My Thoughts

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Archive : 2002 : January : 25

My Thoughts
By Experienced Sub

Dealing with discipline problems in the classroom probably ranks up there high on the list of any sub as a big problem. For me, I find poor lesson plans more irritating. Each teacher is different. Everyone has a style
and way of doing things. As a sub, will I know exactly how you do things in your classroom unless you tell me? No. Teachers tend to write their plans as though subs are mind readers. We must have special powers I guess to know how some things are done and where we can find what will be needed for the day. Here is an example. I subbed in a class where I was supposed to do a reading

lesson in small groups for a good part of the morning. Each reading group had different books to use. Could I find those books? No. Did the teacher tell me in her plans where to find these books? No. I searched high and low and couldn't find them. Turned out that they were not even in the classroom! They were in the room next door. I was supposed to borrow them for my groups. How was I supposed to know this? Good thing I asked the next door teacher for help before the kids arrived in the morning. Here is another example. One first grade teacher said to do the "calendar activities" with the kids first thing in the morning. This happened the year I began subbing and on this particular day I had never subbed in a first grade class before. I didn't know what activities this teacher was referring to. I asked the kids and got about 10 different answers on what needed to be done and how. It was ridiculous. Some teachers will fail to mention that they do switching for math with the other classes in that same grade level. My list could go on and on and on. I leave some classrooms at the end of the day thinking that I would love to teach an in-service in the elementary schools on how to prepare for a sub. Granted that some teachers get sick and don't have time to write terrific plans. I UNDERSTAND THAT. My problem is with the teachers that know in advance that they will be out and yet they leave bad plans. Also, if you will be out on a day you have a field trip, tell the person doing the calling for a sub or leave a message for the sub if you use one of those automated sub calling systems. For example, I knew of a sub that went to a school wearing a nice outfit and she did not know until she arrived at the school that day that she would be going on a hike with her class at a park in the mountains. Was she wearing comfortable shoes for the outdoor hike? No. Teachers need to stop and ask themselves, "If I were new to this classroom, what would I need to know so that this day would be able to run smoothly in my absence?" Don't assume the sub will know where to find the hall passes, how to correct your confusing test, how to make copies for you since your school requires a code to be entered on the copy machine, or that you have a boy in your class that actually looks like a girl and to avoid an embarrassing situation, the sub should know that ******* is a he, not a she.

I fortunately don't get classrooms this bad on a regular basis. Many classrooms are great. I am always sure to tell the teachers in my note at the end of the day how much I appreciated their terrific plans and organization at leaving everything for me that I would need for the day. Teachers need to be praised when they do a great job for a sub. Some do a fabulous job. I just wish they all were like that. I can usually leave a class and say to myself that I had a good day and so did the kids. Every once in a while, though, I can't say that. Lesson plans should be as detailed as they need to be. Even some small details might end up being important.

What tricks work for me? I have several up my sleeve. I always have in the back of your mind a back up plan in the event a lesson finishes early or doesn't go as well as I would have liked. Be flexible. If you are in the middle of a math lesson and the principal walks in to ask why your class isn't in the gym for the assembly - - you never were told about it in the plans - - be able to drop what you are doing and do something else that might be more important. Have the sense to know when to stop a lesson if it isn't working right. Bring things with you that you can do as filler activities. For instance, bring a book to read to the class, bring a small (soft) ball that could be used for Silent Ball, bring materials for a simple art lesson, have ideas for other types of lessons you could do in which you teach the kids something new. I always bring with me worksheets that are fun. The kids enjoy these dot-to-dots, mazes, word searches, color pages, and hidden pictures. These take time and they keep the kids occupied at their desks rather than having a class of 25 fifth graders just chatting for 20 spare minutes before lunch. Keep the kids busy. Down time can lead to problems. These worksheets I bring come in handy!! You can also do a trivia game. This has been successful for me, too.

Other thoughts or comments? You might consider having business cards to hand out at schools. This extra little touch is professional and teachers like having something with a name and phone number on it of great subs. Also, subs need to leave a good letter for the teacher at the end of the day. If subs expect details in the lesson plans, teachers expect the same in the notes they read from subs. Tell the teacher how far you got in the math lesson, who caused problems for you, what papers were collected and what papers were sent home as homework, what could the teacher have done differently to have helped you, and mention who went home early or was absent. The time a sub puts into writing that note at the end of the day will tell the teacher not only what was really accomplished in class but also that you cared enough to think about what you want to share (your observations) about how the lessons went. Don't just write that it was a good day. How was it a good day? Teachers like to read the good comments, but they also need to read the comments about behavior, problems with the computer lab, a forgotten letter not sent home, or why Susie didn't do her assignment in history. Be specific.

I hope I was able to shed some light on some of my experiences as a substitute teacher and how I can find ways to salvage a day so that it really does turn out good after all. You learn tricks with experience. You will have wonderful classrooms and not so wonderful classrooms. Make the most of each day you spend with children. Subs are not babysitters. We are teachers. There is a lot we can do. Be creative and come up with ideas that can be used in the classroom while subbing. You never know when you will need to rely on those ideas to get you through the day. Enjoy your time with the students. You most likely will have a great day. It is just the bad ones that really stand out.