Mary is now an emergency substitute, and she is looking for some quick tips. Kate and Lisa, also hired as emergency substitutes, were both thrust into a fifth-grade classroom and have given her some practical tips.
Get organized and learn the curriculum
Kate shares, “I needed to remove clutter and start afresh so I could succeed, which can help the kids succeed too.” Also, because they may be new to the curriculum, it’s vital that they understand the big picture. For Kate and Lisa, this included the available instruction material, assignments, tests and supplemental resources. One tip for learning the curriculum is to identify the company that publishes the textbook and find their digital resources online — they may have plenty of tutorials. Lisa even got a representative on the phone who offered hand-holding assistance regarding supplemental videos.
Get to know the kids immediately (and the families)
Even if you have already subbed on the campus, it is key to get to know the students at a deeper level to help them thrive. For Lisa, this meant finding the students’ strengths and weaknesses. This also meant she needed to determine whether there were any IEP situations, amended work, or expectations for grading and test-taking. Kate shared, “Classroom management, classroom routines and setting up expectations is a must for a thriving classroom.” For Kate, this meant learning their personalities and various learning styles. This also meant an introduction to the families. Emailing the parents is valuable and likely appreciated so they know who will be working with their child. Often parents want to help and support wherever possible.
Put relationships first in building the classroom community
Setting high expectations with classroom management is extremely important. Lisa shared, “If you don’t have classroom management, it’s difficult to promote a fruitful learning environment.” When the relationships are set as a priority, this can lead to easier classroom management. Moreover, Kate added that when building students’ trust, we can inspire them to feel that they are in charge of their own actions and decisions. When they choose to do things that are disrespectful, it hurts the classroom community.
Find and use your resources
Kate and Lisa immediately befriended the fourth-grade teacher to ask about students who may need better support with academics or classroom management. Also, it’s vital to find a good mentor teacher who is easy to approach and happy to help.
Lisa stressed the importance of becoming familiar with the office staff — especially the front desk receptionist, because they will advise about changes in bell schedules, special assemblies, fire drills, half days, etc., that subs might not otherwise be aware of. Additionally, one must not forget the nurse, who can provide advice about what to do when a child is sick or injured. Lisa made sure to work with the principal about the school policies for misbehavior and when to send a student to the front office for poor choices and classroom disruption.
Final advice to a new substitute
Go into the classroom with a positive attitude and confidence, even when you don’t feel it. Students can smell fear and can exploit that. Look for ways to reward positive behavior versus looking for ways to punish. Lisa carries around candy in a jar for fun incentives. Kate reminds any new teacher or sub that you must give yourself and the students grace. Feeling overwhelmed and imperfect is normal, so you can only take it one day at a time. They both suggested the book by Harry Wong, “First Day of School” and said to get some page tabs and highlighters and always keep that book on hand!
