Classroom Management Techniques for Substitute Teachers
Substitute teachers face special challenges. Walking into a strange classroom and teaching students you've never seen before can be an adventure. Some students are helpful while others just want to try to push your buttons. The number one way to prevent a disaster is to know how to manage a classroom. Keeping kids busy -- and out of trouble -- entails more than posting rules. It means writing out a schedule, having a plan for when things go wrong and knowing how to deal with problems that occur. Good classroom management can make your day more enjoyable.
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Set a Clear Schedule
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Having the schedule on hand is one of the easiest ways to manage a room full of students. A good trick is to set a timer for five minutes before the class is supposed to transition. This way, even if you lose track of time, the timer will help keep you on schedule. That five minutes should be spent finishing up, having students put things away and then gather their belongings. If you are substituting in elementary school, write the day's schedule on the white board. This way, students know there is a set schedule for the day.
Plan Your Day
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Arrive early if possible and map out the day ahead. This will give you time to read over the schedule, find materials, write instructions on the board, insert a few more activities in places that are lacking and read teacher side notes. Planning the day will prevent you from having to stop class in the middle of a subject to find materials needed to complete the assignment. Students are bound to grow impatient and act up if you are busy searching for materials and they have nothing to do. Planning ahead helps avoid disruptions from students.
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Set the Rules
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No matter how strict you are, some students will try to push a substitute's buttons. Give the students your classroom rules at the beginning of the period or day. Practice the rules if necessary and post them if you can find a way to do so. Outline the consequences for breaking the rules. A warning is generally the first step. After that, the consequences get more severe. Most students will behave when faced with losing special privileges. Always follow through with a punishment; otherwise, students will figure that you can be soft, which results in disobedience.
Give Seat-work Assignments
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Give the students the assignments that the regular teacher has left with you. Go over the lesson, make an assignment, then give students time to work on it during class. This allows you to move around the classroom, helping students as needed. If students have planners, be sure they write each assignment down in their books. If some students get done faster than others, be prepared with puzzle sheets and other activities they can work on. Everyone stays busy, but the work is still educational. EducationWorld.com notes, "Most substitute teachers today wouldn't think of entering a classroom without a personal bag of tricks." Stash items such as extra pencils, name tags, stickers and candy in your bag.
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References
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- Photo Credit student and teacher smiling in a classroom image by JackF from Fotolia.com
