Monday, November 12, 2012

Sub Plans

This coming weekend is TAEA, and I am super pumped! I am going to be out on Friday to take in the workshops, and that means  I have to make sub plans. I have a pretty sweet system for my emergency plans, and I thought I would share it with you, as I just now in my 3rd year got it to a place I like.

 I have a skill box on the shelf behind my desk that is full of emergency lessons, they are all super easy to do, and understand, and don't take any more materials then what I keep in the tote trays on the tables, so the sub doesn't have to get anything weird out, or search through my stuff.

That blue folder above the sub lesson box has all my info about schedules, seating charts, emergency info etc, so I can be out without having to worry about a thing, it just takes a few moments to update at the beginning of every year.

 The folders in the box each have a whole days worth of lessons for each grade level. I used to have each activity in a folder, but I had a hard time remembering what class did what the last time I was out. This way if I am sick and can't write plans the sub can just pull out one folder, and do what is in there.

On the front of each folder is a sticky note that says A, B, C and "Clarke" This is because we have a three day rotation, and another teacher, Ms. Clarke who travels to our school every third day. When a set of lessons are used on a day, or by Ms. Clarke it gets checked off the  sticky, so anyone can tell weather or not a class has done what is in the folder. If a folder has the day checked off, just go to a folder that isn't checked off.


Inside the folder there is a set of "masters" that are paper clipped together. on each master there is a sticky note with instructions about how to do the activity, suggestions on how the sub can teach a mini lesson (if they feel inclined to do more then read the directions) and a suggestion for early finishers. I always leave a pile of copy paper for "free draw" if a student finishes the activity early. I try to have enough copies of each activity for a class in the folder, but that doesn't always happen, which is why I have the masters papercliped together, so they don't get handed out and can be re-copied

That's it for today! Conference is putting me in a sharing mood, and I hope to have lots to share after. What are your favorite sub lessons? Would you like me to share the ones I use?

Later,
The Artsy Girl