10 Tips to be the Best Substitute Teacher (and enjoy your job!)

Being a substitute teacher can be a challenge. I have been a substitute teacher and I have been a classroom teacher, so I know how both parties can feel. Substituting can be enjoyable though with these few tips to have the best day and enjoy your job!

1. Set firm expectations at the beginning of the day.

It is so important to start the day in control of the students. We all know students act out when there is a sub, so the best way to start the day is by stating your expectations. When I start the day, the first thing I do is I let the students know that I am NOT their teacher. I am a teacher though and I may do things a little different than their teacher and that is OKAY. I think it’s important to let the students know this so you don’t hear all day, “That is not how my teacher does it.”

Also, I let the students know that I may need help from them during the day, but I will call on someone to ask. I do not want all students talking at once. Normally, you can tell which students to trust and sometimes teachers will leave you a name of someone to ask.

I have a set of expectations that I will project on a PowerPoint or write on the board. Take some time to do this at the beginning of the day, no matter what. It is seriously the most important thing you can do.

Some of my expectations:

• No tattling. (I explain that I only want to know if someone is physically HURT, that is it)
• Raise your hand to talk. (This is a big one that will help you out when everyone in the class wants to help you or they all talk out at once)
• Silent in line/hallway. (You don’t want to be the sub that can’t control the class in the hallway, other teachers can see that you don’t have control)
• Teach them a quiet signal. (My personal favorite is “Class, Class” “Yes, Yes”)
• Tell them your behavior plan. (Below)

2. Don’t be afraid to deal with bad behavior, but have a plan.

Students will try to push you. Have a plan of how to deal with behavior. Personally, I have a system of a verbal warning the first time they act out, then the next time I will write their name on the board. A name on the board will be minutes at recess. If you don’t feel comfortable taking recess, just tell the students those will be the names left for their teacher. Make this known at the beginning of the day, while you are setting expectations. The students will respect you if you start with what you expect from them. All students are capable of following directions, as long as they know what we expect from them!

3. Deal with bad behavior, but also have a plan for a reward.

If the students have something to look forward to that is always a good thing. Have a plan for bad behavior, but also tell them if they are good, at the end of the day, they can play a game or have extra recess. One substitute I know puts smiles on the board every time they followed directions. If they get 10 smiles during the day, she will reward them with extra recess. You can always reward them with a game of Quiet Ball or GoNoodle.

4. Introduce yourself, but also have the students introduce themselves.

It is important to introduce yourself, maybe tell the students a little about yourself or how long you have been teaching. ALSO, it is extremely important that you have each student introduce themselves to you. I normally have the students tell me their name and if time allows, one thing about themselves. This shows the students that you care about them. Which in turn, makes them respect you and act better throughout the day. Also, this lets you learn their names and you can normally tell which students you may need to keep an eye on.

5. Follow the plans left by the teacher.

Try to follow whatever the teacher left for you as best as you can. Usually, teachers will leave a lot of “filler” activities. If you don’t get everything done, it is OKAY. But please try to follow what they left. True Story: I once had a substitute that did not follow any of my plans and let the students draw and watch movies all day. Please don’t be that sub. Do your best to keep the schedule the same.

6. Bring a game/book/activity with you.

With that being said, some teachers DO NOT leave plans or maybe not enough plans. I would carry a few things with you just in case you don’t have any plans. I would include a couple different books in your bag for the age range you are subbing. A read aloud is easy to fill any extra time and the students will be quiet. I would also learn some games or keep simple activities with you. I always bring a ball to play quiet ball. Another activity is “Around the World” or “Sparkle.” You can always play GoNoodle, bring an educational video, or watch an educational YouTube video. Just have something to fill time if you are ever in a situation with no plans, which does happen quite often.

7. Bring something for you to do.

During the subbing day, you may find that you have a lot of free time. Bring something to work on or do. I usually bring my phone or a book to keep myself busy. You will have a planning period and lunch period. Sometimes you will use this time to get ready for the day or review the teacher’s plans. Sometimes though, you may have nothing to do, so it’s nice to just have something to do just in case. A few people I have talked to say they make phone calls, pay bills, set up important appointments, or make a grocery list during the subbing day. These are just a few ideas.

8. Leave a Note.

No matter how the day went, leave a note. The teacher wants to know what you did and how the students behaved. I always tell the teacher everything I got done, and what I didn’t have time to finish. I make a list of students that were helpful and students that misbehaved. No matter what, the teacher wants to know! I found a great sub note sheet on TPT to fill out. I left it in my classroom for substitutes to fill out, but as a sub, you can bring it with you to fill out. It just helps you remember everything you need to tell the teacher.

9. Please be mindful that you are in someone else’s environment.

At the end of the day, make sure you leave the room how you found it. Maybe pick up a few things if you feel you need to. Also, leave the teacher’s desk the way it looked when you got there. A teacher’s classroom is another home for them. It contains some of their personal belongings and it is where they are everyday. Please be mindful of this when you use their things or sit at their desk. Leave notes and papers for them organized on their desk. Clean up after yourself if you ate or drank in their classroom. True Story: I once had a substitute that drank coffee and left coffee stains all over my papers and desk. I realize there are accidents, but please just be aware that you are using another person’s belongings.

10. If you have time, help the teacher!

If you want to help the teacher have an easier time when they come back to school, keep all assignments you collected and papers organized on their desks. Along with the note, I would leave post it notes on any papers they may need. I would let them know if something was delivered to their classroom or paperclip the assignment I collected together. This just makes it easier to go through when the teacher gets back to work. Also, if you have time, collect the items from their teacher mailbox in the office. It is stressful to come back to work after having a sub, so this is just something nice you can do to help the classroom teacher!

I hope these tips will help you be a better substitute teacher in the future! Substitute teaching can be enjoyable and these are ways you can make that happen. 

Thank you for Continually Learning with us!

Kyle and Sarah