How to Be a Successful Substitute Teacher

Remember the days when you walked into your classroom and found a substitute: a day of watching a film strip or playing a game of 7-Up. Now you're the sub, and knowing what you know, fear is forming in the pit of your stomach. Don't be afraid. Follow these guidelines and be a successful substitute teacher. You just might learn something.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Dress for success. When you enter the classroom, the first impression the kids have of you is visual. Dress like an adult who demands their respect. If you choose not to dress formally, then at least opt for business casual. Skip the jeans and sneakers. You're not their equal. You are in charge.
2. Familiarize yourself with the school's rules and regulations. You should know what school policies are before you accept a substitute teaching job. The students will know the rules, and if they sense that you don't, you'll lose control before you have it.
3. Get a head start on your students. Arrive at the school as early as you can, check in at the office and pick up any materials that have been left with the secretary for you. Go to your classroom and review the lesson plan for the day as well as the roster and seating chart. If you feel that there isn't enough work to keep the students busy, find a pertinent article in the newspaper to read and discuss.
4. Be prepared for students looking for escape. Having a substitute in the classroom automatically puts kids in a frame of mind to try to push limits. Make sure that any student asking to go to the bathroom, nurse or other dubious destination has a pass, goes alone and comes back within an acceptable amount of time.
5. Turn the tables on answers you don't have. When you're reviewing material that isn't within your expertise and you don't have an answer to a particular question, enlist the help of other students. That is, pose the question to the class and some ace will undoubtedly bail you out.
6. Keep your nerves under control. It's certainly intimidating facing a classroom of 20 or more students of any age that you don't know and who are counting on a free day. Try the best you can to not let them sense your anxiety. If they know you're nervous, they'll definitely take advantage of the situation.
7. Have fun. The more you enjoy your substituting experience, the more the kids will enjoy having you teach. They'll remember you in a positive light and the next time you face them in class, they'll treat you with more respect.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep organized files on the schools and classes that you're asked to cover. Include the contact information such as administration, school rules and maps. Make notes as you go along and add them to your file so that you can review the information for the next time.