10 Essentials for Sub Plans

This past week my school was short a few subs, which means I had to pitch in and sub for a couple hours in one of the classrooms. I haven’t substitute taught in many years. Substituting this past week reminded me that there is some essential information that needs to be included in sub plans to make the day run more smoothly for the sub.

That is why this week I have decided to post about the essentials for sub plans. When I was a newbie teacher I put way too much work into my sub plans. Now I have them written in a way that I only have to fill in the blanks on my sub plan template, then hit print. And I am good to go!

My sub plans are probably written like many of yours. I break up my plans into sections following my classroom’s daily schedule. However, I do not type specific work into the sections. For example, in the math section, I will type: Explain the directions to the math worksheet/s. Have students complete the math worksheet/s and turn them in the green basket. Then, students may get on their computer and do i-Ready math.

Then, I am able to copy any math worksheets I feel will work for my students, paper clip them together, and stick a sticky note with math written on it to the top of the stack. This makes it much easier to get my sub plans put together for when I am out.

Now, here are the essentials that need to be included in the sub plans.

1. A class roster. A class roster must be included, so the substitute will know who and how many students are in your class. You could, even, have the sub take attendance on the roster.

2. A transportation list. A transportation list is important, so the sub will know how every student gets home. Also, include the dismissal procedures and what duties the substitute will need to perform.

3. Student allergies and who takes medication during the day. These must be noted clearly on your plans if your class has students with allergies and/or who need to be sent to the nurse for meds at a certain time of day.

4. Notes on “special” students. Be sure to include the names of any students with special needs, behavior issues, and students who are great helpers. This helps the sub to be aware of who may need more attention. It, also, helps for a sub to be able to know who is reliable to ask a simple classroom procedure question to or who can be trusted to go to the office.

5. A plan for students with severe behavior issues. If you have a particularly challenging student, have a plan for that student. Talking to your admin team for suggestions is a good way to plan for this. One suggestion is to see if another member of your grade level team can take that student for the day.

6. Where to go during drills/emergencies. Note if there is a drill planned for that day on your plans. This can be written onto the plans after printing, and make sure to include what to do when it happens. But, also, have a seperate sheet with where to go and what to do during drills/emergencies. This will help the sub to be prepared in the event something happens and s/he will be able to move into action more quickly.

7. Signals. Make substitutes aware of the classroom signals your students are familiar with. Do you have a wireless doorbell to use as an attention getter? Do you clap a pattern? Does 1 finger being held up mean a student needs to use the bathroom? Include that information in your plans as well.

8. Which special area to go to. Make sure your sub knows what special area to take the class to. I will usually note this on my plans with a list of the days of the week and where we go on each day. That way I can circle or highlight it on my plans for a planned absence. For an unplanned absence, the sub will still be able to figure it out.

9. Early finisher activities.- Have a short list of activities students can do if they finish early. Idle hands usually lead to troublemaking. It can be as simple as providing a list of approved websites/apps they can go on or leaving a page of extra work to be completed.

10. The name of a buddy teacher or two. Leave a name or two of teachers on your grade level team that can be counted on to answer the sub’s questions. Also, make sure the buddy teacher knows where to find your sub plans should you have an unplanned absence. I kept mine in a tub on a shelf clearly labeled sub tub. It included plans and work for 3 days of absences.

This may seem like a lot of information, but you will only have to type it up once. Then, you will save it, update it as needed, and print however many copies you need. We all want the day to go smoothly for whoever is substituting for our class. We usually want the sub to want to return (in some cases, we don’t). Most districts have a sub shortage right now, so every sub counts!

One last thing is to have a split list in your plans as well. A split list would be put into effect when there is no sub for the class with no available teachers to cover either. The split list will say which students will go to which teacher’s class. That way you can create groups of students that will, hopefully, work well being placed together.

They say it’s harder to prepare for having a sub than to just come in and work while sick. You should never feel like you have to go in to work sick. That is what sick days are for. Take one when you need one. Your class will survive without you. And preparing your plans in advance by using the method above and including the essentials for sub plans will make it easier! Let me know in the comments if there is anything you would add to the list! And if you need any tips for how to leave your work at work, so you can focus on getting well, check out my post How to Leave Your Work at Work.