Do you leave a list of names of the sudents who misbehave? I used to not do it. I figured there was no point, especially with the little kids, who don't remember what they've done by the time the next day rolls around and the regular teacher is back. Nowadays, I do it. With the older kids, I make them write their own name on the board if I don't know it. When they try to get snarky and write someone else's name, I ask them if they really believe that none of their classmates will sell them out. I tell them that somebody will always be honest and report the truth, so it may as well be them. With the younger ones, if there isn't a name tag on their desk, they're scared enough to tell their name if you ask. I've found that whenever I get to talk to the teacher afterward, the reaction is always the same. He or she will always say that those are the kids they expected to see get in trouble. I've found that if you let them think you have a partnership with the regular teacher, even if you don't ever meet him or her, it tends to help just a little bit.
I use a Substitute Feedback form I adapted from one used by a teacher who called me regularly. It contains a table with a row and column for each class period (whether the school uses "blocks" or regular periods). It also has a place farther down for kids that misbehaved as well as those that were very helpful. A kid has to go above and beyond the usual shenanigans for me to write their name down in the "misbehaved" column. Most often, I just record the names of the students that are absent. The form works great. It gives the teacher a short summary of each class and, if any students warrant "special attention", it has a place for that as well. I also give an overall summary at the bottom of the page.
I also use a sub feedback form. It has a place where I can put behavior problems and yes, I do write down names (if necessary). I am not afraid to tell the teacher if a student was misbehaving. If it was my classroom, I would want to know everything that happened while I was gone, the good and the bad.
Do you have an example of the feedback form? I looked online and I could only find one's from a teacher to the sub and I thought it was a bit corny to answer questions like "Did you feel welcome today?" Or at least what are the different blocks on the form that you fill out and I could make up my own.
If someone was EXCEPTIONALLY ill-behaving as well as EXCEPTIONALLY fabulous, I'll write names down. After all, it shouldn't just be the bad kids who are always singled out. The fabulous kids need recognition for sure!
I write names down, especially if there is no classroom discipline policy suggested from the teacher. I've had teachers tell me they really appreciate a way of holding students accountable for misbehavior, especially since I describe exactly what students did. I also leave a list of students who are helpful and who did very well.
Absolutely I leave names, and if a student says something that is very disrespectful or uses profanity, I put that in as a quote.
I completely agree. I've found that I can improve the behavior of a large number of "bad" kids (in elementary and middle school) by letting the class know there is going to be a "good" list.
KateA - One of my districts provided the form for us. It has the following information on it: Date Sub's Name Teacher's Name Notes regarding lesson plans I also taught... Notes regarding behavior Terrific helpers Students who were absent Messages for the permanent teacher If I don't have anything for one of the blanks, I just don't fill that part out. It seems to work ok for now! Hope that helps!
I also leave names of students who slept thru the class and didn't attempt to do any work. If they did the work and then slept, then no. If they seemed to not feel well then I'll mention that fact also but I figure teachers want to know why the work didn't get done. If they all decided to not do the work and visit instead, then the teacher needs to know that and then I'll leave the names of those who followed the program.
I HATE when subs don't leave me any info about the day. I don't like having to rely on a 7 year old to find out what they did/ what happened. Leaving me no names and leaving my clips on green does not make me think that you had everything under control... it makes me think the exact opposite. I know my class, and I know they are not perfect, they are 7! One of the kids normally rat out the kid anyways, and then it makes the sub look bad for omitting it. You don't have to leave me a super detailed account, just a few words
Let's put it this way. The teacher I subbed for today had his wife come in and get the work. I sent the names home with her.
I ALWAYS leave names of exemplary students, and though I rarely need to add the names of disruptive students, I do leave names if there are REAL issues. I also leave detailed notes where approptiate, and thank the teacher for great lesson plan/discipline plan/what have you. How do you feel, though, about leaving notes about your own children in the classes you are subbing? I always fear I will praise too much or too little, and it will come off as false. I sub VERY often in my own childrens' classrooms.
The only names I leave are the kids who can be trusted to run errands, clarify a procedure, or otherwise help out. I figure the substitute will find out very quickly on their own who the difficult kids are. And if the difficult kids decide, for whatever reason, they want to behave well for the sub (and that has happened) I really don't want the sub to have any preconceived notions about them.
I leave the name of a child that has frequent melt-downs, with a contact number for the SPED teacher. I don't want to leave a sub alone with this child without support.
I have to agree with that. A lot of the time I have no trouble at all with kids the teacher tells me are a problem.
When I subbed I always left a list (if the students were really) and a detail on what happened, what I did, etc... I also included the students that were very helpful and/or well behaved. I told the students up front I already told the teacher I would leave the names. I also learned to ask the students at the beginning of the day what there rules were. Even if I knew the classroom rules, that way they knew I knew what was expected.
The guidance counselor is another good resource. I also work closely with our intervention specialist, so she is another one that I sometimes include (I did it for my plans today). I also include that any teacher on my grade level would be willing to take a child... we all know the kids from the other classes, and work together as a team. We are fortunate to have a lot of support staff, that is actually willing to support our students!
I take my own judgement...some teachers/subs I sub for often and know that no note is needed. Take your own judgement on that one!! I leave a note normally with good and bad. I have never had a child so bad that the principal could not handle it..I subbed a class the other day however(5th). (only half day for a meeting worst class ever). In 4 yrs of subbing I have not wrote a student up. I did this day!! Anyway, I leave a note if I deveated from the lesson any and why. Ex: if they have math pages to do and did not get finshed I will write where we stopped. and that time ran out. the other day I was subbing a kinder class and we have a festival every yr (fair) in our city and we have a pagent to go along with it and the queens from the pagent will come and read to kids and do an activity sometimes. stuff like that make us off schedule and the teachers understand it,but it needs to be noted so they know why we got off schedule, what time, and where I picked up on schedule. So for ex. if I was supposed to a lang sheet with them and didn't she can do it the next day.
I do make a point of acknowledging the good kid(s) especially when the classes gets reprimanded a lot while I sub but I do keep in mind that the good kids know their re-ward; they do not miss out on the lecture by turning their head away or missing out because they are not following instruction.
