How to Move Beyond “Please, Please Don’t Torture the Sub”

Missing school is harder for teachers than many other professionals because not only do we have to leave appropriate plans and information so that substitute teachers can manage our classes while we are out, but also because even the best of students tend to have the classic, “Oh boy! We have a sub!” reaction. Unless you have a top notch sub and have done everything possible to ensure that your students will still learn while you are out, you will return to deal with the unpleasant aftermath of a disaster.


Being able to miss school without worries about your students and all the things that are going wrong in your absence is possible with a bit of planning and preparation. First of all, very early in the school year, create a binder filled with helpful information that any substitute teacher can use. When you change seating charts, add or drop students, or when other significant changes occur, update your binder. Here are some items that you may want to include in your sub binder.

• Class rosters with helpful pronunciation clues
• A photo seating chart. Photograph your students sitting in their assigned seats. Print these and write the name of your students under their photos. Your sub will know where students are supposed to sit and will be able to match names to faces right away.
• Medical information for students with chronic illnesses such as asthma or diabetes
• Your daily class and duty schedule
• Classroom procedures for daily routines such as lunch, restroom requests, fire drills and other emergencies
• A list of several activities that students can do if they finish early. You can do this early in the year so that it is handy just in case you are rushed for time.
• A map of the school with exits and fire extinguishers marked
• Copies of all necessary forms such as lunch or attendance counts
• Names and room numbers of helpful teachers
• A phone number where you can be reached

Next, make sure to leave workable plans that even the most harried sub can follow.

• Your lesson plans for any day that you are going to miss should be specifically written for the sub.
• Provide plenty of directions and a suggested time length for each assignment.
• Do plan independent written work that will be collected and graded.
• Make sure to photocopy, label, and organize all handouts.
• Leave work that will occupy students, but that is not merely busy work.  
• Avoid computer use, videos, media center visits, and activities involving scissors or other sharp tools.

Finally, it’s important to involve students in a positive way in maintaining the order and routines of the class when you need to be absent. You may consider having students write out what they can do to help the sub so that things can run smoothly. Having students be aware of their specific responsibilities is a positive way to enlist their cooperation. Have them take a pledge of instructional cooperation. Assign tasks such as turning in attendance or passing out papers. Make cooperation fun. Make it an intriguing class challenge. Best of all, make it their responsibility. When students own a situation, they will more often than not rise to the occasion and exceed even our highest expectations.

 

If your students have misbehaved while you were out, however, don’t rush to punish. First, have students write out their version of the events of the class. Read these, and think about what you are going to do before you punish an entire class or even individual students based on what a substitute teacher has told you. If you then have to deal with misbehavior after you have gathered the facts from the sub and from your students, strive to be fair.