Preparing for Teacher Absences

Teachers write sub plans that follow the best practices and suggestions found in the Sub Plan Checklist for Teachers. 

Teachers can help improve the experience for their students and guest teachers by writing and leaving digestible, step-by-step instructions that are simple enough to be read, understood, and implemented on the fly by the guest teacher. A standard template, customized by each teacher provides a predictable and recognizable layout and helps ensure that all sub plans include important information that guest teachers need to be successful. Teachers have written emergency sub plans that could be consulted if necessary.

Resources

✅Sub Plan Checklist for Teachers

✅Sub Plan Templates 

Teachers leave digital sub plans and materials in the school's Shared Drive for sub plans and provide the shortened URL to their folder for their guest teacher.

This provides a one-stop shop for sub plans that is easily accessible to guest teachers, head secretaries, coaches, principals, and others who may need access to plans. Folders are shared “anyone with the link can view” so no sign in is required to access materials in the folder.

Resources

✅Using Your Building's Shared Drive for Sub Plans

Teachers make and leave a printed copy* of their plans for the guest teacher.

Guest teachers need a hard copy to follow as they teach and they do not have time to print the plans themselves in the morning--in most cases they only arrive 15 minutes before school starts. If a teacher cannot print their plans themselves, they should ask a colleague to print them. Only in true emergencies should head secretaries be asked to print plans.

*Ask your building’s sub coordinator whether printed plans should be left on your desk or in your sub folder in the office. 

Teachers leave an accurate seating chart for the guest teacher.* 

Accurate seating charts that include student names as they appear on attendance sheet are essential to classroom management and roll-taking. 

*In many elementary classrooms, students’ names are on their desks, so a seating chart may not be necessary.

Resources

✅A Seating Chart Checklist can be found in the Sub Plan Checklist for Teachers

Teachers follow the recommended preferred practices with technology when preparing their plans and setting up the technology in their room.

Adopting a low-tech or no-tech approach and following best practices will help guest teachers be successful since they more often than not do not have access to, nor expertise in, our tech tools.

Resources

✅Preferred Practices with Technology When Teachers Are Absent are found in the Sub Plan Checklist for Teachers document.

✅Instructions we give guest teachers: Classroom Technology for Guest Teachers

Teachers configure their flat panel for guest teacher use and leave directions in their sub plans detailing their preferred method.

Guest teachers will be shown two ways to use the panel for BASIC use through these videos:

• Using the Guest Teacher Profile that you create (preferred and recommended)

• Connecting with the cables

Resources

✅This document provides directions for the two ways guest teachers have been shown for connecting to/using the panel. Copy and paste the directions you want them to follow into your sub plans Guest Teacher Directions for Using Flat Panel. Here is the video showing guest teachers how. 

Teachers have ensured that their students know what is expected of them when there is a guest teacher.

Sharing expectations and consequences early helps guest teachers manage teachers’ classrooms in their absence. Include your expectations in your sub  plans.

Teachers identify and train a student (or two or three) who are named in the sub plans and can help guest teachers use basic technology, etc.

Knowing which students to rely on for help is greatly appreciated by our guest teachers and provides a great opportunity for students to practice being Community Contributors.

Student helpers should be able to help with

• classroom routines

• basic use the flat panel

• locating important documents (seating charts, etc.)

• etc.

Guest teachers sign onto a loaner laptop with their Tahoma Identity, then sign into web Outlook using the school’s sub account. In no instance should a guest teacher use a teacher’s credentials. 

Security concerns require that credentials aren’t shared and that the school’s sub account is only used so that guest teachers can receive important school-wide information through email.

Resource

✅Directions for signing into loaner laptop and web Outlook can be found here: Classroom Technology for Guest Teachers 

Guest teachers feel welcome and supported.

• Identify one or two nearby colleagues who can help your guest teacher if they have questions. 

• Reach out to guest teachers in the hallways, lunch room, etc. Many of our guest teachers have shared that they feel awkward and uncomfortable in our break rooms, etc.

Our guest teachers shared that they feel extra supported when someone checks in with them first thing in the morning. 

If the absence was unexpected, your helpful colleague could

• Run copies for your guest teachers

• Print your sub plans, etc.