plan handy for those last minute absences and since I know who is subbing for me I try to conact with them for planned absences. My own experiences at subbing with preschoolersis that they like a routine so much they will tell any sub who doesn’t know what to do.
I have a few subs that I consider my “favorites.” I try to pre-arrange all my absences so I can have subs that I know. Occasionally I have to have a new sub, but not very often.
I have a sub folder that I put my lesson plans in. My lesson plans are typed on the computer so I cut and paste the information and edit it. I also have more details on the days where I have a new sub. It’s always more work to plan and set up for a sub than it is to come in myself! 🙂
I have “sub notes” that are a general breakdown for each hour and each subject. I also have “sub notes” that have more details – what to teach, what to say, etc. I usually ask the same sub each year to sub, but if she can’t I am ready!
I am lucky because my fiance is a substitute in our school district. I always request him if he is available. I can explain things to him, he comes to my class when he isn’t subbing to help so he knows the students, and I did his training so I know that he knows my routines and procedures.
There are a few subs that are not allowed into my classroom because of a lack of classroom management. I don’t know where in my 6 pages of plans it said to let them run around having a pillow fight in my room, but that is what they did for over an hour apparently.
Hi,
I am a substitute teacher and I am often requested because I do know the teachers and many of the students in the school. I have been subbing for many many years in the same school and it is so easy both for me and the teacher because they know I am competent and always complete the plans left for me. I now get long term leave replacements because I have a reputation of being a very good sub. Looking forward to getting my own classroom. When I have my own classroom I will be certain to request any subs that I know too.
When I need a sub we have a list we can call from. There are a few ladies Nobody will dare call as we don’t care much for them…but there are some that are great. Some are teachers that sub on their days off…usually when I have had 1 in the class sub for me I try to get them back for future as they have met the kids and are familiar with the routine for the most part.
We get our subs through ASOP and are able to make a preferred sub list. Only those subs see the absence first. I always arrange my subs and enter the subs name instead of putting the job on the computer for the “sub sharks” that hang out to nab up jobs. I need to know who is taking care of my kids since I am gone quite often for school business.
It must be nice to be able to request a specific sub. I teach in a large district that does not have enough subs. Not only do we have to take whomever we get, but a lot of times we don’t get anyone at all! We create split lists the first day of school for those occasions. Our students are split up and put into other teachers’ classrooms.
I’m glad to know that I’m not the only one who dreads preparing for a sub! At the school I teach at, I can request a certain sub, but it doesn’t always happen-
I tend to be a very detailed person so my sub plans tend to be lengthy- but I also know that Kindergartener’s crave routine so I want to make sure that the kid’s and the sub have a good day!
I have experienced both being a teacher and being a sub. I was responsible for getting my own sub and I could usually find ones that I wanted. As a sub I would always try to leave a detailed note event if the day went smoothly. That way the teacher would know exactly how the day went. I also followed the teachers plans.
I too have the experience of having my own classroom and being a substitute. When I was teaching full time, I rarely took a day off. I found that when I did have to take off for an illness or family emergency, my lesson plans would not be followed, my class was poorly managed, and I would have to take part of the day that I returned to have children correct work that was done incorrectly or to address behavior issues that I normally would not have to deal with. It simply wasn’t worth it to take off for any reason when I knew what I would return to.
Recently my husband had a job transfer, which had us moving mid-school-year. I’ve been subbing at our local school quite a bit, and I have to say the biggest blessing to a sub is having a teacher from that grade-level team that you can go to if you have any questions. The times that I’ve subbed have been last minute and unexpected for the teachers, so plans weren’t ready when I arrived, and I didn’t have a sub folder provided to me. Instead, I had wonderful teachers who before school would help me with procedures, locate TE’s and plans for me, and would check on me during the day to see if I needed anything. This has also helped me get to know other teachers in the school, and because they know how I teach, they often request me specifically to sub for their class.
My preschool class is pretty busy, messy and nonstop, but very much on a routine. When I plan to be out for whatever reseaon I lay out the entire day schedual and add info for each area, like what songs to do for music and movement, who shouldnt nap next to who, who needs extra help on their classwork, I also add info on special needs some kids need weather food allergies or littly Jimmy has had a rough time with seaonal sinuses just so my sub will know what to expect from each child. I also let them know of the one or two that are more advanced and know the routine well and where I keep most things that can help when needed. I lay EVERYTHING out the sub will or may need from cd’s to flannel board stories to worksheets crayons even extra Toliet paper and paper towels. Plus I always add a few extra things for just in case they normal include a simple color sheet (which I stray away from but are good to get a roudy group to calm down) and a few extra books that wern’t planned for the day. My Subs have loved they can just go down my directions, love knowing what to expect for each student and how they can assist them better, and how everything is ready to go. Now I need to work on a system for unexpected time off. I was out sick last week and came back to find my sub had the kids watch 3 movies!!!!! I was horrified… but I had NOTHING left for I took it all home with me not expecting to wake up sick.