how to be a successful substitute teacher
The substitute teacher is one of the most important and challenging jobs in the academic field. It takes an exceptional person to be able to acclimatize adequately to the every situation they confront as a substitute teacher. Substitute teachers are appointed in every day in every school across the country. It is crucial for school administrators to devise a list of top level people who can substitute teach successfully. The two most essential characteristics that every substitute teacher must have is flexibility and adaptability as they can be called any day in a morning they are needed, and they could be replacing in a second-grade classroom one day and a high school class the next. Sometimes it happens that their assignments could be changed from the time they are called to the time they arrive. An individual without the formal education training can become a successful substitute. They should have an understanding of what they are expected to do and be ready to deal with any obstacles. To obtain a success as a sub teacher you need to keep some points in mind:
- Some of the schools need the sub teachers to attend some of their formal training before they are selected while others do not. In either case, you must try to fix a short meeting with the principal to introduce yourself. Let them get to know you and ask for some advice and if they have any particular protocol for the substitute teachers. It is always ideal to meet the teacher in person though sometimes it’s impossible you must do it if you have the opportunity. If you are enabled to make the meeting, talking them over the phone can be extremely beneficial. The teacher can help you go through their schedule and give you the specific details that can make your day even smoother. The school you are called at, you must learn their emergency procedures such as a tornado, fire, or lock-down. Every teacher has their different ways to run a class, but overall nature of the student will always be the same. You will have a variety of students in one class only, some will be class clowns, others are quiet and some who just want to help. You need to identify the students who can assist you throughout the day, and they can help you to find the materials in the classroom. The teacher can help you in recognizing those students if you can manage a visit beforehand.
- Start your class by setting your expectations and rules. Don’t be afraid to hold a student responsible for their actions and assign them consequences. If this doesn’t help, you can also refer them to the principle. You will come forward as a strong, confident teacher and students will challenge you less and making your job easier in the long run. It is beneficial to inform the teacher about how your day went. Give them a full report of what you did and did not cover in class as far as the lesson plans are concerned. Let them know about the students who helped you and the students who created problems for you. If you had any issue with the curriculum, address them to the teacher. Make sure mention that you enjoyed their class and shared your contact number with them in case they have any additional questions. When leaving, don’t let the students leave books and material, making a mess all over the room. Have the students help pick up the trash and get the classroom back in order. It is most important you when you leave the classroom it is in a good or better condition than the time it was when you arrived.
If you want to be fruitful and happy as a substitute teacher, spread your name out there so you can finally get a classroom teaching position. Doing all these things will give you great success, and you can be a teacher that everyone raves about.
- Have a discipline plan ready to go and stick to it
- Always be prepared with some extra supplies
- Arrive school early and be friendly to everyone you meet
- Eat with other teachers in the faculty lounge and get to know them.
This article has been written by the assignment helper at Make my assignments.
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