Super Sub Essentials

I just spent the entire last week subbing. Lucky for me, 2 of the 3 districts I sub for are on 4 day weeks, so I didn't even have to make it through a whole 5 days...THANK GOD! :) I spent 1 day in a second grade classroom, and three more in a third grade class. Each night I was filled with anxiety...oh not because the kids were that awful, but because I don't do new situations, or situations where I don't feel completely in control very well. It's enough to make me want to puke honestly. But I am proud of myself that I made it. I had fun (at times), wanted to cry (at times), and ended my week soaking in a bubble bath last night with a glass of wine while Barrett cooked dinner-hey, it was medicinal. 

I learned a lot about substitute teaching the last few weeks-call it baptism by fire. I have now had 6 sub jobs, which still is not much, but I can tell you in my opinion, high school is easiest. If you have subbed, are thinking of subbing, or just want a good laugh, read on as I tell it like it is. As I know from formerly being a full-time classroom teacher, teachers leave subs a bunch of busy work for students to complete, or not enough work at all. Plan ahead. You will have complaining kids and likely a lot of down time that you have to fill. In my sub bag, here is what I have for grade school:

• a soft Nerf ball (for an impromptu or completely bribed for game of Silent Ball)
• Suckers (again for bribing)
• a whistle
• band-aids (I keep cool pink or blue camo ones)
• a discipline plan (more on this in a minute)
• personal necessities for me (Advil, migraine meds, deodorant, chapstick)
• 2-3 stories to read, picture books. I love Dr. Seuss, The Tale of Brother Rabbit, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...These work for grades K-4 or so in my opinion.
• story starters (this is a great website: Free Illustrated Story Starters)
• sidewalk chalk (make sure this is ok with schools though!)
• If I know ahead what they are covering, I may bring in my own short worksheet or activity for like a science lesson. 
• word searches (website: Free Word Searches)
• A DVD of a Disney movie...just in case!

For high school, I take out the story books and story starters, but try to take something slightly "fun" for them to do together, like a scavenger hunt type thing that they use to fill in information about classmates, a short personality test...that kind of thing. For an English class I would also take a fun activity that has to do with poetry (maybe Haiku because they are easy) or creative writing. I used to do "quick writes" in third grade where I would give a topic and then time the students for 5 minutes as they wrote whatever came to mind on that topic. I think this would totally work for upper grades too.

-(Icebreaker: Free Printable Icebreaker for High School Kids)

For me, art is a great time filler. I tend to think in a very artistic way, though I lack the talent, and I love coming up with art ideas and seeing what blossoms in students. This week I was in the same classroom for 3 days, and the teacher trusted me a lot to have some freedom in her classroom because I have previously taught third grade. I did an art lesson where we talked about cool and warm colors, and did a water color painting of various colored stripes. Once this was dry the students took black, dark blue and purple construction paper and used scrapbook (wavy) scissors to cut out mountains and trees. These were glued on top of the watercolor stripes giving the project the look of a sunrise or sunset with silhouettes. They turned out great!

Subbing is basically surviving for one (or more) days. You are not taking over, you have very little say, but you CAN keep order and do some things of your own. I found out quickly that I need to come in with my own discipline plan (again it is much more to the point with older kids, as in I will kick you out if you don't behave). I go over in the morning my short list of rules (basically normal stuff like: we remain seated, we raise our hands to be called on, we don't talk when others are talking, and we keep our hands and feet to ourselves). I also write a sentence on the board. I use Always Show Respect. I tell them that as a class, if they are too noisy or not on task, I will erase letters. If there is a letter left at 20 minutes until the end of the day, we play a game (or do art). Believe it or not, it is that simple, and the kids police each other. For individual incentives, I tell them that if I have to get onto them for misbehaving their name goes on the board. This is a warning. If they get 1 check after name, they owe me half of their next recess, and 2 checks is the whole recess. If they got to 3 they would go to the office. At the end of the day if their name has not been on the board, they get a sucker. I have used this all week and only had to take half a recess away from 6 kids (in 4 days that's not bad at all).

On another note, the lessons left for you are typically pretty flexible. Again, they are almost always filler. I am not saying to not do them, but I am saying that if your sub notes say Do Reading Workbook from 9-10 am, and it is 9:30 AM and the kids are so restless they could scream, move things along. These plans are not set in stone, and the teacher would love to use you again if he/she can later on...so show that you can be flexible too. Go to the next activity, take a break for a story, or (with younger kids) take a quick restroom and drink break. It can make all the difference in the world. 

That's all for now...but my own confessions from substitute teaching coming soon.  Sure to make you laugh...and maybe cry too. :)