anyone have substitute problems?

[Mr. Larrabee]

Specifically "Does anyone have difficulty getting the substitute to carry out the assignments that you wanted done?"

I have a regular problem getting a substitute that will actually carry out my lesson plan. I'll be the first to admit that math (at any level) is a difficult thing to pick up and teach based on a page or two of notes and instructions... but seriously!!! I spend a lot of time planning my instruction (more than I care to admit publicly). It is highly frustrating to me when I get wake up at 5:30, spend between half an hour to an hour tweeking my own plans to fit into a substitutes range of abilities, and then return the next day to find a note similar to "couldn't find materials, gave definitions (and that's if I'm lucky, the norm is "gave them a free day")

As someone who has substituted in a class outside of my realm of expertise (2nd graders, half-day, when my own oldest daughter was still a 1st grader) I would kill for a lesson plan that actually kept the students "on task" for the bulk of the time I was spending with them.

So I'm asking, to teachers and substitutes alike: Would I get better results if I were to give minimal instructions, worksheets, alternative assignments, more in depth lesson plans with explanation of concepts??????? I'm almost to a point where I'm going to leave a 3 foot stack of Sudoku puzzles and forget about substitute planning entirely.

[mopar]

I've found that leaving instructions is great. But I rarely ask the substitute to teach anything new. I mostly give them book work or a movie or worksheets with the concept.

I have found that a group project can also work if you prep the kids the day before. So, this can only be used if you know you will be out.

[FrazzleDazzle]

Sub problems? Don't get me started. I have a self-contained special education class with an IA. When I am out, I expect that she knows what to do and knows the kids and their behaviors better than the sub will-- however, there have been subs that totally take advantage of that. One was told he had a 20-minute lunch, and left the school for an hour lunch. One left in the middle of the day to do errands. A few sat and read the paper all day and acted huffy when she asked them to do something like walk a kid to the bathroom. Depending on the number of kids that will be there on a day I'm out, I have requested *no* sub at times because they can end up being an extra body to worry about instead of a help.

[Boxcar]

I think it is very difficult to be a sub. You come into a classroom not knowing anything. You don't know the rules. You don't know the children and their individual needs. You might not even know the subject.

I would never ask a sub. to teach anything new. In my opinion, that is just asking for trouble. Let the kids have a review day. It'll make life easier for everyone.

Try leaving a plan like this:
1. Pass out worksheets.
2. Ask the first row to come up to the board and complete the first five problems.
3. Ask the class if they see any mistakes. You can refer to the master copy I've provided of how each problem should be done.
4. If someone finds a mistake, ask them to go up to the board and correct it.

Well, you get the idea.

I would plan a mix of tasks that are "work day" and "free day". Plan to have the children review and then have time to do fun games based on the subject matter. One game I like for mathematics is Math Bingo. The students have to solve the problems to know if the number that has been called is on thier card. Obviously, the problems need to be within range of all the children and require only one or two steps.

It is so hard to be satisfied with subs. when we feel we could do it better. Still, this really shouldn't be that much of an issue. A teacher shouldn't be absent all that often. We expect the children to come on a regular basis, so it stands to reason that we should too.

If a teacher is going to absent frequently, which does happen and can be unavoidable, s/he can take some steps to guard againt sub. side-effects. Try to get a student from a nearby university to agree to sub. in your room. Of course, you'd have to pick someone in your subject area. Most teachers-to-be only have to take a training program to become subs. At least, that is what I understand. If you hand pick your sub. you might be happier. If you know you are going to be absent ahead of time, prepare your students. Tell them what they will be doing and how you expect them to behave. Write the schedrule down on the board or on a piece of newsprint to tack up. This will be to trigger thier memories.

This is a bit of a long post. Sorry for that. I hope some of this is helpful...

[mopar]

We had a substitute recently that spent most of the day sleeping as the students overran the classroom, making a mess of the room. Until another staff stepped in. The rest of the day, the sub spent reading the newspaper.... What a great day for that sub.

[landreth2007]

I subbed before teaching so I have been on both sides. As a substitute, I appreciated detailed lesson plans and being kept busy. Of course I was excited about being a real teacher so I wanted to TEACH!

We have a difficult time getting people to sub at our school. It isn't because of the students or income level; it just isn't mu
ch money for the work involved. We have a few retired teachers who are terrific! There are also some that aren't so great. There was one a few years ago who shut one of my students in the closet. Needless to say, she was not asked back.

Unfortunately, we do not always have that option. A sub I had last year decided that my lesson plans were too "boring" and she decided to let my class play games instead. She still subs at our school but I try very hard to make sure she is never in my class.

I try not to miss a day unless I must.

[Oak Tree]

I also worked as a sub and, as a sub, unless the plans were VERY easy to follow I just ignored them and did whatever I wanted and now as teacher that's what I expect from a sub. I just leave stacks of worksheets and discipline reports and very very simple instructions on my desk and tell the sub that I am deeply grateful anyone came in at all.

Subs lack the authority to conduct complicated lessons that demand a lot of cooperation so trying to impose that on them is silly.


Mr. Larrabee, this might sound rude, but I think wanting it your way but wanting the day off is like wanting your cake and eating it, too. I'm just glad if my room isn't trashed too bad when I get back.

[mopar]

Also, try to find subs right out of school or ones that have been around awhile and know the system and the kids. These subs can also get more done.

Another idea, get a student teacher every semester. Then if your out you have a sub.

[Boxcar]

The idea of a student teacher is a nice one. You have a assistent. You are alteristically passing on your knowledge. You can take a day off. It is a good situation when looked at that way.

[leafy seadragon]

I have such trouble getting someone to come to my class. when they do they often find it more difficult because they do not follow the program or the routine. My students have autism and really find their routine comforting, and if we have maths every Monday at 10.00am, then that is what should happen, but despite my notes and the best efforts of my Teacher's aide some will not listen. The one that took the cake was the lady who wouldn't follow the program, then turned off her hearing aide because one student was screaming too loud. Called back to the classroom to calm him I asked him what was wrong and it was that he desparately wanted to do his spelling and she wouldn't let him! I gave him his spelling work and he was happy.

Having been a casual teacher myself, I quickly learnt that it was best to keep the kids in their routine and busy. Throw in some small classroom games as rewards when the work left for them is finished, a sense of humour and most days were good.
Sometimes I think people make things harder for themselves.

[mopar]

I agree but that is the world of special education.

[green.dlouise@comca]

I teach choir and oh boy just try and get a sub that can do music!!! My best solution besides leaving detailed lesson plans and never having them come back to sub for me, I put students in charge of what needs done. I teach 7th, 8th and 9th grade choirs and an ESL class. I assign students to hand things out, run the CD's and accompaniment music, do warm-ups. I use the most advanced music students in each class who can lead the class through the songs and sometimes I will have a student who is talented enough to help with the piano. I would so much rather be in the class than go through all the sub prep. How about you?

[mopar]

That's a great idea. Have the students run the class. I would much rather be teaching than dealing with a sub.

[Chef Dave]

It's hard to find a substitute because I'm a chef instructor. Not only are most substitutes not certified as food handlers but most also have no experience in commercial kitchens ... so if and when I were to be absent, our entire department would shut down.

When I was an elementary teacher, yes, I had issues with substitutes who didn't follow lesson plans. During my first year teaching, I had a candy jar. Not only did my students convince the substitute to distribute the contents of the candy jar among the class but they also convinced her to raid my stockpile of candy that I kept in my desk drawer.

When I asked the substitute to replace the candy, she told me to leave her alone. I subsequently reported the incident to the building administrator. His response was, "Oh well ... things happen."

The consequence I imposed on the class?

I discontinued use of the candy jar.

After four weeks of not having candy, the kids voluntarily brought in bags of candy to replace everything that had been taken.

[teach1027]

I think this is a problem everywhere. I never get anything that I leave done. I might have 1 or 2 things done, but never everything that was supposed to get done. I always leave plenty of work, and detailed instructions. I do not6 know what to do about it either. I have found 1 or 2 good subs that I try to get, but if they are good everyone knows and it is hard to get them.

[Karenrbw]

One of my children got sick and I had to take her home in the middle of the day. I didn't shut down my computer, but it has a password protected screensaver. The sub wanted to surf the internet while the kids in class worked so she unplugged the computer to make it restart. I lost several documents that I had been working on when the school nurse called.

I always try to leave enough work so the kids will stay busy for the entire hour and I make sure it is work that they can do without help from the sub. I teach ag and most of our subs wouldn't know an enterprise budget for a dairy farm if it bit them on the behind. Keep the kids busy and keep the sub happy.

[merrynl]

I try to leave detailed instructions along with enough work to keep the kids busy for the hour and then some. Unfortunately, whether these plans are followed depends on who the sub is.

THe most frustrating thing for me is that often the subs I get will pass out the papers, but not make the kids work. They leave notes saying the kids didn't want to work, so they sat there and had a free day. I try to find relevent movies for at least part of the time when I'm gone. I usually leave self explanatory worksheets as well. I also make sure I tell the kids ahead of time (when possible) that I'll be gone. I also let the kids know that I expect the work to be done when I return.

[Shulamite]

I think it is very difficult to be a sub. You come into a classroom not knowing anything. You don't know the rules. You don't know the children and their individual needs. You might not even know the subject.

I would never ask a sub. to teach anything new. In my opinion, that is just asking for trouble. Let the kids have a review day. It'll make life easier for everyone.

Try leaving a plan like this:
1. Pass out worksheets.
2. Ask the first row to come up to the board and complete the first five problems.
3. Ask the class if they see any mistakes. You can refer to the master copy I've provided of how each problem should be done.
4. If someone finds a mistake, ask them to go up to the board and correct it.

Well, you get the idea.

I would plan a mix of tasks that are "work day" and "free day". Plan to have the children review and then have time to do fun games based on the subject matter. One game I like for mathematics is Math Bingo. The students have to solve the problems to know if the number that has been called is on thier card. Obviously, the problems need to be within range of all the children and require only one or two steps.

It is so hard to be satisfied with subs. when we feel we could do it better. Still, this really shouldn't be that much of an issue. A teacher shouldn't be absent all that often. We expect the children to come on a regular basis, so it stands to reason that we should too.

If a teacher is going to absent frequently, which does happen and can be unavoidable, s/he can take some steps to guard againt sub. side-effects. Try to get a student from a nearby university to agree to sub. in your room. Of course, you'd have to pick someone in your subject area. Most teachers-to-be only have to take a training program to become subs. At least, that is what I understand. If you hand pick your sub. you might be happier. If you know you are going to be absent ahead of time, prepare your students. Tell them what they will be doing and how you expect them to behave. Write the schedrule down on the board or on a piece of newsprint to tack up. This will be to trigger thier memories.

This is a bit of a long post. Sorry for that. I hope some of this is helpful...


I appreciate your statements concerning subs. It is not easy. I love to arrive early (30 min. early) so that I can read through the lesson plans and do the best job I can do, and I get awful responses. The complaint is that I am there too early. I explain that I don't want to arrive 10 minutes before the kids do and I want to do a good job and understand what is expected of me.
I have to say that I do my UTMOST to complete each assignment left in the plans and feel so good that I can leave the teacher a note stating such!
Although, there are times when I arrive at a particular school and there are no lesson plans. That's interesting. So, I have age-appropriate back-up plans and ideas on such days.

I feel full time teachers that have experience as a Sub BEFORE they go into full time teaching can sympathize a bit. They know what it's like to be at different schools on different days, not knowing what grade level you will be called upon to teach the following day, not knowing if there are disciplinary issues in the class until it's too late, etc., the list goes on. When the principal or other teacher thanks me for coming in for the day, I truly appreciate that and it makes a difficult day a little better.

As a Sub, I am open to hear from other teachers what I should know to make their day easier. I'm here to learn as well as to share.