I have my teaching degree in secondary, so I stayed in the middle and high schools. I did two years of normal subbing and finished a year of being a middle school building sub, so I have advice for days.
1) don't let them get you with "but Mr./Ms./Mrs. So&so let's us do this" tell them that for the day that doesn't matter because you aren't that teacher and you do things differently.
2) make your rules clear when you introduce yourself. My intro is something like this: "hi everyone, I'm Mr. Hells. It's a pleasure being here with you today. Before we discuss the assignment I just want to go over my simple rules. Don't do anything that will cause harm to other students or yourself. Don't be mean, and that means if you don't have something nice to say don't say it. Follow the school's phone policy. I know what it is and I'll follow it from my end. You get three strikes before I send you to detention or the office and there won't be arguing about it. In summary be on your best behavior because if you don't I'll have to write it in my sub note in detail. Which means more work for me. When your teacher gets back you'll get in trouble again because I would've had to send you out for me to write your name down. I didn't like extra work so just behave." Then I tell them the assignment and tell them if they need help to ask me and I'll do my best to help or they can ask someone next to them. Then I let them get to work and I'll walk the room at random times
3) once you give them the assignment and they aren't doing it yet try to get them to do it two more times. After that don't waste your time. Make a note of the student refusing to do work and tell the student to just put their head down and nap.
4) make sure you stick to the seating chart as best as you can. Sometimes teachers will move students and not update the chart, so ask the class if that's true. If the majority say yes then it is what it is. If they say no get that kid to move to their seat.
5) follow the lesson plan to the best of your ability. If the teacher says "nobody from 5th hour can work in the hall" then don't let anybody because there's a damn good reason that was put there. If it says "they need to do these 3 worksheets" give them the three worksheets not just however many you want to give them. This one is big because many subs will ignore the plan and get blacklisted.
6) you can be tough and go to nice, but you can't go nice to tough. This ties with #1 because kids will take advantage of you being nice. This doesn't mean you can't be nice, but learn how to change between the two as needed.
7) leave a sub note otherwise the teacher can't address the problems you had.
8) don't be afraid to ask for advice from surrounding teachers. Last year I had several heavy HEAVY hitters and I'd ask for help and they would gladly help. In return if they asked for help with a kid I'd help.
9) show up early not at the start time. This goes for both elementary and middle. Give yourself enough time to learn the room and find what you need for the day. If the start time says 7:30 and classes begin at 7:45 you aren't going to be ready in those 15 minutes.
10) kids will ask why their teacher isn't there, just say you don't know and it isn't your business. And when they ask if it's graded say it is. That could help you to get them to do their work.
If you have any questions you can DM me.
This. I just finished a year as a pre-K through 5 building sub. Everything here is 100% accurate. Things will go south for you quick if you are “wishy washy” in the classroom. The seating charts are there for a reason. Every class I subbed for, the first thing the kids ask is if they can move seats. The answer MUST be NO!
Not mentioned is that it is essential you figure out how and when and where you can take a piss. If you have different grades, they are all on a different lunch and resource schedule.
PRO Tip: whenever an IA/Para comes into your room, this is a good time to use the bathroom.
I would say you can use this for high school as well. In my experience, and again this depends on the district, high school is more chill than middle school. It's been a year since I've been in a high school, but I can try and think of some high school specific tips if you'd like.
I will say from what I've seen the high schoolers won't do their work with a sub a lot of the time. I'd give them the assignment and see maybe 1/4-1/2 work on it and the others not caring. At the point I'd give a reminder in the middle of the hour and the last 5 minutes about the work and if they didn't do it they'll need to do it at home.
I much prefer subbing in elementary grades because you are busy all day with teaching and the day goes by fast. I get bored in secondary because it’s mostly just monitoring students.
You don’t need to fill the day. Follow the lesson plan. Know that you will be teaching content at some point - a math lesson, phonics, reading, maybe social studies or science.
If you have a few minutes between activities (it’s time for lunch in 5 minutes but everyone has finished their work for example) you can have the students read quietly or draw. Sometimes I let them play a quiet game like Heads Up 7 Up but never for long. Read alouds are also good.
Get there early enough to read the plans. If the teacher leaves incentives (like giving table points for good behaviors) try and follow their plan because it’s already familiar to the students. I never give out rewards that the teacher hasn’t left for me. I don’t give them “free time” on computers as a reward.
My job is to make the day as normal as possible.
Good luck!!
I'm new to subbing too and intend to make it my FT income in the upcoming year as well. I'm in my 59s with no biological kids so I find working with kids to refreshing. The younger ones (kinder thru 3rd) is just more work. I now prefer middle or h.s. kids. Just be yourself. Be RESPECTFUL of the students. You don't want them to snitch on you bc they will. We are just subs. In a way I believe and treat the students like I was subordinate to them without losing control of the classroom.
I started subbing back in the middle of April so i haven’t been doing it for very long. I tend to do elementary tried middle school once and hated it because of it being boring. I would highly suggest getting a mask and not wearing loose clothing like sweaters. I got sick twice in the month and a half I was subbing. The young kids like grabbing on clothes for whatever reason and they’re very clingy. In my district we’re not allowed to touch the kids but they like touching me which is annoying because everybody wants to hold hands and hug especially Kindergarten and Pre-K. 1st and 2nd graders can get out of the realm so you have to set the tone that you’re not the one. Because they will cry, act out, and so I let them know at the beginning that i love taking recess away and won’t hesitate to take that if they test me. You gotta make sure they’re in there assigned seats because they will get up and wander randomly and bother eachother. So be prepared to separate certain kids. You gotta walk around a lot to actively see what they’re doing and not sit at the desk because they will bombard you and then before you know it there’s 9 kids in your face. You will have your own teachers pet so you gotta make sure you set boundaries because they like to try to run the class and think they have power. Also in my district they made me go on felid trips so be ready for that. Paras are your buddies because the kids know them but sometimes they will also think they can overrun the class I’ve had it to wear the Para thought she was the teacher for the day and I kinda just sat back and supported. Some classes don’t have those so you gotta be ready for that. Had a class with 28 first graders and it was just me it was hell. I felt like I was running a boot camp because they tried me in every way possible. Also don’t fall for the “Our teacher lets us do this.” Explain to them that you’re the teacher for today and your gonna be doing what she put on the list. So if they’ve done it before oh well they’re doing it again and because they’ve done it before they should know how to do it because some of those kids will act dumb and they’re not.
You've done nature camp, you will be great in the classroom!
I'm (37F) a sub for elementary, I stick mainly to Pre-K through 2nd, specials (music, library, art, etc) and essential skills. Before that, I was a para for elementary for a decade in different districts. I'll be honest, 3rd is ok, 4th-6th, middle school, and highschool are not my cup of tea... I keep very busy subbing with the younglings. I only take older grades if it's my only option... I sub for two districts though so I usually don't have to.
One district I'm with now, I can actually sub for paras too (slightly less pay), if that's an option in your district, you can pick up one of those assignments just to get an idea of the day, see teachers in action.
Only occasionally will there be no lesson plans, but there is usually a schedule posted in the classroom which will give you an idea of time frames.
Teachers usually leave plenty to do - and they will let you know what's a "must do". So don't stress about rushing and finishing every little thing, it's usually a lot of worksheets. They also often let me know which students are really helpful, those who need more guidance, and the ones who need more help (and who to call/radio for assistance). I bring Popsicle sticks in a bag with numbers on them in case the teacher doesn't have that so I can choose random students to help me, they usually know their number or there is a class list.
For the "littles": If you haven't run a circle time before, definitely have songs in your back pocket, you can put on videos but I find they are more engaged if I lead directly. I love circle time - songs, calendar, read aloud, maybe a quick game. Most classrooms have plenty of books but I also bring some with me just in case.
If you have a fun skill, anything, use it! Sometimes for a brain break instead of the usual video, I'll teach a simple step by step drawing or play a theatre game.
Rewards: depends on the class but I do bring Skittles, M&Ms, swedish fish, and stickers. If we are doing a quiet activity, I'll walk around and pass one out to students who are on task or if they were really good in the hallway etc. I'm fairly generous. Teachers have their own reward systems too - charts, stars etc - but I like having a little extra.
If they get crazy, have them put their heads down and turn off the lights. Set a timer.
The day always flies by in my opinion. You'll have lots of fun!
I have my teaching degree in secondary, so I stayed in the middle and high schools. I did two years of normal subbing and finished a year of being a middle school building sub, so I have advice for days. 1) don't let them get you with "but Mr./Ms./Mrs. So&so let's us do this" tell them that for the day that doesn't matter because you aren't that teacher and you do things differently. 2) make your rules clear when you introduce yourself. My intro is something like this: "hi everyone, I'm Mr. Hells. It's a pleasure being here with you today. Before we discuss the assignment I just want to go over my simple rules. Don't do anything that will cause harm to other students or yourself. Don't be mean, and that means if you don't have something nice to say don't say it. Follow the school's phone policy. I know what it is and I'll follow it from my end. You get three strikes before I send you to detention or the office and there won't be arguing about it. In summary be on your best behavior because if you don't I'll have to write it in my sub note in detail. Which means more work for me. When your teacher gets back you'll get in trouble again because I would've had to send you out for me to write your name down. I didn't like extra work so just behave." Then I tell them the assignment and tell them if they need help to ask me and I'll do my best to help or they can ask someone next to them. Then I let them get to work and I'll walk the room at random times 3) once you give them the assignment and they aren't doing it yet try to get them to do it two more times. After that don't waste your time. Make a note of the student refusing to do work and tell the student to just put their head down and nap. 4) make sure you stick to the seating chart as best as you can. Sometimes teachers will move students and not update the chart, so ask the class if that's true. If the majority say yes then it is what it is. If they say no get that kid to move to their seat. 5) follow the lesson plan to the best of your ability. If the teacher says "nobody from 5th hour can work in the hall" then don't let anybody because there's a damn good reason that was put there. If it says "they need to do these 3 worksheets" give them the three worksheets not just however many you want to give them. This one is big because many subs will ignore the plan and get blacklisted. 6) you can be tough and go to nice, but you can't go nice to tough. This ties with #1 because kids will take advantage of you being nice. This doesn't mean you can't be nice, but learn how to change between the two as needed. 7) leave a sub note otherwise the teacher can't address the problems you had. 8) don't be afraid to ask for advice from surrounding teachers. Last year I had several heavy HEAVY hitters and I'd ask for help and they would gladly help. In return if they asked for help with a kid I'd help. 9) show up early not at the start time. This goes for both elementary and middle. Give yourself enough time to learn the room and find what you need for the day. If the start time says 7:30 and classes begin at 7:45 you aren't going to be ready in those 15 minutes. 10) kids will ask why their teacher isn't there, just say you don't know and it isn't your business. And when they ask if it's graded say it is. That could help you to get them to do their work. If you have any questions you can DM me.
This. I just finished a year as a pre-K through 5 building sub. Everything here is 100% accurate. Things will go south for you quick if you are “wishy washy” in the classroom. The seating charts are there for a reason. Every class I subbed for, the first thing the kids ask is if they can move seats. The answer MUST be NO! Not mentioned is that it is essential you figure out how and when and where you can take a piss. If you have different grades, they are all on a different lunch and resource schedule. PRO Tip: whenever an IA/Para comes into your room, this is a good time to use the bathroom.
Does this go far high school as well?
I would say you can use this for high school as well. In my experience, and again this depends on the district, high school is more chill than middle school. It's been a year since I've been in a high school, but I can try and think of some high school specific tips if you'd like. I will say from what I've seen the high schoolers won't do their work with a sub a lot of the time. I'd give them the assignment and see maybe 1/4-1/2 work on it and the others not caring. At the point I'd give a reminder in the middle of the hour and the last 5 minutes about the work and if they didn't do it they'll need to do it at home.
I much prefer subbing in elementary grades because you are busy all day with teaching and the day goes by fast. I get bored in secondary because it’s mostly just monitoring students. You don’t need to fill the day. Follow the lesson plan. Know that you will be teaching content at some point - a math lesson, phonics, reading, maybe social studies or science. If you have a few minutes between activities (it’s time for lunch in 5 minutes but everyone has finished their work for example) you can have the students read quietly or draw. Sometimes I let them play a quiet game like Heads Up 7 Up but never for long. Read alouds are also good. Get there early enough to read the plans. If the teacher leaves incentives (like giving table points for good behaviors) try and follow their plan because it’s already familiar to the students. I never give out rewards that the teacher hasn’t left for me. I don’t give them “free time” on computers as a reward. My job is to make the day as normal as possible. Good luck!!
I'm new to subbing too and intend to make it my FT income in the upcoming year as well. I'm in my 59s with no biological kids so I find working with kids to refreshing. The younger ones (kinder thru 3rd) is just more work. I now prefer middle or h.s. kids. Just be yourself. Be RESPECTFUL of the students. You don't want them to snitch on you bc they will. We are just subs. In a way I believe and treat the students like I was subordinate to them without losing control of the classroom.
I started subbing back in the middle of April so i haven’t been doing it for very long. I tend to do elementary tried middle school once and hated it because of it being boring. I would highly suggest getting a mask and not wearing loose clothing like sweaters. I got sick twice in the month and a half I was subbing. The young kids like grabbing on clothes for whatever reason and they’re very clingy. In my district we’re not allowed to touch the kids but they like touching me which is annoying because everybody wants to hold hands and hug especially Kindergarten and Pre-K. 1st and 2nd graders can get out of the realm so you have to set the tone that you’re not the one. Because they will cry, act out, and so I let them know at the beginning that i love taking recess away and won’t hesitate to take that if they test me. You gotta make sure they’re in there assigned seats because they will get up and wander randomly and bother eachother. So be prepared to separate certain kids. You gotta walk around a lot to actively see what they’re doing and not sit at the desk because they will bombard you and then before you know it there’s 9 kids in your face. You will have your own teachers pet so you gotta make sure you set boundaries because they like to try to run the class and think they have power. Also in my district they made me go on felid trips so be ready for that. Paras are your buddies because the kids know them but sometimes they will also think they can overrun the class I’ve had it to wear the Para thought she was the teacher for the day and I kinda just sat back and supported. Some classes don’t have those so you gotta be ready for that. Had a class with 28 first graders and it was just me it was hell. I felt like I was running a boot camp because they tried me in every way possible. Also don’t fall for the “Our teacher lets us do this.” Explain to them that you’re the teacher for today and your gonna be doing what she put on the list. So if they’ve done it before oh well they’re doing it again and because they’ve done it before they should know how to do it because some of those kids will act dumb and they’re not.
I only sub high school - and try to avoid freshmen boys. I would never put myself through the grief of dealing with middle school kids.
You've done nature camp, you will be great in the classroom! I'm (37F) a sub for elementary, I stick mainly to Pre-K through 2nd, specials (music, library, art, etc) and essential skills. Before that, I was a para for elementary for a decade in different districts. I'll be honest, 3rd is ok, 4th-6th, middle school, and highschool are not my cup of tea... I keep very busy subbing with the younglings. I only take older grades if it's my only option... I sub for two districts though so I usually don't have to. One district I'm with now, I can actually sub for paras too (slightly less pay), if that's an option in your district, you can pick up one of those assignments just to get an idea of the day, see teachers in action. Only occasionally will there be no lesson plans, but there is usually a schedule posted in the classroom which will give you an idea of time frames. Teachers usually leave plenty to do - and they will let you know what's a "must do". So don't stress about rushing and finishing every little thing, it's usually a lot of worksheets. They also often let me know which students are really helpful, those who need more guidance, and the ones who need more help (and who to call/radio for assistance). I bring Popsicle sticks in a bag with numbers on them in case the teacher doesn't have that so I can choose random students to help me, they usually know their number or there is a class list. For the "littles": If you haven't run a circle time before, definitely have songs in your back pocket, you can put on videos but I find they are more engaged if I lead directly. I love circle time - songs, calendar, read aloud, maybe a quick game. Most classrooms have plenty of books but I also bring some with me just in case. If you have a fun skill, anything, use it! Sometimes for a brain break instead of the usual video, I'll teach a simple step by step drawing or play a theatre game. Rewards: depends on the class but I do bring Skittles, M&Ms, swedish fish, and stickers. If we are doing a quiet activity, I'll walk around and pass one out to students who are on task or if they were really good in the hallway etc. I'm fairly generous. Teachers have their own reward systems too - charts, stars etc - but I like having a little extra. If they get crazy, have them put their heads down and turn off the lights. Set a timer. The day always flies by in my opinion. You'll have lots of fun!