How to create a "gruntled" substitute

Substitute teachers depend on you to tell them what to do and when to do it

Have you ever heard of a "gruntled" substitute? I've talked with many disgruntled ones, and have even been one myself. I know how important the difference is, and it would seem to me that any teacher would want to ensure that her or his substitute was more "gruntled" than not.

As I try to be a reflective teacher, there are some days when I wonder why I'm working as a substitute teacher. Sometimes it's because my understanding of my job differs from that of the teacher I'm filling in for. At other times, an emergency situation has resulted in me having incomplete plans or no plans at all.

And then there are those times when the classroom teacher may simply be unaware of some steps she or he can take that will make my day productive and trouble-free.

Stopgap job. I entered the teaching profession at midlife with the expectation of having my own classroom. I consider myself a teacher first, with the substitute part of teaching being only a stopgap until I'm hired as a full-time classroom teacher.

What this means is that when I come into your classroom to teach your students in your absence, I expect not to baby-sit, but to teach. What you leave for me - instructions, plans, "administrivia" guidelines - will determine whether your students will learn in your absence or simply mark time.

Obviously, if your absence is an emergency, you will not have had the time or inclination to leave ideal plans and instructions. However, some beginning-of-the-year planning in the form of a substitute folder (kept updated throughout the school year) will be an invaluable aid for anyone stepping into your classroom on an emergency basis.

Before-school duties. Have your administrators, whenever possible, reassign any beforeschool duties to another teacher. Beforeschool time is essential for a substitute to become acclimated to the classroom and acquainted with the lessons to be taught that day. When reassignment is not possible, ask the administrators to provide a detailed description of the rules and expectations for the various duties.

The more information you give me, the closer I can approximate your routine, the smoother your return will be and the greater the chance that you'll have a "gruntled" substitute who will look forward to returning to your classroom should you need me again.

On the opposite page, you'll find a "checklist" of things to do that will make your substitute's work easier. No guarantee that they'll create a "gruntled" substitute, of course, but implementing them will be a big step in the right direction.

Joanne Shaw, who is no longer teaching, was a substitute teacher for five years in the Ledyard, CT school system. She wrote this article while she was still a substitute teacher.

Copyright Early Years, Inc. Oct 1998
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