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This question is about what a substitute teacher does.
How to be a good substitute teacher
To be a good substitute teacher you need to come in early to prepare, form relationships with your colleagues and have a backup plan. For details on these steps and others you can take to be a good substitute teacher, use this guide:
Come in early to prepare
It is always a good idea to get to the school early and get acquainted with the building, and specifically the classroom you will be substitute teaching in.
This helps you know where any materials or supplies you might need can be found because you don't want to be scouring the classroom or relying on the students too much during a class.
You can also go check the teacher's mailbox you are subbing for and gather any mail for them and bring it to the classroom.
Coming in early is especially important if you have not subbed at this school or for this specific teacher in the past. The more acquainted you can be with the classroom and school as a whole, the better prepared you will be for the day.
Form relationships with your colleagues
You should try to get to know and even bond with the other teachers at the school. They might be able to give you some good tips about the students or the school in general.
You should also introduce yourself to the principal, administrative staff, and even employees like the cafeteria workers or janitors. You never know when you might need their assistance for a specific situation.
Forming bonds and networking with teachers is also encouraged because you can learn valuable skills from these professionals. You also might find you have the chance for a full-time teaching position at this school in the future if you perform your substitute duties well.
Have a backup plan
While most teachers will leave a lesson plan you need to follow, it is good to be prepared with a plan of your own in the event that a lesson plan can't be found, or even if you are able to complete a lesson and still have ample class time left.
Here are some ideas for things you can do with the remaining class time:
Brain teasers
Puzzles
Quizzes
Readings from textbooks, novels, or other materials
Educational games
Coloring pages (if appropriate for the grade-level)
Having a wide variety of ready-to-go activities will help you feel secure that you will always have a plan for the class.
Get creative with discipline
Some classroom students are known to misbehave when they have a substitute teacher. You might need to provide discipline while doing your job. As much as you can try to remain calm, you don't want to come off as too much of an authoritarian to your students.
You can make discipline fun by creating a game out of it. This is more appropriate for elementary school students, but there are variations for higher grades as well.
You can write a short educational message on the board, like "School is fun", and if the class misbehaves, you then erase a letter each time this occurs. Determine how many letters should remain by the end of the day, and tell the class if they achieve this goal, they will get a prize or be able to play a game at the end of the day.
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