Many professions have downfalls. However, aside from those in the healthcare industry, there are very few that expose you to more germs than teaching. Teachers work in an incubator of every germ imaginable and regularly contract colds, tummy bugs and (cross fingers it never happens, but surely it could) lice as a job hazard! The sad irony though is that it is REALLY hard to call in sick.
There have been nights when I went to bed only to wake up a wee bit after midnight with a horrific stomach virus. I spent the remaining predawn hours alternating between writing up sub plans and lying on the bathroom floor. To be completely honest, I have even written sub plans ON the bathroom floor. I have driven to school in sweatpants with a bucket on my lap to set up for a sub. I have dragged myself to class on days I thought my head would explode from the pain of a migraine while shielding my eyes from the light like a character from Twilight because it was easier to be near death in a room full of 24 energetic children than it would’ve been to crack open an eye to write sub plans. Teachers you know what I’m talking about. It’s usually harder to be out than it is to go in sick.
But here’s the thing...you can’t always drag yourself into school. People slip on the ice when walking the dog in the morning, car accidents happen, appendixes rupture and kidney stones can come out of nowhere. There are a million and one unexpected things that can occur, but much like carrying an umbrella on a cloudy day wards off actual raindrops, being prepared for a sub at all times helps to keep you safe and healthy. Well, maybe not, but it doesn’t hurt. Read below to get practical strategies for organizing your sub plans.
This blog post will…
suggest 15 places where you can store your sub plans
offer organization strategies for your sub plans storage
explain the benefits of prepping individual student packets
15 Places to Store Sub Plans
To prepare for a substitute teacher, keep all of the materials a substitute teacher will need organized and in one place. This substitute teacher tip will make it easy for a guest teacher to fill in for you when you are out of the classroom. Having the lesson plans, copies, resources, information and materials a substitute teacher will need for the entire day in one location will save him or her time and help to make the day as productive and stress-free as possible. Here are 15 places to store your sub plans:
Binder
Pocket folder
Drawer
Plastic box with lid
Tub
Kit
Station
Plastic bag
Container
Tool box / tool kit
Basket
File cabinet
Hanging crate
Cardboard literature sorter
Dishpan
Why a Sub Binder is My Favorite Option
There are different options for housing the supplies a substitute teacher will need. It really comes down to what will work best for your classroom space and teaching style. I have used several of the options I listed above over the years. I have had the most success with using a binder because it allows for easily adding, removing or editing the contents.
How to Make Your Sub Plans Storage Option User-Friendly
If your sub can’t navigate your sub plans, they will not be able to follow them. Make them user-friendly using these strategies:
Group the resources into categories that make sense.
Use dividers and tabs to identify categorized sections (i.e. maps, student info, lesson plans, emergency info, etc).
Include a table of contents.
Start with a simple, “your day at a glance” or “important things to note” page. Color code things by sections or subjects.
When drafting the information be sure to write it in a way that is visually appealing and easy to read (bullet points, bolding, underlining, highlighting, etc.).
Benefits of Prepping Individual Student Packets
While having everything copied, prepped and ready to go for the day is essential, you can take the organization one step further and create packets for each student containing all the assignments for the day. Here are the following benefits:
It makes it super easy for the sub to distribute everything to the students and manage the completed assignments. It prevents you from coming back to a messy classroom with papers here, there, and everywhere.
It makes differentiation subtle and simple because you can modify each student’s packet and not worry about the right paper getting to the right student.
It helps to keep the children on task and focused because they have everything the need.
It increases accountability as you can easily see how much they completed during the day.
I recommend putting all the materials in order for the day and attaching a cover sheet to each packet with a checklist. When printing the checklist, it is helpful to include the subject, starting and ending times to help with management, and decrease the feeling of being overwhelmed by a packet of work. If you have access to colored copy paper you could even copy the different subjects onto different colored papers.
Here are some resources to check out...
Read these other blog posts about preparing for a substitute teacher
Download the free eBook: The Clutter-Free Classrom’s Guide to Preparing for a Substitute Teacher
Purchase Sub Plans Made Easy: Grades 1-5 Bundle, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, or 5th Grade
#PlanningAndPrep #SubPlans
