Calling all teachers HELP

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2001 : July : 4

Calling all teachers HELP
By phyllis

Hi
Subbing is a hard job....sometimes thankless too
I am in Michigan and I could be wrong on this but I believe you have to have at least 2 years of college to sub but not necessarily any teaching credits.
I teach
special education and it is difficult to get subs because so many of the subs say I won't do special ed. But also overall we have a shortage of subs in our district and I have heard that we have a shortage in our county also but I don't know if that's true.
Emergency plans as in a tornado or fire drill or emergency plans as in the teacher had an emergency and had to leave right now?

Our tornado and fire plans are posted on the wall in our classrooms. I have no emergency plan to leave however I have an aide who knows all and could tell the sub what to do. We do have a general information sheet that is kept in the school office and handed to the sub when he/she goes to the classroom. In that form are listed the policies for bathroom, hall passes, lunch, pencil sharpening, dependable students, students with allergies and who need meds. Also procedures for fire, tornado, or guns. Lunch and recess times are listed as well as dismissal and bus policy. Any specials are listed with times.

when I leave for a planned absence I always try to arrange for my favorite sub to come in...I do NOT expect my plans to be carried out to the minute detail...I always say go with the flow because you never know exactly what will happen in my room but please leave a detailed note telling me what you did and did not cover so that I will be able to carry on the next day. I also leave a fun activity for the kids to do with the sub in case they totally loose it because a strange person showed up instead of a sub they know.

I know that often times subs feel neglected or shunned but I don't believe that this is intentional...it's that we are so busy doing what we do that we don't stop to think that the sub needs a welcome and here's my room and number in case you have an emergency or a question and need help. I try to say hello to the subs in my hallway and welcome them but I don't always have the time to do this...before school meetings, parent phone calls etc.

As for advice...be kind but firm to those kiddo's. I always told my middle school classes that they knew who was important in the school better than I did so I needed their help because I wanted very badly to get a full time job. So I'd say when ever anyone important comes in the room to help me look good and I would make them look good too. I'd say when I ask a question please raise your hands and participate. If you know the answer raise your right hand if you don't raise your left hand I promise I'll only call on the right handed people. This way we'd all look good. The kids loved it and I'd also say that if we covered the lesson left by the teacher with out any major misbehaviors that I'd stop the class 5 minutes early and they could gab with their friends. they loved that too and usually were very well behaved for me.