3 Stress Relieving Tips for Long Term Sub Plans

Getting ready for a substitute is really a pain.  As a teacher, it’s one of those things where you think, “Am I really that sick........I’m not dying............ NAH, it’s not worth ALL the extra prep.” However, sometimes you have no other choice. I recently was put into a position where I had to prepare sub plans for a long term leave.  I did my usual 14 pages (Yes I “may” be a little obsessive that everything goes how I want it to go.....) of details on how we run our classroom, where everything is located, what the students are expected to do and when they are expected to do it, which students to keep close, which students could lead the class, which students have health issues........ this list goes on and on (as I am sure you know). Of course, after that I still had to write all of the detailed plans on each lesson for every subject.  At this point I realized how much of a control freak I am when it comes to my class and think to myself, “I know this sub is good (because I hand picked her), however she is not me. Soooooo, how can I make it easier for her to connect to my kiddos quickly?” Then, it dawned on me............ just show her the language I use and the format I may use for teaching and learning. This way at least some parts of the day are already familiar to my kiddos. Here are 3 tips that have helped me feel at ease:

1. I wrote my plans so that each day of the week they were doing the same type of activities but using different texts/skills for each subject. For example:

2. I made interchangeable Anchor Charts. First, I pre-made each Anchor Chart with the teaching point at the top and any important learning points that wouldn’t change no matter what the subject.

Then I used regular paper and Elmer’s repositionable glue to add the pages that the substitute would actually be writing on. 

 

All she had to do was read the book, use the teaching point I had already written, then model the skill by changing out the colored paper according to the different answers for each text.

3. When your up to it, Facetime or Skype your kiddos.  I have done this with the kiddos in my classroom while I have been out. It has lifted their spirits and mine. It also shows that even though I am out of the room I am still a part of their learning, their lives, and I am in touch with the sub. So I still know everything!

Do you have any other tips we could add to this list to ease the amazingly stressful substitute planning? I would love to hear them!

See ya next time in paradise!

How a little laughter can help with your classroom management :-)

Laughing in class?  Is this appropriate? In my class it is required!!!

Laughter is good for your health and has a L O N G list of benefits.

Because I want my classroom environment to be as stress free as possible I have implemented a few laughter generating strategies to help create as many positive experiences that my students and I can share.   

  

The Joke Jars are something new for me this year.  Our schedule is a little crazy this year and there are lots of transitions.  To help settle the wiggles I pull a joke from the Joke Jar.  If we line up fast and quiet there will be a minute free for a joke!!  Jokes are pulled throughout the day to speed up our transitions or to give us all a little brain break.  Jokes are submitted by the students and they are so proud when their joke is shared.  

We had also had jokes submitted by big brothers, sisters and grandpa. 

 Grandpa’s jokes have been very entertaining for sure!!

I have also checked a variety of joke and riddle books from our classroom library.  

These books are available for students to copy their favorite joke for the Joke Jar.

When visiting the library I encourage the students to look for books they think are funny.  Before returning the books to the library the students share examples from the book for a good laugh.

We also sing a variety of funny songs read funny poems and watch cute and silly kitty and puppy videos from YouTube to get the giggles started for our brain breaks.

The most valuable and productive strategy is to LAUGH AT YOURSELF and invite others to do so too.   When ever you do something silly or wrong, share it with the class and laugh at it.  For example, Last week I bent down and my glasses fell into the sink and for what ever reason I didn't realize it.  When they were discovered by a student I just started laughing at how silly I was not to notice.   The entire class began to giggle just for a moment and quietly returned to their writing assignment.  Wishing you lots of laughs in your classroom.