If you are reading this, you have probably noticed the endless supply of resources on the topic of substitute teaching. If you are looking for a complete guide with detailed instructions, activities, and bonus templates, this article series, taken directly from my 2020 book titled Substitute Teaching in the 2020s: A Simple Guide, is not it. As the title indicates, this book is a simple guide. If you want to be the best substitute teacher you can be, hours spent in the classroom would benefit you a lot more, and your students, than time spent with a book. Substitute teaching, just like teaching, is something you get better at with practice and experience. Of course, some preliminary knowledge can help you perform well early on. However, that knowledge is not exhaustive. I promise you, all you need to know, at least to get started is contained in this short article series. Its purpose is to provide you with a good foundation. You will surely develop your subbing acumen on your own as you see what works best for you. After all, we are all different. Just like one learning style does not match all students, teaching styles are unique to every educator.
This guide was written with the high school environment in mind as high school students tend to be more inclined to give their substitute teachers a hard time. However, the concepts discussed do not change for elementary students. Younger students tend to be more compliant. What they mostly need is a little more attention and consolation from the adult in the room. Adopt a more warm and comforting approach than you would with teenagers, and they will appreciate you. Students from Kindergarten to Grade 2 might even ask for a hug by the end of your time with them.
To get the most out of this book, remember the three most important principles to keep in mind to sub effectively:
· Structure
· Empathy
· Fairness
As long as you try your best to understand the kids and give them structure, they will perceive you as being fair and will be on board with you to have a good class. If they do not find you fair, then they will let you know in the way they behave.
The best mindset when subbing is really to have the students and yourself on the same side. You both want to have a good class. The students want to succeed. You, assumedly, want to do a good job. These goals are not mutually exclusive. The only thing that must be kept at bay is the group’s tendency to want to rebel. But that is simple, a little give-and-take can prevent that, as you will see shortly.
Furthermore, every recommendation or strategy shared has been tried by myself in the field. If they did not work for me, then I would not have included them here. I have only included strategies that have worked on multiple occasions for myself. Nonetheless, since we are working with individuals, and situations change from one to the next, keep in mind that these recommendations are not set in stone. Whenever possible, they should be modified to best fit the situation you find yourself in.
Source:
Morizio, J. (2020). Substitute teaching in the 2020s: A simple guide. Self-Published on Amazon.
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