Advice for Substitute Teachers

This past year I was laid off from my job in a call center where they were slowly transferring more and more calls to the Philippines. Since then I have been very actively searching for a traditional job. I've had several what I was told were strong interviews, but I always end up losing an entry level job to someone with 20+ years of experience. So in order to help my cash flow problem I decided to give substitute teaching a try. I had no previous classroom experience and not all that much patience. But hey, I needed money. And a school district can never have enough substitutes. So I jumped at the opportunity.

I assumed I would be given some sort of training or instructions before I was shipped off to my first classroom. My so-called training consisted of nothing more than watching a 15 minute video on how to write names on boards and never touch kids, and me being handed a substitute teacher handbook. So I held my breath, accepted my first job, and walked into a 5^th grade classroom to get my feet wet. Looking back, there were a lot of things I could have done better that first day. I was nervous, easily frustrated, and still wanting to be liked. Let me just say my first day made me dread the next. However, over time, I was able to find my groove and develop my own methods and rules for keeping the classroom under control and on task.

1. Go in with a firm hand. Start the day off right. As soon as the bell rings, shut the door and introduce yourself. They should already know what the rules of the classroom are. However, you want to make sure they are aware that you know as well. I always start off with a summary of what we'll be doing and I make sure they know exactly what type of behavior I will expect. I find that laying down the law is a crucial first step. The higher the grade the less you will need to explain.

2. Do not explain yourself when a simple no will do. If the answer to a question is 'no', just say 'no' and leave it at that. Don't go on to explain why. This will open up the floor for discussion and negotiation. If they begin to respond with a 'but' or 'what if' I simply let them know that it is not up for discussion. This affirms your leadership role in the classroom. Any decision you make is final and will not be overturned.

3. Look up when checking role. Believe me, I am fully aware that you can not learn a new class full of names every day. However, making eye contact with the child when doing attendance will give the child the impression that you do know their name. They will not go unnoticed and neither will their behavior. Making eye contact also lets you assert yourself quietly.

4. Do not sit at the desk. Whether they are testing or simply doing busy work, it is always a good idea to maintain a strong presence in the room. Sitting at the teachers' desk reading or otherwise distracting yourself can be portrayed as detaching yourself from what is happening in the classroom and makes it difficult to maintain order. Walk around and make sure each student is staying on task. If they seem to be stuck do what you can to help them or have one of their classmates help them. I don't have the answers to all of their questions, but a majority of the time at least one student in the class will. Also make it a point not to raise your voice or rebuke someone from across the room. Get up, walk to the child, and quietly remind them to stay on task or not talk. Maintaining a visual presence in the room has been a great help to me in maintaining a calm, quiet classroom.

5. Leaving the classroom. I can't blame them. If I was stuck in a classroom all day, I'd try to leave every chance I got, too. However, letting the students leave is not a good idea. Before you know it, the whole class will be wanting to go somewhere. In elementary school, it is a good idea to set up a schedule for bathroom breaks at the beginning of the day. Usually, the teacher will already have a schedule to use. Every hour and a half is usually plenty. Make sure the whole class makes the trek together whether they all have to go or not. In middle school through high school, I maintain a strict no leaving the classroom policy. This crowd has time between each class to take care of their personal business. I don't allow them to get things from their lockers either. They should not need to be told to come to class prepared. My rule of thumb is no hall passes unless they need to go to the nurse. That one you really can't question.

6. Be reasonable. This especially pertains to elementary school. It is a little bit unreasonable to expect them to sit there all day and just do worksheet after worksheet. Unfortunately, that is what most teachers will leave for you. When you arrive at your assignment, go over the lesson plans. If you see long periods with no activity, go ahead and add some in. It will make the day go a lot smoother. Even if you just get them up to stretch, or if you play a game with them. Try to break up the day a little so it's not so monotonous. Also, if everyone is done with their work, it is just a little unrealistic to expect them to just sit there quietly. Even a good game of hangman is a great reward for the class completing their work.

7. Remember that you are a guest. Manners please. Just pretend that you are a guest in someone's house. Would you enter without greeting your host or leave without saying goodbye? Always check in and out with the front office. And always leave the classroom cleaner than you found it. The class should help you to ensure that all books and classroom sets are back in place and that things are not left on the floor. Always leave a note for the teacher letting her know how things went. At first I found it difficult to leave a note saying the class was hard to control. I felt it would seem as if I wasn't a good sub. But I quickly realized that it is more a reflection of the class than of me.

These are just a few tips I have picked up that will make your subbing days go a lot smoother. And just remember it does get easier over time. I went from dreading walking into the classroom to not even sweating it. It's actually not that bad. You get to deal with new people every day and you don't have a true boss. So good luck and happy subbing!