Most of us take a sick day every once in awhile, right?? Usually I’m running around, trying to find anything to keep them busy. I have found that having a sub binder prepared makes the process less stressful. My last sub thanked me for having everything so organized.
Tell the sub or office where your sub binder is located. I include a photo to help them help. Currently I keep my binder in my bottom right desk drawer. If I know ahead of time, I’ll put it on the desk.
I will include my schedule with the bell times in the front with the specific plans for the day. I have a tab for each period that has the students’ pics and names. I will also put the student copies behind the tab and ask the subs to put completed work back in that spot.
Then I have my stash of emergency lesson plans. These are for times when I can’t physically, or mentally, create a plan. We are required to have 5 plans ready at the beginning of the year. I have numbered tabs with a different daily plan behind each tab. These are generic plans for any level and unit.
I want the lessons to be as engaging as possible, so they would do them. One is about the culture, another about vocabulary, and another about quotes/proverbs.
One tab has a bunch coloring sheets. When we did art units, I made one of the optional homework to create a coloring sheet. Then I used these as sub plans. I note that students can do these after they finish other work or they can write a short story using the words.
How do you organize your sub plans?
An excellent idea. And, you are correct: There are times when a teacher is in such distress that the very thought of creating a lesson plan is torture.
I love this! I too have a sub folder, but I normally know when I’m going to be out so I haven’t used it much. I usually have a basic cultural driven activity that can be used for both of the grades that I teach and it usually works out quite well.
I LOVE using http://www.lingtlanguage.com for sub lessons. Are you familiar with the site? It’s like having me when I’m not there! On lingtlanguage the students can listen, read, speak, write and then send you the work they’ve done. You can make recordings for the students and upload pictures and youtube videos. It’s fabulous and I am lucky enough to have access to many computers in my school.
It is a good site. Unfortunately it doesn’t work on iPads. :/
I just checked my iPad- that stinks! It’s such a cool site… They’ll have to get on that as so many schools are moving towards iPads. I got mine in June and I love it. Do you have any good app suggestions?
We have some apps under the technology tab at the top. We usually weave them in some posts when they apply. Try using the search bar with “app” and I we will add more as we have a plan to go along with them.
As long as the sub is familiar with the program and the students have already used it a couple of times.
Marie
Kara – where might I find your sub worksheets on teacherspayteachers? Can you send me links or how I can find your postings?? Thanks!!
I’ll work on that link in the post. Here’s the direct link:
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Creative-Language-Class
This is a great idea! It really feeds my OCD nature and gives me some great ideas for my sub plans. Last year I was absent more often than I have ever been because of some health issues and unfortunate oversleeping and this type of plan would be very helpful for the subs I would have in the future. Can’t wait to start working on it!