One thing I have come to truly appreciate are sub plans. They are so important! One classroom I subbed in, I didn't get sub plans until 10:30am - two hours after the day had started! Just having a folder with basic items would have made me feel more relaxed!
Click on the picture above to view a sample sub plan.
Below are things that as a sub, I would love to have in a folder:
- Class Roster
--- After attendance is taken, that sheet goes to the office and I don't have another class roster unless I start looking through things. Having a class roster in the sub folder would be amazing just to help with keeping track of students.
- Basic schedule
--- Nothing too fancy, just a simple one page Word document with time and daily schedule. This way, I know how to structure my day if no plans are left.
- Daily Routines
--- More for the younger grades, but also important for the upper grades. Simple things like, this is how the students are expected to line up for lunch, this is what happens in the morning, etc. This helps with the consistency in the classroom and just helps the day run smoothly.
- Discipline/Behavior Rules
--- The first thing I do when I walk in the classroom is see what the behavior plan is! As a sub, I need to know what the rules are - do students lose privileges, if so, what are they? What procedures do I need to follow if something happens? Nothing very extensive, but a simple overview is greatly appreciated!
- School Policies
--- What do I do if there is a fire drill? Where do I send a student if he/she is bleeding? These are things that I never would have thought about until I started subbing.
- Classroom Specific Things
--- What students can I ask for help? What students need extra help? What students do I need to keep a close eye on? What students go to reading groups, etc? I need to be aware of where students are going especially if I am not familiar with your classroom.
- Sub Plans
--- If a teacher knows he or she will be absent, detailed sub plans are amazing! One of the classrooms I have been in a few times, the teacher has the most amazing sub plans! She leaves me an overview of everything - school procedures, weekly schedules, where students go, etc. Then, for the plans, they are broken down by time and she just has to fill them in with what she wants me to do. They are truly amazing! The best part is that the sub plans stay the same, she just has to fill in the content for the day - so easy to do. The lessons are planned to the minute and fill the time perfectly. I never have to wonder what to do if I have extra time because the schedule she has works so well.
***Many of the items above can be combined into the same document. For example, with the class roster, also list students that are helpers, behavior issues, special schedules, etc.
I am loving the opportunity to explore different classrooms and teaching styles. It helps me figure out what I want in my classroom and I take notes on things I love. I also appreciate sub plans so much more and know that when I get my own classroom, a sub folder is the first thing I'll make!
~ Ms. Longo
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