PICKING A SUB: ADVICE TO TEACHERS IN OUR CREDENTIAL PROGRAM

 

Dear _______________

If you have a sub you know and like, make an effort to request and obtain her/him.  You could ask other teachers at your school site for the name of a good sub–also the district office that handles sub placements (HR usually).

If you can find a sub with experience at your school and/or grade level that would be great; if not, then the most experienced individual available.

See if you can work with the office to get the sub assigned early; probably the best thing you can do is to talk to the sub directly, either by phone or in person.  You can convey to him/her all your concerns with suggestions how to respond to this or that situation.

If you can’t meet or talk to the sub ahead of time, then write out your most important messages and leave in a prominent place on your desk.  I started out as a substitute teacher and any time I got to talk to the teacher first, the class and I were sure to have a much better day together.

The next most important item: clear lesson plans with a little flexibility.

After that, I found extremely useful a short list of student names (3-5): who is most dependable?

Who probably will need a little extra monitoring?  In that way, a sub can help maintain a calm learning environment.

Teachers who gave me the names of their most dependable students–as well as students who needed structured guidance–were doing me a huge favor.

A seating chart also was extremely helpful; teachers forget they know every kid’s name but a sub doesn’t . . . and an up-to-date seating chart is worth its weight in gold!

In preparing for your substitute, you might wish to focus on those activities the students like and handle well; consider omitting or streamlining more complicated lessons that takes the regular teacher’s touch to make it succeed.

It’s unrealistic to expect the sub to pick up where you left off and keep everyone moving at the same clip so you have to take that into account, too.  The academic pace is typically somewhat slower for substitutes, who require more time to absorb and adjust lessons as the day proceeds.

Lastly, and quite essentially, talk to your students beforehand to prepare them.  Tell them you want them to cooperate with the substitute, display their best manners, and make you proud.

It doesn’t hurt to indicate you will reward them if you get a good report AND you will take care of disciplining any students who made poor choices when you return.

To go the extra mile to help ensure the substitute’s day goes smoothly, try talking one-on-one with the students you trust the most.  Whisper to them you are counting on them to act responsibly and to help the sub the best they can.

If you have someone to fit the bill, choose a “class leader” who will have the task of helping the sub: show him or her where supplies are, help pass out papers, and the like.

Overall . . . communication is key!

  • ask for a sub you know or who has been recommended by dependable reference;
  • work with the school and/or district office to nail down the substitute’s acceptance sooner rather than “the morning of” if at all possible;
  • let others know you’d like a sub with a good deal of experience;
  • talk to the sub beforehand and explain your concerns; and
  • a phone call even on the morning of the assigned day can still make a difference.

There’s only so much you can do but choosing the best sub possible, talking with the individual in advance, and preparing your students are three of the best strategies. 

In addition, make your lesson plans (and seating chart) as clear as possible, including where materials are kept or, better yet, put them out in advance.  Reduce or simplify procedures for more advanced activities.  Finally, give the sub some flexibility to make choices.

These strategies will help increase the chances of a successful day for the sub and your students! However, you must also keep in mind that even with the best preparations, problems can occur between a sub and the class–or at least certain of the more mischievous students, especially those who find it difficult to maintain good behavior when their regular teacher is away.

If dealing with an immature student can be challenging for the regular classroom teacher, how much more problematic is this challenge going to be for a substitute teacher?

Keep your hopes up but be realistic!

I once had a terrible sub—the feedback from my students was horrific.  I immediately went to the office and told them “never again!”—but truth to tell, the way the kids sprinted to greet me when I returned was the most WONDERFUL feeling ever!

That’s “the silver lining” in the cloud: your kids really learn to appreciate you!

Best of luck,

-Dr. R.