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Preparing for a substitute teacher can be more work than just going to school sick. I have four tips that made my sub prep so much easier and improved my class behavior for the sub.
09 Preparing for a Substitute
The Not So WImpy Teacher creates resources for busy teachers in grades 2-5 who are looking to deliver engaging and meaningful lessons without overwhelm and chaos.
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Writing: Personal Narrative Video Unit
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Math Fact Fluency – Multiplication and Division
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Third Grade Math Curriculum: Unit 7 Fractions
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Hello! I’m Jamie
- I believe that students need to be the leaders of the classroom. Even third graders are old enough to be held accountable and to take responsibility for their learning.
- I do not believe that kids were made to sit in seats. They need to get up and move around.
- Differentiated instruction is a must. I use guided reading and guided math groups to meet the individual needs of my students.
- Helping a student to discover their love for reading is a privilege that I never get tired of.
- School should be fun! We party in my class!
As a new teacher, I am often out for new teacher trainings or pd trainings. I dread writing sub plans and worry about my students throughout the day. I worry if they are off task or if they feel upset because their “normal” day is not normal today. I love how you encourage teachers to keep the classroom’s routine in place and I think this will help keep students on task and help keep behaviors at bay. As a former sub, I learned that detailed sub plans make a world of difference for my sub and helps make the day run smoother for my students. Love the behavior incentive recommendations! I started implementing a poster-sized letter to the guest teacher that contains a drawing of a tree. When students transition well, are respectful, or are helpful the guest teacher may add a red apple to the poster. The letter reminds students that if they earn 8 red apples, the students earn a special treat or incentive when I return. Thank you for the tips!
Detailed sub plans make the sub’s assignment so much more efficient and effective. Also, the tree idea is very clever and functionally possible for a sub. Academic clarity and behavioral goals that are efficiently utilized are so helpful for the sub as well as for the students. I understand the concerns about being a new teacher who is out of the classrooms for pd training sessions. I had the same concerns, but found that an effective sub was invaluable! I was also on the school pd and the district pd, so please know how we made those sessions for teachers as useful and engaging as possible. I have seen both sides of the issue, both as a teacher and as a student or participant in workshops and graduate courses. Thanks for what is being done on the front lines for teachers, families, and students. You are helping the educational community to know how important good resources and ideas are for students and those who are implementing instruction.
I have 16 school days left to the year. I will be out the entire 4th quarter on medics leave. I need ideas for planning for that. My sub is someone I trust and know will do great things with my kindergarteners.