A memo, to any classroom teachers who might be reading…and to myself, should I actually get one of those coveted full-time classroom jobs.
Some of you may have forgotten what it’s like to be a substitute teacher. Many of you probably never had to be a substitute teacher. It’s not an easy job, for a lot of reasons. Here are some things you can do to make our lives just a little bit easier.
- Leave seating charts. Calling roll is tedious and just a little bit annoying. Seating charts make taking attendance a breeze. They’re also good for when I have to leave you notes about a student who may have given me trouble. There’s nothing worse than having to ask a student his or her name so that I can write it down.
- Don’t assume I’m going to know what I’m talking about. I have no problem with giving students assignments and making sure that they complete them. I also have no problem giving notes…but I’m an English teacher, and if I’m out of my area of expertise, please keep in mind that I might not be able to communicate to the students what you need them to know. I subbed for a social studies teacher last year who left a bunch of overheads with sketchy notes on them. I bluffed my way through it, (not even sure if I was going in the right order) but felt very out of my element.
- And for those teachers who are in the school that day…try and make us feel welcome. Some of us are a little shy, and eating lunch in the faculty room can be intimidating. Smile. Say hello. Ask me my name. Anything you can do to be friendly to a sub will be remembered and appreciated.
That’s just off the top of my head. I’d be curious to see if anyone has anything to add to my list!
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