The #2PencilChat is a weekly conversation about educational technology. As we enter a more student-centered age, let's talk about using all the tools in our toolboxes to be innovative and dynamic teachers.
Welcome to the #2PencilChat! Tonight we're talking about Sub Plans, also known as the reason teachers show up to work sick. Say, "Hey!" and introduce yourself!
Hello, hello, hello, #2PencilChat! Sean in St. Augustine here, teacher, your friendly neighborhood chat host, your pal at Buncee, and all sorts of other stuff...
Welcome to the #2PencilChat! Tonight we're talking about Sub Plans, also known as the reason teachers show up to work sick. Say, "Hey!" and introduce yourself!
Good evening everyone! Priscilla here. I'm the one who teaches in the juvenile detention facility. I'm the Career, Research and Development teacher. I'm also the one who loves Nascar. #2PencilChat
A1: Worrying about forgetting something. Did I tell them the right duty? Did we switch schedules? Did I remember to tell my volunteer that I won't be there? ????? #2pencilchat
A1: Not knowing if my sub has math cert. Then again - the classes might be covered by other faculty. How do you prepare for every possibility? #2pencilchat
A1: the worst part of doing sub plans is that you have to describe everything in so many details that it feels like you are writing a book. And deep down you know that half those plans are not going to be followed. #2PencilChat
Hello Everyone, from Colorado...Joining a little late. A1)Worst part...the 2 1/2 hours it would take to fill them out only to have to go in the next day and reteach. #2pencilchat
Hey! Mike from NY. Random fact, one of my favorite songs/albums is called Introduce Yerself by @gorddownie. Always hated sub plans but hated them less when I was leading a #flipclass in Math 8/9. #2PencilChat
Welcome to the #2PencilChat! Tonight we're talking about Sub Plans, also known as the reason teachers show up to work sick. Say, "Hey!" and introduce yourself!
#2pencilchat A1 So.. I’m not a teacher, let’s get that outta the way. My Navy vet experience might help: pass downs. Where we tell the next crew what happened. Storytelling worked best “T’was a dark and stormy..". Maybe spin a tale for the sub?
A1. Coming up with something that's easy enough for the Ss to do on their own without needing help and then writing out EVERYTHING that the sub needs to actually do. #2PencilChat
How can I expect a Sub to do my lesson plans? I teach US history ... their background is not in the Social Studies or technology ... they can't answer kid questions ... book work it is. #2pencilchat
Oh yeah! I always used to get a thank you note with how detailed my plans were. It was strictly for this reason. For some odd reason, we rarely had subs who taught math. #2PencilChat
The worst was teaching 1st grade and you had to write out EVERY 5 minutes what EVERYONE should be doing an where....who pulled who out of class at what time. Who could eat this or that, who needed to go to the bathroom 3 times an hour....the older the easier! #2pencilchat
I'm off on May 18th for my son's college graduation. Put in paperwork in January. Still no sub scheduled. We don't have input on which sub. Just praying for a sub #2pencilchat
A2: I'm new to my district, so I've found one or two favorites. Fortunate to have a brand new COE graduate to do my last 3 absences for the year! @TeraCote1 I know my kids are in great hands and they already know her! #2pencilchat
A2. Because we are a detention facility, we don't have subs. We would cover for each other. Things were hard when we short staffed. Now, I have a teacher's aide, so she is my sub. #2PencilChat
A2 I got to the point where even when I tried to schedule early, it was tough to get who I wanted. I felt like getting my students trained better was really helpful in dealing with that. #2PencilChat
A2: well we have a list of really good substitute teachers, but it feels like I need to book them before school year starts because they get booked by others way too early and I always end up with a stranger. I've got stories to tell! #2PencilChat
Also it seems nowadays that if you want a job in a school you need to prove yourself as a sub. Most of our graduate staff started as subs. #2PencilChat
A2 as soon as I knew, I requested my sub. One day I was out with a sick kid (last minute) the day off an outdoor field trip. The sub did not read my special instructions and wore light kakhis and black dress shoes. 😬 #2PencilChat
A1: Having to spell out EVERY little detail when you don’t know if you have a preselected substitute. Then, you spend hours writing them all out only to get a note left on a post it note saying “we didn’t get all of it done” #2PencilChat#LoveLiteracyLearning
short staffed ... the other day I had kids in my class from two other teachers who were not on campus and had to farm out their kids ... and I still had to keep my kids moving forward. #2pencilchat
So true. I was rarely out last minute (I detested sub plans), so I was able to prepare my students prior to my absence, especially helpful in making sure my teacher helpers were the only 2 Ss "reminding" the sub how we did things. #2PencilChat
A3: One tool thathas helped me a lot is making a subfolder at the beginning of school year and leaving detailed directions about my students' schedules, classroom routines and procedures so that a substitute can follow the class routines if possible. #2PencilChat
A3 That is where technology comes in so handy. Putting assignments on @msonenote and using tools like @Newsela and @Flipgrid make absences easier. #2pencilchat
A3: My students know to go to Schoology and look for red folder with today's date at the top of the home page. I put ALL instructions and expectation in there. Includes videos, online practice, answer keys, etc. (We are 1-to-1) #2pencilchat
A3: I use google classroom as a hub for articles/projects for them to work on and collaborate. Depending on what we are covering, they have a pretty good routine and know what to do. I would like to incorporate a flipped model for next year in my room and for a sub. #2pencilchat
A3. I’m lucky that I don’t have to keep kids moving forward with curriculum at this moment. A fun read aloud, some time with a few choice apps on the iPads, and we’re good. #2PencilChat
A3 I liked giving my students opportunities to create online while I had a sub. Plans were much easier for me and them when I had them do a reading, then create and share on Buncee and Seesaw as a wrap up. Way more effective than review worksheets. #2PencilChat
A2: we have a list of recommended substitutes- our office staff is phenomenal about requesting specific subs- the earlier you can request the better. If it’s for professional or personal- you can plan ahead. For sick days, hope for the best. #2PencilChat#LoveLiteracyLearning
A3) Being a project-based school/teacher, the class had to go on in my absence. They continued their collaboration without me there. (Easier to go in ill that stay home.) #2pencilchat
we do what we can ... some teachers are more flexible than others. We absorb extra kids because it is the right thing to do ... just don't be "that" teacher skipping school while you are screwing over your friend. #2pencilchat
I relied on my kids, but with the way things are these days with flipped classrooms and so much tech, especially Google Classroom, I think things might be a little easier than they were when I was in the classroom. #2PencilChat
A3: I ask for a list of compliments and reward those students with their choice of reward: smelly feet day, show and tell, lunch bunch, etc. Sometimes I surprise them with popsicles or a small treat. They know I am looking for leaders! #2pencilchat
When I was in the classroom I had the kids evaluate themselves & would ask the sub to provide feedback. The subs rarely did it & the kids were brutally honest. #2PencilChat
A3: I provide a way for the Ss to contact me via email or direct message in Schoology. I let them know if/when I will be checking the messages #2pencilchat
I sometimes feel like sub days are really wasted if the kids are doing busy work, packets, watching videos, etc... Not sure the answer, but such a waste for everyone. #2pencilchat
A3: specific procedures, copy of school map, names of people to go to for help. Now, with technology easily accessible- Ts can communicate with Ss through google classroom on their assignments. “Guys, she can see what we’re doing- get busy” #2PencilChat#LoveLiteracyLearning
When I use to have a bad substitute note, phone call, or emails from students I would ask each student to write on an index card, ONE thing they could have done to contribute to the success of the day and one thing someone else did that added to the disruption. #2pencilchat
A4: I have been trying to teach mine (even though we are are on the back nine) to collaborate with their classmates and problem solve together. Some are so dependent on me. If I were out, it would be hard on them. They are learning though #2pencilchat
A4: Help students become leaders or experts of different activities/parts of the day. The best compliment from a sub was, "I felt bad getting paid to be here. The kids could've managed on their own!" #2pencilchat
A4. Routine!! Routine!! Routine!! I'm out every 3rd Friday for Cancer treatment. My students know that we do the same thing every Friday whether I'm there or not #2PencilChat
Welcome to the #2PencilChat! Tonight we're talking about Sub Plans, also known as the reason teachers show up to work sick. Say, "Hey!" and introduce yourself!
A4 The thing that worked in my best years was getting my students used to creation as a regular response to learning. It really paved the way for them to work well in my absence. #2PencilChat
A4.2: Also, next year, I will set up Ss Dojo access so they can message me any questions and I can send them in the direction they need to go. #2pencilchat
A4: When I went to the technology conference in January, I wrote lesson plans for 3 days. I sat with three kids at a time explaining everything that needed to go on each day. They were my backup substitute teachers to make sure everything went the way it needed to #2PencilChat
A4. Teach and expect your kids to run the day-to-day tasks in your class. If you are able, and have the tech to support, use a LMS and have your kids work in there. If not, try to have materials closely related to what you are working on when you are there. #2PencilChat
Once our sub scheduler put in the wrong month. I didn't get a sub. The Ss made it to 1 pm without a teacher. They can manage on their own. LOL #2pencilchat
A4: establishing routines and procedures and reiterating that these apply ALL the time not some of the time. I emphasize the importance of doing the right thing even when no one is looking. We have organization established & everyone helps. #2PencilChat#LoveLiteracyLearning
A1: The anxiety on top of illness or an emergency. Worst feeling ever. I remember going in at 6am w 102 fever and toddlers at home w hubby 2 get classroom room ready. I had 2 leave early the day before. I promised myself I would never leave room/desk a mess again! #2pencilchat
A3: We went to an electronic system years ago. Most districts in DFW have this type of system. This means many districts, you get what you get. When is specific sub is needed, typically the office staff will call. This is especially true for specialized classes #2PencilChat
A5: I try to leave the room ready the day before just in case...4 boys...always meet our insurance deductible...luckily my mom lives close by and is retired, but you never know... #2pencilchat
A5. I used to have a packet of tricky chemistry "games". Also would lean into the quarterly science in the news assignments and give students "time" to work on them! #2pencilchat
A5: I keep an emergency folder on @Schoology . It has several days worth of hands-on constructions for the students to learn #HertzogGeometry#2pencilchat
A5 Back to creation - having open ended emergency plans based on creation, independent work, reading, read alouds, and math review games usually were the standard emergency plans. Good tech tools really enhanced that process!
#2PencilChat
A5: last year, we started with two weeks of emergency plans for each teacher that are kept in grade chair's room just in case of emergencies. My emergency plans contain a set of newspapers and graphic organizers that students can use to organize information. #2PencilChat
A5 Emergency plans simply say. “Allow students to work on assignments from their other classes. If they have none, have each student choose a book from the selections in the room. Most students will have a book with them.”#2pencilchat
A5 I try to have Mercy on the sub. It is hard out there for Subs. I have variety that are skills reinforces yet engaging that encourages independent study #2PencilChat
A5) Depending on which grade level I was teaching, a review game, jigsaw of content between students, read aloud, collaboration projects, and ALWAYS giving them the minimum amount of time to complete a project helped tremendously! #2pencilchat
Flash cards, student led @Kahoot or @quizizz, round round robin or popcorn reading, drawing/art on the topic of study are all easy enough for a sub and have some benefit. #2pencilchat
A5: I’ve taken a topic/ theme and created lessons around that. I leave a book, writing stationery, various activities that allow Ss to complete meaningful tasks that work on class building/ team building. #2PencilChat#LoveLiteracyLearning
I love you so much, #2PencilChat Pals! Thank you for joining us tonight. Go out there and make the rest of your week amazing for your students, AND for you!
