Sub Plans Tips and Freebie

Have you ever compared subbing to cooking a meal? You can cook a meal for your family in your kitchen with little fanfare. Now imagine what it would be like if your job was to go to a stranger's house to cook a meal.

SUPPLIES:
For this example, we will say that your job is to go to Mrs. Parker's house to make an evening meal for her family. When you arrive at Mrs. Parker's house, you walk in her kitchen and see some of the utensils and supplies you will use.  But, you don't see the roasting pan and few other key ingredients that you need.  Hunting through drawers and cabinets takes time - more time that it would take Mrs. Parker to make the meal.

TECHNOLOGY:
Now add to this "cooking job",  20+ children in your kitchen, and a dishwasher malfunction.

NEIGHBORS:
Then a neighbor drops by with a question, which is followed by a phone call from another neighbor with a message for Mrs. Parker. Mrs. Parker left a note telling you the names of her neighbors who can answer any questions you might have.  But, you can see that her neighbors are busy making their own meals.

Surprise! By the end of the cooking job you are looking for something with caffeine to recharge your batteries.

• SUPPLIES: Even with the best of intentions and quality plans, you may not have all of the necessary supplies.  It is best to arrive early so will have time to find everything that you need.
• TECHNOLOGY: Check all of the technology that you will be using.  Have a plan B in case a glitch occurs.
• NEIGHBOR - Parent: Bring a clipboard with paper.  Write notes from parents who drop by with questions/information, phone calls, etc.  Clip notes to the clipboard.  It is helpful to have everything in one place instead of wasting valuable time searching for them.
• NEIGHBOR - Teachers:  Yes, the teachers next door and across the hall are busy, too.  But, there is usually at least one teacher who is friendly and willing to help if you ask.  Don't wait for the teacher to come to you.  If you have a question - go to experts.

Tips for teachers making sub plans

It is cold and flu season. You know what that means, right? Time to update your emergency sub plans. Remember emergency sub plans are like an insurance plan. You hope you never need them, but if that day ever comes when you do need your plans, you'll be glad you made them.

Planning for a sub has become more important with all of the pressures on students and teachers to improve test scores. You want to ensure that instruction continues when you can't be there. Planning now - before you need a sub - is key to making sure your students and the sub has a smooth day.

Details! Details! Details! I cannot stress enough the importance of details. Have an overview (lesson plans & schedule) of what will happen during the day. It is very helpful if you have some type of handout or binder with all of the details that are rote memory for you.

PROCEDURES: When you began teaching at this school, either as a first year teacher or a veteran teacher, you needed to know procedures that are school-specific. Include all of those procedures in your sub binder.

• Where do you pick up your class in morning?  Where does your class lineup? 
• What door does your class enter (or exit) the cafeteria, recess, etc.?  Subs can cause traffic jams by going in the wrong door.  Do not assume your class will tell the sub.
• What information is needed for lunch count?  Number of students buying lunch?  Or does your school take a count of choice 1, choice 2, or choice 3?

Details about your duties - Before school, lunch, recess, and after school duty include details that need to be included with your plans.

• RECESS: Does your school use signals such as:  2 tweets of the whistle - students stop and listen, 3 tweets - students line up?  Is there an assigned area to playground that you are responsible for supervising?
• LUNCH:  Do you responsibilities include telling the classes to cleanup and lineup when their lunchtime is over?  Or are you expected to walk around and open milk carton, make sure students stay in their seats, etc.?

Teacher's Editions - Leave your T.E. on your desk for the sub even if the lessons in your plans do not include the T.E.  Students may have questions about one of the lessons.  The sub can look through the T.E. to find out how skills have been taught in the former lessons.

Grading:  Check with your administrator to see if there is a policy regarding subs and grading.  As a general rule, the only assignments I asked subs to grade were ones like #1 above. Assignments like math facts or spelling are pretty quick to grade and the grade is not based on a teacher's judgment call.

Assignment #2 is another one of those times where we forget how many decisions we make on a daily basis as a teacher - especially when it comes to grading.  If you look at asmt. #2 you can see that the top part of this free assignment is a color by code.  A sub could easily grade that section. The bottom part of the lesson would be a challenge to grade because it includes teacher's judgment.  The assignment's directions state "write at least 3 sentences or a story about swimming".  As a teacher, we know our students' abilities and challenges.  Many of us differentiate our expectations for a simple assignment like this, which affects how the page is graded.

Example:  Joey has struggled with writing this year.  For this assignment, he would be expected to write one sentence using correct spacing, capitalization, and punctuation marks. Think about how Joey feels when his graded assignment is returned with a lowered grade.  You may have an upset parent on you doorstep if you didn't catch this oversight when you returned from your absence.  It is hectic enough when you return from being gone, why create obstacles for yourself?

Just like it takes longer to cook a meal when you aren't in your kitchen, the same holds true for a guest teacher in a new classroom.  Even a sub with teaching experience will not be as time efficient as you. Use your first couple of weeks of school with your class as your gauge for how much time each lesson will take.

Have you made your emergency sub plans yet?

Sources to make my blog post graphics can be found HERE.
Click HERE to read my blog's disclosure statement.