As an administrator, you understand teachers try to be in class every day, but life happens. Meetings pop up on the calendar. Family members need assistance. Teachers catch the flu. That's why substitute teachers are an important part of your school. Unfortunately, arranging for them is increasingly difficult. The pool of potential subs is smaller than ever. That puts another layer of stress on already fatigued teachers, who cover for co-teachers who must be away from their classrooms. And there are a lot of brand-new teachers in classrooms who are trying to figure it all out.
What do teachers need for their substitutes?
Everyone agrees on one thing, no matter who takes over when teachers are gone. Students deserve a meaningful day of school. That’s why teachers have substitute folders loaded with essential details for success.
- School emergency procedures
- Maps of the building
- Seating charts
- Schedule of events
- Health concerns and accommodations
- Names of nearby co-workers and responsible students who could answer questions or help in a pinch
- Technology rules
- Class expectations
- Lunch and dismissal procedures
There’s no such thing as too much information regarding preparation for substitute teachers. Principals strive to spend time in classrooms with substitutes, but school days can get busy.
Teachers need lessons that keep students moving forward with purposeful learning opportunities no matter who takes over the class. Substitutes also need activities that can be done quickly and easily. Emergencies cause some substitutes to walk into the classroom with the students! There are options that work. Art projects that relate to novels or social studies topics. Writing prompts. KWL Charts (Know- Want to know-Learned) for upcoming units to do independently or whole class. Review and practice pages in math.
Some activities can be tricky. For example, every substitute isn’t comfortable with reading aloud. Students might struggle to read the text silently or take turns reading to the class. The meaning of the text could be lost, forcing teachers to reteach the material, which is a loss of valuable instructional time.
What’s the best solution for teachers planning for substitutes?
So how can your teachers best plan for substitutes? Solid lessons that provide clear guidelines for completion with processes students know are the best alternatives.
There’s a way to choose activities that students can do independently. Through technology, your teachers can even check the status of assignments from a distance.
Look to online resources, like ExploreLearning math and science solutions.
- When students have already been working through edtech programs like ExploreLearning Gizmos or ExploreLearning Reflex, very little preparation is necessary for lessons in a teacher’s absence.
- You can be sure that classes have research-based activities delivered through proven instructional methods and aligned to standards.
- There is no need to set up alternative assignments for certain students to differentiate instruction. Our programs are adaptive and individualized. Students simply follow the prompts for lessons based on best practices!
- Teachers can monitor progress in real-time, which makes it easy to continue the learning with offline activities, like Captain's Checkpoints in ExploreLearning Frax, when they return to class.
- What about the youngest learners in your building? ExploreLearning Science4Us has online resources that continue and extend critical knowledge for K-2 students when teachers have to be out of the classroom.
Eliminate busy work for substitutes! It’s fine to have extra activities like coloring pages and crossword puzzles available to fill in the gaps. However, rest assured knowing that students receive consistent instruction when teachers are away. Provide teachers and students with online resources with lessons that matter!
Want to learn more about our math and science solutions? Take a look!
