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To
Begin the day....
Ask a lot of questions about
the subject you are teaching.
Ask questions!! Ask about previous lesson
facts. Ask about future lesson facts. Be sure to ask a few that students would
not be expected to know. Have students write the answers!!! Collect the papers.
Discuss as a class the answers. Go through the papers - all the # 1 questions,
then go back and go over all the # 2 questions,etc. Say 3 people got the answer
correct and 26 missed it! You can name names or not, as needed--and then say
."You got that one wrong. You have a lot to learn, don't you. Now is the time
for learning. You'd better take advantage of it." Give
the quiz again at the end of the class. Let them keep the quiz. Go over the answers
again. Ask "How many improved?"
"Congratulations!! You
learned something."
Always make sure students have paper and pencil available. Have
several paragraphs pre-chosen for various grade levels. If students are disruptive,
dictate the paragraph. Collect the papers. While the students watch silently,
you slowly look through the set of papers, making comments about the poor
spelling, handwriting, punctuation, etc. (naming no names - just commenting
on the poor quality of the product). Don't compliment anybody. Then you tell them
what a lot they have to learn, etc. They need to listen, pay attention so they
can learn, etc.
How to get a Job
While the requirements
may vary from state to state, here are the basic steps to become a Substitute
Teacher:
Call the School District where you want to substitute teach.
Make sure this is a School District, and not an individual school. If you are
not sure where the School District is, call the individual school and ask.
When you call the School District, ask what is required to become a Substitute
Teacher.
Take any tests that the School District requires you to take. These
test your over-all ability in reading, writing, and mathematics. These tests only
your basic abilities, and do not ask for genius level in order to pass.
Make
formal application for this position. The person at the School District will tell
you how to do this.
Pay any fees to the School District. These are application
processing fees, and generally range from $50 - $100.
Choose a grade level
rasnge that you would like to teach. Give this information to the District Office
where you register.
Register with other nearby School Districts. This is
important, because there will be mornings that the School District where you want
to teach won't call
Talk to teachers!!
When you substitute for a school
often, ask the principal to evaluate your teaching skills and send the information
and evaluation to the district.
Talk to teachers to learn how the district
procedure works. When
you give an assignment....assign ( or write on board ) more problems than
the teacher designated...tell students if they work quietly you will erase problems...as
they work, erase problems until you are back at the teachers original assignment
Help!!!
NO lesson Plans !! Grades K-12 just adjust to the level.
*Have a Discussion
Establish rules before the
discussion begins:
No one interrupts another person.
Give people who haven't
spoken yet a chance to speak.
Assume that what you say will be repeated.
Don't say anything that would hurt another person's feelings if repeated.
Sneering, rudeness, or any other behavior that shows disapproval of ANYONE's contribution
is prohibited.
The teacher is the leader. If the teacher raises his/her
hand, all discussion must stop.
What is the most important thing
you have learned about life in the past few years?
If there weren't any rules,
what would you do differently?
What foreign country have you heard the most
about?
What do you think it would be like to grow up there?
If a teacher
really wanted to find out what you thought and felt, how could the teacher best
go about getting to know you?
If something happened to your parents and you
had to live with someone else for two years, whom would you most like to be with?
What is the worst thing about school? The best?
When was the last time
you felt completely happy? What made you feel that way?
If you were a teacher,
and the students in your class wouldn't listen to you, what would you do? What
if you did that, and they still wouldn't listen?
If you could grow up to
be famous and successful, what would you like to be known for?
Who are your
heroes? Why do you think they are so terrific?
Have you ever thought you
were going to die? If so, how did it feel?
Is there anything you learned
from the experience that you could share?
What would you do if everyone in
your family forgot your birthday?
These questions are drawn from "The
Kids' Book of Questions"
by Gregory Stock
(New York: Workman Publishing
Company, 1988).
Take the time for some prep before you arrive
in class!! * Have puzzles....grade
or subject appropriate vocabulary
Word Search Generator is at:
http://gem.win.co.nz/mario/wsearch/ *
Give a test.
Use these. Have class sets already run. Give the
test and then correct ans discuss together.
http://www.u-aizu.ac.jp/~tripp/cap.html
http://www.grammarbook.com/
http://www.funbrain.com/teachers/
http://users.erols.com/interlac/testdir.htm
* History
Time
Magazine's 100 most influential people of the 20th century: http://www.time.com/time/time100 *
Art
Have 2-3 art lessons ready including the materials needed.
* Literature
Choose and buy several books so
it is available. Read aloud
Discuss
Draw
Write
Share
*Have Holiday Activities
* Have a lesson planned that utilizes your talents or shares a place you have
lived or traveled.
* Geography
Have students learn countries or states. Use Encyclopedias
if available to do mini oral reports.
Use the map and play
WHERE IN THE
WORLD??
Set teams 2-5.
Set rules-no calling out /quiet/ in your seats
Name a country. Call on a student to point it out on the map.
Can give
3 points with no hints
2 points with a hint-continent
1 point with 2 hints-neighboring
country
Some things to consider. Train your voice
You need to train your voice to be strong and authoritative. And to last!!. it's
like training for a marathon...your voice will need to be exercised to last!!
Practice speaking aloud into a tape recorder so you can hear yourself.
Skip
the extra cup of coffee
Watch your fluids intake as it may be 2 or
more hours before you get a chance to use the restroom.
Take some basic
supplies:
#2 pencils
red pen
aspirin
bottle
of water
whistle
Be Early
Be at the targeted
school at least 1/2 hour earlier than you were asked to be. There are many duties
that must be accomplished before you start your first class- finding the school,
finding the parking lot, finding a parking space, performing any Duty that has
been given to you, finding the room where you are to teach, finding the roll sheets,
finding lesson plans, reviewing the material you are to teach, learning
school procedures, and planning your own teaching strategy for the course that
you will be teaching today.
Be aware of EVERYTHING
This includes
foreground activities, background activities, and activities not directly under
your control, but still under your responsibility.
You will have good
days and bad days.
You DO NOT have to return to this class if it is impossible!!!
Check with the office or next door teacher for any schedule changes.
Assemblies, visitors,etc
Be Authoritive
Practice standing in front
of a mirror...practice stance, practice facial expressions, practice speaking.
Establish your rules and expectations at the beginning of the class.
Make
it short. make it specific.
Ask a student "What do you think?"
when you are unsure of the answer.This not only allows you to get away with not
knowing the material, but encourages the students towards finding the answer on
their own. If they persist, instruct the students to "Look for the answer in the
book", or "Go on to the next question."
Be Professional
The students
expect a Substitute Teacher to be professional. This means dressing, talking,
and acting professionally.
Follow School Rules
Different schools
have different rules. It is your duty to know the different rules of each school.
Always know fire drill exits and any other disaster drill procedures.
Be flexible !
You may be sent to teach 7th grade English and
find yourself in an Algebra class or think you will be teaching 6th grade and
on arrival find Kindergarten is your destination. Be cheerful. Exude confidence
and be flexible-you'll find you will be called more often !!
Pick
and choose your battles.
Be wise about your expectations. NEVER confront
a student.
There are no kids in the class...only students !
The
students in your class will be what ever you want them to be. If you call them
"kids", they will act like kids. If you call them "Students", they will act much
more mature.
Treat students with respect.
The popular saying
"Contempt Breeds Contempt" also works the other way; "Respect Breeds Respect".
This includes "hearing" every question, giving praise for student's work, and
allowing all students to participate.
Have a plan !
A plan is very
important! Having no plan gives students free reign of the class room, and this
is never a good idea for a Substitute Teacher. For each class, an assignment
should be written on the chalkboard. Tell students to work silently, and to complete
the work in a given time limit. This assignment can be anything; past/present/future
homework, student ideas, student experiences, handouts you brought with you, extra
work not originally assigned, or other work that you find in the class room. Having
students do something will give you a chance to take roll, get organized, and
what ever else needs to be done.
Constantly walk- up & down and back
& forth and around the room
Be aware of any actions that may call
for your intervention. Walking around class reminds students who is in control.
Also, it will allow you to speak to individual students, for control.
If
students are disruptive, assign "busy work"
"Busy work" is meant
for one thing: to keep the students occupied, quiet, and controlled. Busy work
can be a lifesaver. Even if everything else goes wrong, and you are left with
a large classroom of students, no lesson plans, no idea of the subject to be taught.
This is as simple as Open your book and copy Chapter 2.
A time to learn
Learn the student classroom material.
Take time to analyze your teaching strategy.
Try different teaching methods, and compare their effectiveness. Keep a journal
on what worked, what didn't.
"But our teacher lets us"
If students say "But our teacher lets us" just answer "Today
I am your teacher so we will do it this way!"
See
the archives for more!
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