Quick Tips For Substitute Teachers

DO introduce yourself to the class. 

DO familiarize yourself with any general campus and/or classroom rules. 

DO engage yourself fully in the role and responsibility of teaching and management. 

DO engage yourself and/or seek student leadership assistance with necessary instructional technology. 

DO dress your best to impress. Think-professional.

DO build appropriate student-teacher relationships. Give respect to get it. 

DO NOT attempt to present yourself as their babysitter, buddy, or friend. You are their teacher. 

DO NOT eat in front of the class nor do personal work such as reading, letter writing, bill paying, crafts, hobbies, etc. 

DO NOT leave the classroom unattended. 

DO NOT change the seating arrangements or room organization except for temporary grouping for instruction or committee work. 

DO NOT use personal mobile phones while in the classroom unless it's an emergency.

DO NOT allow students to use mobile phones in the classroom unless it's part of the lesson.

DO NOT wear jeans except on Fridays, when jeans can be worn with a spirit shirt. 

DO NOT allow students to leave the classroom without a valid reason. 

Be on time for your assignment.  When possible, try to arrive a few minutes early to review the lesson plan and introduce yourself to the surrounding teachers.

Substitute teachers are expected to dress appropriately and to serve as role models.  Shirts, ties, dress pants and dress shoes (unless teaching a physical activity) are most appropriate for men.  Appropriately cut dresses and blouse, pant suits, and women’s slacks are appropriate for women. Short dresses, low cut blouses or low cut blouses which expose the navel, nose rings, and pierced body parts (other than ears), T-shirts, or pants with holes, and leggings/tights worn as pants are deemed not to be professionally appropriate.

Maintain a substitute packet/materials. 

If there is no seating chart, make one. 

Do your best to follow the lesson plans and classroom rules already established. 

Write your name on the board.

Be enthusiastic.  Be respectful.  Be professional. 

Never leave your class unattended. 

Know/meet the teacher next door.

 Send only one student to the restroom at a time. 

Call students by name. 

Do not let students start any name calling. 

Stand in the hall/doorway between classes. 

Have a couple of extra pens/pencils for those students who have “forgotten” theirs. 

Identify several “trustworthy” students to help you. 

Never let a class go early to lunch or to the next class unless instructed to do so. 

Don’t make statements lightly – students will remember. 

Make your expectations and rules very clear. 

Make sure students return items which should remain in the classroom. 

Students may not have a knife/weapon. Ask for it and/or contact the office for help. 

Do not grab a student. 

Do not let students wear hats in the classroom. 

Walk around the room. 

Don’t let the students manipulate you by protesting or saying, “We never do that”. 

Be assertive. 

Use common sense. 

Ask another teacher for help. 

It is better not to argue. Instead say, “I know this may not be the way so and so does it, but this is the procedure for today”. 

Give feedback to the teacher – positive and negative. 

Correct the student’s work for the day, if possible. 

Be neat in your appearance. Look professional. 

Find out who you can go to with a problem. 

Do not discuss the teacher’s class with other people. 

Do not let students use a phone in the classroom. 

If a student shows up to class on time, with a pen/pencil, books, notebook, etc., sits in their assigned seat and appears to be ready for class to start, you have probably identified a student that you might go to for help.