Last year, I used a new system to organize the plans I left for a substitute teacher. It worked like a dream! Read on to learn about the game-changing system I discovered, and for additional sub plans tips for high school.
Teaching in a small public high school means that I often teach multiple courses. This can be as few as two, and as many as five. So, in my case, leaving plans for a substitute teacher can be especially challenging. However, out of every task that comes with being out of the classroom, I hate cleaning up the next day the most. The random items scattered around the classroom are annoying, but the desktop clutter bothers me the most. It will usually take me all day to sort through it all. Luckily, I now have a solution.
My Sub Plans Organization System
If you follow me on Instagram or YouTube, you may know of my love for desktop hanging file organizers. They are my holy grail organizational item. I actually had one just sitting in my cabinet last year. As I prepared to lay the plans for five different classes for two days on my desk, I remembered that file holder, and decided to use it to organize my plans. It worked like a charm.
This is what I will always do from now on. Using the file organizer, I placed the information sheet I use for subs in the front, sticking out of the box, and I keep a folder for each course I teach. The work for each course gets placed inside its folder. (If you have multiple classes of the same course, you can dedicate a folder to that class period instead.) The substitute can easily find the work for that class, and then at the end of the period, the substitute places the completed work inside of the folder. This eliminates all of the piles that you have to sort through when you return.
Preparing Your Students for a Sub
Students thrive on predictability and routine. (Yes, even high school students.) You not being there is a break in their routine. Telling your students you will be out ahead of time, if you know in advance, will set your students up for success. Usually, I let my students know right before the end of class that I won’t be there the next day. Then, before I leave, I write them a little message on the white board. Every time I know I will be out, I write the same message so it becomes part of our procedures. It is also important that you write it. In your handwriting, it is a message from you, and not the substitute teacher. If the sub reads these directions to the class from your notes, they don’t carry the same weight. Here is what I write:
“Expectations when you have a sub:
- Sit in your assigned seat
- Complete your work
- Follow all rules
- Be cooperative, be helpful”
Then I usually add, “Have a great day! See you tomorrow!” or whatever sentiments may apply.
What Assignments Do I Leave?
Choosing which assignments to leave is probably the most agonizing decision we have to make when we prepare for a sub. What you choose to leave really depends on your students. Many of my students get frustrated easily, and shut down when they are not feeling fairly confident about what they are doing. Frustrated students make for a bad substitute teaching experience. For these students, I like to leave some kind of review. In the sub notes, I say that students are allowed to work together and help each other on their assignment. Some years I have classes that can handle a challenge without causing any issues, so for those classes I can leave newer material. It all just depends.
I do not recommend leaving a test for sub plans in high school. Again, this completely depends on your students and the substitute teachers at your school. In my experience, students are more likely to cheat on tests when their teacher is not there. Depending on how your school handles cheating, this could be a nightmare to deal with. In my absolute worst experience, I came back after being out for a meeting to find that the substitute teacher neglected to read the sub plans I wrote, and my students did not receive their testing modifications. This was also a nightmare to deal with.
Use a Template
Actually writing out the lesson plans can be time consuming. This is where a template comes in. Having a simple, easy to fill-in template saves so much time. You don’t have to rack your brain trying to remember all the details you need write out. After you fill in the template the first time, you just have to tweak it each time you’re out. If you need a template, look no further. Here is a free Google Docs template for you to use!
Emergency Sub Plans
It is inevitable (especially once you have children) that someday you will have to plan for a sub without advance notice. Depending on the situation, I may run in before school starts to set up for my sub. I use the sub plans template above so I can easily update it with the plan for the day, I make copies if I need to, I write my message to my students on the board, and I use the system I described above to organize everything. This will take me about 20 minutes.
Sometimes running in to school before it starts is not possible. To prepare for these situations, I recommend that you have a go-to-colleague. Who is someone that is dependable and gets to school early? Or, who is someone that knows you and your systems? For me, that person is my department chair. When I have an emergency, but I want to leave a particular assignment, I will email her the sub plans, and attach the work that needs to be copied or directions on where to find the copies. Find your person. Ask if they can do this for you, and offer to do the same for them.
It is advisable, that you have a few days worth of sub plans ready in an emergency. This is for total emergencies where you are unable to plan for assignments for students. For more information about how you could prepare and organize your emergency plans, check out my High School Sub Tub Post.
What makes all of this work is that it is a dedicated system. Systems are the ultimate productivity tool. To learn more about how to implement systems in your classroom, download the free Secondary Classroom Systems Checklist.
