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You might receive the call or email from the secretary, the principal, the teacher who needs a replacement, or someone working at the school board who is in charge of finding substitute teachers. If you wish to be on their good list, say “yes” to subbing jobs as much as possible. The more you make yourself available for them, the more they will prioritize you the next time they need a sub. That is of course if you do a good job.
Now, you have agreed to sub and have taken note of the name of the school and its address. Before you go to the school, make sure you find out what kind of school it is. Visit the school’s website and familiarize yourself with its mission statement. It will give you an idea of what is expected of its teachers. For example, if it is a school that is specialized in teaching children with severe learning disabilities, it would be good to know so in advance so that you can prepare to give its students the attention they need. Or, it could be a school that puts a strong emphasis on student-centered learning, in which case the students are more autonomous, and you would not have to come in as strict. Oftentimes, if the school that calls you is public and has a general mission statement, then you could expect to follow the guidelines outlined in the future articles more closely.
While you are on the website, take note of the principal and vice-principal’s name in case you run into them. If available, familiarize yourself with the daily schedule. You might also want to take note of the school’s phone number just in case of an emergency.
Most often, especially for public schools, you will only get to know the instructions from the teacher you are replacing once the secretary gives them to you in a sub folder or you see them awaiting you on the teacher’s desk. There are some cases, mostly with private or independent schools, when you are emailed the instructions in advance. If that is the case, then familiarize yourself with them so that you know what to expect and also if you have to get any out-of-class materials beforehand.
In case you wonder what material to bring to the school, at the very least bring a pen. Also, it is always a good idea to bring post-it notes and maybe even some loose leaf. They can come in handy.
When commuting, plan to make it to the school about half an hour before the period you sub for to give yourself ample time. Showing up late is not an option. In case there is traffic, you will still be on time. Also, there are sometimes some last-minute things to do to set up the class. For example, the teacher might leave a DVD for you to play for the students. If there is no DVD player or laptop in the class, then you will have enough time to find someone who can help you. If you wait until the very last minute, it will be hard to find someone who is willing to help, and besides, you might be busy letting students into the classroom at that point. The last image you want to project of yourself is one of panic. The more time you give yourself, the more chance you have of coming across as someone who is in control. That is the image that commands respect from the students.
Source:
Morizio, J. (2020). Substitute teaching in the 2020s: A simple guide. Self-Published on Amazon.
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