Hello, all. I'm an alternate route/career changer, who has been told the best way to get a job is to sub. So I've managed to get myself on the sub list of a very large central Jersey school system. I have already been called multiple times accidentally (the school hadn't recieved my criminal background check letter yet), so I have the feeling I might be busy. Well, now they have my letter, and I'm all set up, the problem is..........I'm petrified to take my first call . The school system doesn't have any kind of handbook, that I'm aware of, or orientation. I have no idea what to expect and because I'm alternate route, I don't have student teaching experience to fall back on. I'm a married father of three kids (one boy, two girls), so I am not really concerned with classroom discipline (I'm not superparent or anything, I just can roll with the punches ). My concern is what to do. Have any teachers ever left you without lesson plans or things to do (My real nightmare! ). Where do they typically leave them? What is the typical day in the life of a Sub.? What was your first experience like? Are there any questions I'm not asking that, through ignorance, that I should be aware of? Please help!!!
I have experience with subbing and unfortunately, there is no typical experience. Yes, the teachers typically leave you very detailed plans for things to do but there are exceptions like when a teacher gets called away on an emergency. I always kept some ideas/games in mind for extra minutes. Extra minutes are your enemy! With each call, you will become more confident and it WILL get easier. don't be scared away at first.
Just jump right in! The best way to learn is to experience it. Every day of subbing is different. There are books out there for substitute teachers about ideas and strategies to keep your day going. Just get out there and sub. Good luck!
Hi! I'm in the same boat. I just got on the sub list in 2 different northern NJ school districts but haven't been called yet. I'm also doing the whole alternate route thing - I will have my CE's in Health/PE and K-5 this January. From this site and also speaking with teachers in the area, many times there will be lesson plans for you. If there isn't, you may have to put together some 'busy work' (worksheets, coloring, games, reading, homework, etc.), depending on the grade level. I have been collecting some workbooks to have just in case. I think you will be great, especially because you are a parent. As the previous poster put it, 'Jump right in'.
If you get to a classroom with no lesson plan, perhaps teacher was called away on an emergency, don't panic. For one thing, it's just one day you'll have to just roll with the punches and have fun. Always carry into each assignment with a baggy of activites. Books, worksheets, games, hangman (I teach Kindergarten and I taught them hangman- they love it!!!). Also, I am a very organized teacher. I have my lesson plan book on my desk and it's always filled out in detail a whole month in advance. So look for a lesson plan book on a teacher's desk. That will help you to get an idea of what the teacher wanted to do for that day. Also, I always leave all of my teacher's manuel by my teaching area, opened to the page for the next day. So, if for some reason I can't make it in, unexpectantly, then at least my TE's are opened for the sub, ready to go. I know other's do that too, so look for the TE's and see if they are marked or open for that day. And, if you end up reteaching a lesson, it won't kill them. I've retaught my kids a lesson or two plenty of times!!!
Years ago, right after college, I was thrust into a situation with no lesson plan (teacher had an emergency). Since these were Spanish classes and I am decidedly mono-lingual, I took the opportunity to teach them mnemonic memorization techniques. As a father and having at least one previous career, you must have something in your bag of tricks. And if all else fails, scowl real mean, scare the living doo-doo out of them and make them read their textbooks. (that last part was a joke)
