TL;DR:

• Teachers need to leave detailed lesson plans.
• Substitutes need to follow the lesson plans and leave a report.
• Administrators need to check in on classes to look for evidence of learning.

I had been gone for the day for a planned absence. I left detailed plans with all of the materials for the day, accounting for every minute of the day from bell to bell with enough extra work to cover unanticipated gaps. All of the materials had sticky notes indicating what they were for and when they would be used. I had prepped my students for my absence, reviewing expectations, going over the schedule for the coming day, and offering an incentive if I got a positive note from the substitute. I was confident that I had crossed every t and dotted every i.

Over the years, I find myself reflecting on this situation, wondering if there is anything I could have done better. Click To Tweet

My students would have as close to a normal day as they could while I was away.

When I got into my classroom the next morning, I saw all of the materials that I had left for the substitute teacher right where I left them. At first I thought, “Oh, he must have organised everything again for me! How nice of him!”

Then I noticed that the copies I had left out were all still there, too, with the sticky notes still on them. I picked up the copy of the sub plans, expecting to see a note at the end letting me know what had been done, which students were the best helpers, which students had to be redirected, and what the general sense of the day had been.

Instead, I saw nearly every section of the day crossed out with a note next to them saying, “Did not do.”

I was at a complete loss for words. The only things not crossed off were lunch, recess, and music.

I set the sub plans aside and quickly finished preparing my classroom for the day. I got ready to welcome my fourth graders to another day of learning, starting with our morning meeting to discuss how the previous day had gone and to establish our expectations for the coming day.

The first student to greet me that day was one of my most challenging. Here is what he said as he walked up to me in the hall:

“Oh, good! You’re back! Mr. Valencic, please don’t ever leave us with that sub again! He was the worst. We didn’t do any work yesterday! He just had us do these weird puzzles he brought and then we were outside for recess for two hours. Two. Hours! When we asked if we could work on our projects or do math, he said no!”

Even as I am typing this, I feel like others are going to read it and then, “Uh huh. Sure he did. And then everyone clapped, right?” I don’t know if I would believe it if it hadn’t happened to me. But I promise, this is really what happened. A substitute teacher came to my classroom, ignored all of my plans, did not do anything remotely educational, and then left a note that simply said that he didn’t do anything.

I was furious and my students were furious.

I promised them that that particular substitute would never be in my classroom again. After sharing what happened with my principal and our building secretary, I asked that he not be allowed to sub for me. (I will note here that we were fortunate enough to have an adequate supply of retired teachers who worked exclusively with our building as substitutes so that the sub shortage so many schools and districts are experiencing now was not a problem.) While that sub was in the building from time to time, it was never again with my class.

Over the years, I find myself reflecting on this situation, wondering if there is anything I could have done better. I have come up with a few ideas.

Tips for Teachers

If you are able, contact your substitute a day or two in advance. Let them know how glad you are that they will be working with your students and give an overview of the day’s learning goals. Ask if they have any questions and do your best to answer them.

Let them know what students will be expecting and highlight those students who are your designated helpers for the day. Share your contact information and/or the contact information for a colleague or the principal in case of emergencies. Ask them to leave a note or brief letter highlighting what happened during the day, which students were most helpful, and which students were most challenging. You may even want to leave a template for the note to make sure the sub shares specific information. 

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Tips for Administrators

I cannot stress enough how important it is to check in on the substitute teachers in your building! Catch them first thing in the morning and offer your support. Check in throughout the day, looking for evidence of learning and to see if any additional support is needed. Thank them at the end of the day for coming in and ask for any final thoughts. If there were any specific challenges, promise to follow up with the teacher and/or parents as needed.

Tips for Substitutes

Follow the plans! Teachers often spend a large amount of time carefully crafting their sub plans in an effort to help them be as successful as possible with their students while they are away. Read the plans ahead of time. Reach out to the teacher (if they left their contact information) or other teachers in the building if there are any questions.

Share the outline of the plans with the students so that they know what will be happening for the day or the period. Leave a detailed note at the end of the day sharing what went well and what could have been improved. Share your contact information in case there are any questions and let the teacher know if you would be interested in returning.

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About Alex T. Valencic

Alex Valencic is an educator, former small business owner, Boy Scout, volunteer drug prevention specialist, unrepentant bibliophile, and a geek of all things. He worked as a substitute teacher for three years before achieving his lifelong dream of teaching fourth grade, which he did for seven years in Urbana, Illinois, before accepting his current position as the Curriculum Coordinator for 21st Century Teaching and Learning in Freeport, Illinois, where he not only supports innovative educational practices in the classroom but also oversees social studies, science, and nearly all of the elective courses in the district.