1. Needing a Substitute Can Happen at ANY Time
You have been trying to tame cold symptoms for a couple days now without any luck. You have a teacher training you were told about last minute. Your kiddo came down with a fever in the middle of the night. Needing a substitute can happen at ANY time. Planning for a substitute is never easy or convenient. Often times you don’t have a chance to plan ahead.
SOLUTION: Set up a substitute tub, or as the regulars call it, a SUB TUB! This is a bin filled with a few things.
- Information about your class. Class roster. Special Needs. Routines. Your daily schedule.
- Lessons. These can be worksheets or special activities for math, reading, writing, science, etc. I keep each subject in it’s own folder.
- Tips and tricks on how you manage your class. Special rewards they can earn.
IMPORTANT: Keep this sub tub in a special place in your classroom. When you need a sub, you can just pull this tub out and leave it on your desk! Can’t make it into school, tell a teammate to grab your sub tub “from the top shelf in my closet” and place it on your desk! And just like that YOU ARE READY TO GO!
Do you teach K, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd?! You can grab all the supplies you need to set-up a sub tub AND get one NO PREP sub plan for less than your favorite latte!
Hoping to NEVER plan for a substitute again?! GRAB A WHOLE YEAR OF SUB PLANS! Click the links below to see all your options!!
2. Planning for a Substitute Is More Work Than Just Coming In
UGH. Typing up every little thing about how your classroom works often takes more effort than just coming in to teach yourself!
SOLUTION: Create a Substitute Information Binder. This binder will hold all your routines. Sit down and write them out in detail ONCE and you can reuse this binder each time you have a sub! Once finished, throw this binder in your sub tub.
3. Easily Change Out Activities
You have your sub tub all set up in September and it was never used! Now it is late October and you have been invited to attended the newest STEM workshop! What about the lessons from September?!
TWO SOLUTIONS:
- You can always be proactive and change out the worksheets or activities regularly! Plan on using the activities you stuffed in the math and reading folders at the end of the month and then replace them with activities and lessons you are currently working on.
- Just use September’s lessons! Your students can always benefit from continued practice! Maybe throw in a fun and exciting extension activity!
TIP: My sub tub always has a theme so I can easily add activities related to that theme! September? I add in a ton of activities related to apples. December? I add in activities related to kindness and giving.
TRY OUT SOME FREE SUB PLANS TO SEE HOW I USE THEMES!
4. Rest Easy Knowing You Are Prepared
Having all the supplies you need in a sub tub should you need to take a day off, will give you peace of mind. You’ll feel like you can more readily accept those last minute PD opportunities, give yourself the self-care you need, or cuddle your sick kiddos without worrying about how your class and substitute are surviving!
5. Give Your Substitute (And Your Students) Predictable Substitute Days
Students thrive on routine. Heck, teachers thrive sticking to a routine. If you use a SUB TUB, your substitute will quickly know where to get their supplies for the day and if they regularly sub in your class, they will know exactly what to expect each time. My students know EXACTLY where our sub tub is. YUP, MY KINDERS! As the year goes on they gain confidence about how substitute days work and they love helping out our substitutes with how to navigate our SUB TUB.
QUICK TIP: Show your students your SUB TUB. Explain the things in it! I can guarantee they will feel PROUD should they ever be asked to help your substitute!
I’m always creating NEW themed Substitute Plans!! What other themes would you love to see?!
Email, comment, or message me and let me know!
