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Effective Teaching...
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
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To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu
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This article was printed from Teachers.Net Gazette,
located at http://teachers.net.
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April
2003
The Effective
Substitute Teacher
As soon as the March Gazette column was posted, the letters of anguish from
substitute teachers began to arrive. "What am I to do as a substitute
teacher when, as often happens, I find that the regular teacher has not left
any instructions? The teachers like Melissa Pantoja with her 'Daily Class
Routine for the Substitute' http://teachers.net/wong/MAR03/
are rare. When I walk into a classroom where the children are responsible and
well behaved, I look up, smile and say, 'Thank you.'
"Most of the time, I walk into a classroom and within a few seconds
I know that I am in for a trying day. I look up, grimace, and say, 'Why are
you punishing me today?'"
On any given day, approximately 274,000 substitute teachers serve in this
country's classrooms. By the time a student graduates from high school, that
person will have spent the equivalent of a full year being taught by a substitute.
The potential of a substitute is often wasted because many districts do not
have any form of a training program for these teachers, just as they have no
training program for their new teachers.
But, the reality is that you are a substitute TEACHER, something you have
chosen to do. So,
- First of all, arrive on time, which probably means at least one-half
hour before the first class is scheduled to begin. You should check in with
the principal or secretary and sign in on the sign-in sheet that is available
at many schools.
- Second, always dress professionally. A Phoenix teacher says, "I
dress to the 'T' as a substitute teacher. The kids hold the door for me. One
on each side! That's pretty scary and wonderful that they are influenced so
easily by appearance. My daughter's been on her job for only two weeks and
she says they hold the door for her, also."
- Third, follow the teacher's lesson plan as given to you. Most all
teachers are responsible and want their students to learn. You are expected
to carry on with the academic program.
- Fourth, always have a backup plan. This is your way to engage students
in meaningful learning activities just in case no lesson plans have been left
for you.
How to Begin
As stated in The First Days of School, the most important day for
a teacher is the first day of school. How a teacher begins will determine
that teacher's success for the rest of the school year. Good teachers, like
Melissa Pantoja, have scripted their first day of school and come prepared to
start correctly
http://teachers.net/wong/JUN00/,
http://teachers.net/wong/JUN02/,
http://teachers.net/wong/MAR03/.
All effective classrooms have a basic set of procedures that organize and
manage a classroom. To refresh your memory on this subject, please refer to
Unit C, especially Chapter 20, in The First Days of School; tapes
3 and 4 in the video series, The Effective Teacher; the new CD
set, How to Improve Student Achievement; or any of our past columns
in www.teachers.net.
If you ascertain that the regular teacher has not left you with any semblance
of procedures, then as an effective substitute you should be ready to install
a basic set as soon as you take over a class. The two most important procedures
are:
- how the students are to come to attention and
- what they are to do when they enter the classroom ("bellwork").
How these two procedures are taught is explained in the above resources.
Classroom management overarches everything. You should not begin teaching
until the classroom has been organized, no more than you would begin a surgical
procedure in an operating room until the preparations have been organized.
Prepare a SubPack
A printable version of the SubPack is available here.
A SubPack is like an emergency preparedness kit for the classroom.
It should contain a variety of useful and necessary classroom supplies and materials.
Check the pack at the end of every day, refill it with what is necessary, and
have it by the door or in the car ready for the next day.
The contents of a SubPack can be organized into three categories:
- Personal and Professional Items
- Activity Materials
- Everyday Stuff
Personal and Professional Items
Clipboard
Pen, pencil, and colored (non-red) marking pen
Substitute teacher report (to leave for the permanent teacher)
District information (maps, addresses, phone numbers, policies, starting times,
etc.)
A coffee mug or water bottle
A whistle (useful for P.E. and playground duty)
A small package of tissues
Snacks (granola bar, pretzels, bottled water, etc.)
An individualized Hall Pass
A small bag or coin purse for keys, driver's license, money (enough for lunch),
and other essential items.
Band-Aids®
Headache medicine (for you only)
Small sewing kit with safety pins
Activity Materials
Tangrams
Bookmarks
Picture books and brainteasers
A number cube or dice for games
Estimation jar
Timer
Copies of a 5 minute filler (or early finisher) activity
One class set of a short activity
Everyday Stuff
Crayons
Rubber bands
Colored markers, pencils, and/or crayons
Labeled ball-point pens (red, blue, black)
Pencils and small pencil sharpener
Transparent and masking tape
White board markers and dry eraser
Chalk
Scissors
Glue sticks
Paper clips, staples, and a small stapler
Post-it® note pads (various sizes and colors)
Ruler
File folders
Calculator
Lined and blank paper
Name tag materials (address labels or masking tape will work)
Professional Substitute Teacher Checklist
A checklist is provided so that you can plan, keep track of, and reflect upon
your day.
A printable version of the Professional Substitute Teacher Checklist
is available here.
At Home
| _____ |
Organize several appropriate substitute teacher outfits in a section
of your closet. |
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| _____ |
Compile a set of note cards containing pertinent information about
the schools where you may be assigned. |
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| _____ |
Keep a note pad and pencil by the phone you will be using to answer
early morning calls. |
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| _____ |
Answer the phone yourself. |
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| _____ |
Assemble a SubPack. Keep it well stocked and ready. |
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| _____ |
Leave early enough to arrive at school at least 30 minutes prior
to the beginning of school. |
Prior to Entering the Classroom
| _____ |
Report to the administration office. |
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| _____ |
Ask about student passes and special procedures. |
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| _____ |
Ask if there will be any extra duties associated with the permanent
teacher's assignment. |
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| _____ |
Ask about any special school-wide activities planned for the day. |
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| _____ |
Find out how to refer a student to the office. |
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| _____ |
Ask if any students have medical problems. |
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| _____ |
Obtain any keys that might be necessary. |
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| _____ |
Find out how to report students who are tardy or absent. |
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| _____ |
Find the locations of restrooms and the teachers' lounge. |
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| _____ |
Ask the names of the teachers on both sides of your classroom and
if possible, introduce yourself to them. |
In the Classroom Before School
| _____ |
Enter the classroom with confidence and your SubPack. |
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| _____ |
Write your name (as you wish to be addressed by the students) on
the board. |
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| _____ |
Review the expectations, or rules, if any are posted. |
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| _____ |
Locate the school evacuation map. |
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| _____ |
Read through the lesson plans left by the permanent teacher. |
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| _____ |
Locate the books, papers, and materials which will be needed throughout
the day. |
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| _____ |
Study the seating charts. If you can't find any, get ready to make
your own. |
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| _____ |
When the bell rings, stand in the doorway and greet students as they
enter the classroom. |
Throughout the Day
| _____ |
Greet the students at the door and get them involved in a learning
activity immediately. |
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| _____ |
Carry out the lesson plans and assigned duties to the best of your
ability. |
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| _____ |
Improvise using the materials in your SubPack to fill extra
time, enhance activities, or supplement sketchy lesson plans as needed. |
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| _____ |
Be fair and carry out the rewards and consequences you establish. |
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| _____ |
Be positive and respectful in your interactions with students and
school personnel. |
At the End of Each Class Period
| _____ |
Make sure that all classroom sets are accounted for. |
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| _____ |
Challenge students to recall projects and topics they have studied
that day. |
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| _____ |
Remind students of homework. |
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| _____ |
Have students straighten and clean the area around their desks. |
At the End of the Day:
| _____ |
Complete your Substitute Teacher Report and leave it for the permanent
teacher. |
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| _____ |
Neatly organize the papers turned in by the students. |
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| _____ |
Close windows, turn off lights and equipment, and make sure the room
is in good order before you lock the door. |
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| _____ |
Turn in keys and any money collected at the office. |
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| _____ |
Check to see if you will be needed again the next day. |
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| _____ |
Jot down a few notes to yourself about what was accomplished, how
things went, and ways to improve. |
Resources for Substitute Teachers
The SubPak and the Professional Substitute Teacher Checklist have been
modified from the Substitute Teacher Handbook, which is available
from
Substitute Teaching Institute
Utah State University
6516 Old Main Hall
Logan UT 84322
435-797-3182
http://subed.usu.edu
The Substitute Teacher Handbook, for grades K-12, is a compressive
book for all substitute teachers. It includes
- how-to information for classroom management and teaching strategies,
- analysis of legal issues affecting substitutes, and
- over 100 pages of activities and lessons that can be used in a variety of
classes and grades.
Additional Resources for Substitute Teachers
These resources are just a mouse click away:
Substitute Teachers' discussion chatboard at
http://teachers.net/mentors/substitute_teaching
Substitute Teachers' e-mail discussion group at
http://teachers.net/mailrings
Monthly peer moderated chat meetings for Substitute Teachers on the first
and third Mondays of each month, 9:00-10:00 p.m. Eastern Time in the Meeting
Room at
http://teachers.net/meetings
Archived chat transcripts at
http://teachers.net/archive/substitutearchive.html
You Are the Teacher
It's inevitable that teachers will be away for the classroom. It's the wish
of most classroom teachers that learning will continue to take place and that
procedures will continue to operate. This can happen when the permanent teacher
and the substitute teacher are both effective teachers.
You may have the label of a substitute teacher, but you have the opportunity
to make a difference in the life of a child when you become the TEACHER in that
classroom. Seize the day, be prepared for it, and milk each moment for the possibility
of helping your students continue to grow and to learn.
Harry & Rosemary Wong products: http://harrywong.com/product
This printable version is provided for the convenience of individuals.
