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Sub Plans: 5 Things You Must Include

October 1, 2020 By Rachel Vincent

sub plans title

Creating sub plans can sometimes be a hassle. However, there are 7 things you must include in every set of plans to set your students and the substitute up for success.

Keep Your Routines

We know that students thrive on routines, so make sure when writing your sub plans you keep your daily schedule and routines as normal as possible for them.  It’s usually when we stray from their typical routine that student behavior issues can arise.  They try to argue with a sub that this is not how they normally do it or they think they can get away with things since you haven’t shown them how to do something.  

If you do need to vary your routine or schedule, tell the sub that this is new to your students. You could even leave a note for your class, telling them you know this is new, but you know they can handle it because they’re leaders.

Communicate with Your Class

Telling your students that you have the same expectations for them even though you’re not there, can help them realize their behavior stays the same.  You can leave a note for the class or individual students.  You can record a video of yourself sharing this information.  

Over Do Your Sub Plans

I would rather give a sub too much work than not enough.  When students don’t have anything to do is when they often get in trouble.  This doesn’t necessarily mean busy work, but making sure you’ve given early finisher options can be just as helpful.  I keep all of my sub plans and information for my substitutes in a Sub Notebook.

sub notebook TPT

Provide Extra Incentives

There’s a lot of temptation for students to misbehave when you’re not around, especially if the substitute does not have high expectations for their behavior.  So adding an additional incentive may help with behavior.  I like to leave coupons for the sub to give to students who go above and beyond in behavior.  I also like to leave whole class incentives because sometimes peer pressure can be a good thing!

sub plans ticket

Empower Your Substitute

When I’m leaving plans for my substitute, I give them the power to give or take privileges for students.  My subs are allowed to give and take Class Dojo points.  In my sub plans, I leave notes that gives the substitute a choice.  They are allowed to decide if students can work in groups if they are behaving.  I say things like, I usually allow them to sit around the classroom during this time, but if they aren’t doing a good job handling this, feel free to tell them to work in their seats.  Leave information about students with special circumstances like Bobby needs a 5-minute warning before transitioning or Sara might want to work with her headphones on during a group activity. This can help the substitute ward off issues before they arise.

What are some ways you help substitutes to be successful in your classroom?

7 Things You Must Include in your Sub Plans

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  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Management, planning

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    Rachel | 4th Grade Teacher
    How long is your students’ attention spans? I o How long is your students’ attention spans?
I only have about 10 minutes before I lose them! 🤪
And I don’t know about you but my lessons are typically longer…so I try to mix it up every 10 minutes with a Think-Pair-Share or some kind of movement
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#teachersofig #iteachtoo #iteach4th #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachingelementary #attentionspan #minilessons #thinkpairshare
    6 ways to get your students participating in your 6 ways to get your students participating in your lessons!
1️⃣ Think Time - giving your students time to think about the answer keeps your over achievers from answering all the questions 
2️⃣ Movement - Stand/Sit if this is your answer
3️⃣ Turn & Talk - Everyone shares their answer with a partner
4️⃣ Hand Signals - Perfect for multiple choice questions
5️⃣ Think-Pair-Share - Combines the think time with turn & talk 
6️⃣ Repetition - repeat important information to help it stick
🗣🗣Which number are you trying this week?!
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    Do you have these 4 teacher goals?! 1️⃣ Instr Do you have these 4 teacher goals?!
1️⃣ Instructional Goal - How are you improving your instruction?
2️⃣ Relationship Goal - How are you building relationships with students or coworkers?
3️⃣ Balance Goal - How are you trying to have a better work-life balance?
4️⃣ Non Instructional Goal - What other area are you trying to improve?
Here’s my 4 goals!
1. Vocabulary Instruction 
2. 2 Positive Notes a Week
3. Leave by 3:00 3 out 5 days
4. Clean off back counter once a week
What are your goals?
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#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachergoals #teachergoals🍎
    Coming back from break is a lot easier than the fi Coming back from break is a lot easier than the first day of school!
Less teacher talk 🗣
More student talk 👥
1️⃣ Give your students time to catch up with each other. Even adults like to chit chat about what we did during break!
2️⃣ Review procedures by playing a fun game. Charades is a great way to act out procedures to see if other students can guess what they’re doing!
3️⃣ The halfway point of the school year is a great time for students to set goals!
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