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subs
By Tia

I was a substitute for 2 years before I got a job. I taught in k-12th grade! It was a real learning experience--way better than anything I got from college, or even student teaching. I borrowed ideas and copied activities
left and right. (Enjoy this time and learn all you can!)
So I learned from this experience that you can never be too detailed when writing notes to the substitute. I leave pages of detailed information for a substitute in my room. Someone who has never been in will not only know that DOL is at 10:30, but also know the rituals about who gets called on, how many problems they do,

etc.

If I put this much time into preparing for a sub., I expect something in return. NO, I don't want pages back. I leave a preprinted form for my subs. with specific questions:
Who was tardy?
Who was absent?
Did you get through all planned lessons?
Who had a good day?
Who had a bad day?

I also leave a note about my incentive programs (stamping cards, caughtyas, and treats) and encourage the subs to use them--irritating when they aren't used, since I'm sure the students would behave better.

And I leave a note explaining that I like to reward kids who have an awesome day, so would the sub please leave specific names of very helpful, on-task kids and also names of rotten kids (and include their behaviors!)

As mentioned on the other post about subs leaving notes for teachers, I want a sub who can be honest about the day and not leave the "We had a great day." note. I hear from students and other teachers, so that is frustrating.

Also, if I haven't specifically asked for papers to be graded, I DO NOT WANT THEM GRADED. And I do not want any extra work given to my students (if they have other things to do.) A few years ago, one horrid substitute gave my class a page of math to do because they were being bad. She left me a long, detailed note about how I should support substitutes everywhere (HELLO...been there) and take grades on those papers (by grading them myself!!). Great way to return from an appendectomy. Those papers went right into the garbage.

Good luck with substituting!