Substitutes

Home

Chat

Blogs

Collection

Directory

Home : 2005 : April : 20

Substitutes
By first grade teacher

Just a few ideas I can think of right now.

*Ask another teacher about something if you aren't sure. That's why I fill out that section on my sub folder and leave it on the desk.

*Don't assume that just because the kids
say something that it's true. Common sense should tell you that I don't let that little girl go to the bathroom every ten minutes and be gone for five. The bathroom is right, I mean right, across the hall. I guess common sense is too harsh, but hopefully you know what I mean.
*If the kids have a job, let them do it. They know what the jobs mean. Someone was supposed to sweep the three

containers of pencil shavings up, their job, not leave it for me to do after a funeral.

*I can't agree more with leaving the room like you found it. I made sure that room was nice before the sub came in. I will never again spend two hours (honestly) cleaning up the mess that was made.

*If you can't take the time to separate the papers into classes/subjects, at least make sure they are not half in the tray, half on the floor. Leave me the names of anyone who had a hard time with anything, didn't finish something, or didn't return homework.

* Don't talk about my students. Yes they can drive you batty sometimes, but it doesn't help when a co-teacher calls me over the weekend to tell me what the sub was saying in the cafteria (where anyone even the child) could hear her talk about that "wild little heathen child."

*Let me know if you would like to come back. I hate to say it, but if I don't hear otherwise from you, I assume you don't.

*Your note to me can be as detailed as you like. I will read every word. I take the time to leave very, VERY detailed plans, so please take the time to give me specifics of who broke my table. I'll notice it in pieces in the back of the room anyway. I'd just rather have the story from an adult, not a child.

*My plans usually go into specifics about how I do everything, from which wall we stand against after restroom breaks to where to go for recess in case of rain. I do always mention that if you feel more comfortable doing things differently (not omitted, but differently) that's fine. Please let me know. I leave space in the margins for the sub to jot notes anyway. Let me know what the class did during the two hours that they didn't do math and science or watch their video.

There's a post about subs I'll post the link to. It was a few months ago and has several of the same ideas, but in case you want to look. Good luck!!

http://www.proteacher.net/dcforum/the_vent/3492.html