Substitute Plans: No Longer a Wasted Day

Do you ever feel like taking a day out of the classroom is more work than it’s worth? That it would be easier to just go in and teach than to create sub plans? Or do you just throw in a movie and call it a wasted day? It is highly likely that at some point during the school year, you will need to take a day off. Whether you are sick, your kids are sick, or you have out-of-town obligations, you need to be prepared to hand your pupils off to another adult—sometimes at the last minute. With the proper amount of planning beforehand, your absence no longer has to mean excess work for you, or a wasted day of academics for your students. 

Preparing for Substitutes

Have a master substitute plan saved on your computer. Have it be something you can quickly input the relevant information for the particular day and lesson when needed. By having this digital, you save time with not having to write out general information time and time again. A digital copy also allows you to easily e-mail a copy to your site secretary or administrator to give to the substitute in the event of a last-minute absence.  

What to include in a sub plan:

• General information about your class. For example, 1st period is generally quiet, 3rd period is very chatty, lots of tardies in 5th period, please record. Or for elementary, Johnny S. is the line leader, Emily P. needs to go to the nurses office to take medication at recess, Table 1 needs friendly reminders to stay on task. 

• The rules and procedures you want followed. This includes rules about food and drinks in the classroom, cell phones, and bathroom policies. Students tend to make up their own rules when the teacher is out of the classroom, so be clear and specific with the substitute about what is and is not okay. 

• The name(s) of a nearby colleague or two that can be of assistance if needed (i.e. the teacher next door).

• Seating charts. To avoid your class choosing their own seats for the day, and to assist the substitute with names, include seating charts. 

• Bell schedule with the start and end time of each class/instructional period. 

General Dos and Don’ts

Let’s start with the don’ts:

• DON’T just show movies. If you have a relevant documentary you were already planning on working in to your curriculum, then fine. However, make it an informative lesson with a structured note-taking guide and accompanying follow-up questions, etc. 

• DON’T expect your substitute to lecture or actually teach any new content. Leave that for your return so you can assure the correct material gets delivered in a way your class learns best. 

• DON’T test. To ensure the integrity of the exam, its best to save tests for a day when you are there. Also, if your pupils have questions throughout the test, it is unfair for them to have a substitute who probably won’t be able to answer their inquiry. 

So with all these no-nos, what should you do when you must be absent? You have plenty of options. I always found partner and group work to be great for sub days because it actually allows the pupils to converse, but in a productive way. In order to make sure it does not just become social hour, you must provide a very structured activity with clear directions. Test review, or even a mid-unit review, are great sub activities as pupils can use their notes, books, and neighbors to review previously learned material. Reading comprehension and writing assignments also work well and are good independent assignments. No matter what you do, make sure the instructions are incredibly clear and the lesson is very structured. Take out any guess work for both your class and substitute. 

Miscellaneous Tips

1. Always have a hard-copy emergency sub plan accessible in your classroom. This can be stored in your roll book, top drawer of your desk, or with your seating charts. This is for the unplanned absences in which you had no time or ability to prepare a lesson and resources for the sub. Ideas for such last minute lessons include creative writing assignments (regardless of the class content), reading comprehension activities (generic content based rather than unit based), and current event-based activities (if newspapers or computers are readily accessible). 

2. Ask your substitute for feedback on your instructions and lesson plan. Was it easy to understand? Did you leave anything out? Use their feedback to tweak your plan for the next time you are out of the classroom. 

3. Award your pupils prizes the following day (bathroom passes, extra credit points, student store money) for the best completed work. Give them an incentive to stay on task and perform well for the substitute. 

So, what about you? Do you have any secrets for a successful day out? What are some of your favorite substitute plans? Share your feedback in the comments below!