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Step 1
Make friends with the sign-in clerk. When you arrive at a school as a substitute teacher, you are first going to have to sign in at a secretary's desk. The secretary who signs you in is almost always the secretary who chooses which substitutes get calls first for that school and which substitutes get called in for long-term assignments. Smile and be friendly and introduce yourself!
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Step 2
Don't let the students get away with anything. Remember, even students who are little angels for their normal teachers can be pains-in-the-you-know-what for substitutes. They are going to test you! Don't try and be their friend; you are the teacher! Act like it! Find the goodie-goodie teacher's helper and ask them what the usual discipline routine is for poor behavior and then follow it, just like their normal teacher would.
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Step 3
Leave DETAILED notes for the returning teacher. One thing I hate about coming back after missing a day of work is to find no note at all from my substitute. I often discipline students who were written up by substitutes and bring rewards for students who were listed as being helpful. It's harder to give students consequences for mistreating a substitute when you don't know who was bad! Leave notes, and also, if you wish, leave your phone number and substitute i.d. number. When I find a substitute I like, I call them every time I am absent.
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Step 4
Most substitutes are given "off" periods when the normal teacher would be given a conference period. Instead of sitting around reading the newspaper or poking through the teacher's desk (you know who you are!), go to the front office and ask the secretary if there is anything you can do to help out. Remember, the secretary is the one who will call you back if the teacher likes you. Use every opportunity to make friends with the office staff.
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Step 5
Go eat lunch in the teacher's lounge and don't hide behind the newspaper. When I was a substitute teacher, I always ate in the teacher's lounge. Often, conversations would go like this: "Oh, you're substituting for Mrs. Smith? I'm going to be out on Tuesday, would you like to cover my classes then? Great!"
Comments
ceholmes said
on 6/28/2009 Great info! Especially rule number 2. I am a young sub that looks like a student and still I didn't tolerate behavior problems because I held #2 dear. You are there to do a job, regardless if the student's like it or not.
barbiecrafts said
on 6/1/2009 i am a sub, too, and this is very goodadvice on how to be an effecttive substitute teacher. 5
cdclocks said
on 5/30/2009 Ooof. I subbed part time while I was finishing college (in Education). It was, by far, the hardest job I've ever had. ...great tips...even to full time teachers...always be sweet to the secretaries.
ruf1950 said
on 5/30/2009 Great ideas on how to be an effective and memorable substitute teacher. 5***** and a recommend.
dthere said
on 5/30/2009 Very good insight...thanks...5