Your First Day

You're ready. The district office has called, you have your "sub kit" together, and you're on your way. Here are a few tips for making your first day a success.

• Make sure to get good directions to the school. Ask questions if you're not sure!
• Leave yourself plenty of travel time so that you can arrive early.
• Find the school office, have your license and resume handy, and make friends with the secretary. (Secretaries are often in charge of arranging subs...a secretary can be a sub's best friend...)
• Be prepared to fill out a time card. Have your file number or school district ID handy.
• The secretary will fill you in on prep times, lunch duty, and your lunch hour. If you have questions...ask!!! "Where is the classroom? Where do I pick up the students? Do I bring them to Science (or Music, or Computer, etc...) or are they picked up? When will if I know if it is indoor or outdoor lunch? Where is the teacher's lounge?" There are no stupid questions!!!
• After you've wrestled the door open, take a moment to look around the room.
  • Look for the teacher's plans.
  • Locate the Teacher's Edition for each subject in the plan and paper clip the necessary pages. If you have time, go over the pages.
  • Look for a seating chart.
  • Locate the "paper closet".
  • Put any written work on the board before the students arrive.

The Middle

• Pick up the students. Bring the classroom keys with you!
• After the commotion of unpacking has subsided, introduce yourself to the class.
• Be yourself, be firm, be positive!
• Go over the established classroom rules with the class. Most teachers have them posted somewhere in the room. If not, remind the students that classroom rules are always in effect, no matter who their teacher is for the day.
• It's important to have your own "game-plan" to put into action when there is a disciplinary problem.
  • Give positive recognition (stickers, stamps, verbal praise) to students who follow the rules.
  • Give negative recognition to students who don't follow the rules. (I use "3 strikes and you're out"....with the 3rd strike resulting in a letter written by the student to the principal detailing the behavior.)
• Take attendance. Wait a few minutes before sending it to the office...someone always shows up late.
• Collect any notes for the teacher, lunch money, trip money or book money. Keep them together in a safe place.
• Get started on the day's lessons, either your own or the teacher's.
• Keep the class busy and productive.

Click here for links to great ideas!


The End

The end of the day often has as many routines as the beginning. Give yourself adequate time to complete all routines without feeling rushed.

• Before you get to the end of the day, make sure you know what the dismissal policies are.
  • K - 2nd grade students are always dismissed to their parents or babysitters.
  • Third grade students and older are usually considered walkers and are usually dismissed into the school yard on their own. Check with the office or in the teacher's notes to be absolutely sure.
• Bus dismissal often begins 30 minutes before regular dismissal.
  • Most teachers will leave a list detailing bus dismissal. If you can't find it in the teacher's notes to you, it is often posted near the door.
  • Make sure any homework you give is posted on the chalkboard before the bus students are dismissed.
  • Give the bus children a 5 minute warning so they are packed and ready to go when their bus is announced.
• Leave the room at least as neat as you found it.
  • Make sure students put away all books and papers and clean up around their desks.
  • Have a "trash monitor" carry the wastebasket around the room to collect trash.
  • Appoint 1 or 2 board washers.
  • Have a few students water plants and feed any class pets.
• Dismiss the class in a calm, orderly fashion.

The Very End

• Leave a note for the teacher explaining what the students have done all day.
  • Be sure to include text pages covered, workbook pages completed, and homework assigned.
  • Let the teacher know about good and bad behaviors.
• Give the room a "once over" to make sure you are leaving it as you found it.
• Close all windows and turn out the lights.
• Be sure to lock the door.
• Return the keys to the office, thank the secretary, and clock out.
• Take a deep breath and congratulate yourself on making it through your first day of substitute teaching!

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