Webinar Opportunity
Eye on Education is offering a free webinar titled: Managing Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom. The webinar will be held tomorrow at 4:30 pm eastern time. If you would like more information, click here.
Eye on Education is offering a free webinar titled: Managing Disruptive Behaviors in the Classroom. The webinar will be held tomorrow at 4:30 pm eastern time. If you would like more information, click here.
Each of you, as substitute teachers, have had a lot of experiences that have taught you valuable lessons. Lessons that contribute to you being a better teacher.
There are other substitute teachers that would likely benefit from your expertise. It is on this point that I would like to facilitate a discussion. Participate in this discussion by filling in the blank of the following statement:
As a substitute teacher, I've learned __________________.
Please fill in the blank by leaving your response as a comment below.
This is a guest post by Patricia, a substitute teacher in California.
As teachers, we are often asked to teach vocabulary words to students. For those students who have been speaking English their entire life, sharing a synonym of the word usually clarifies it. But for those students who aren't as familiar with the English language, following are a few suggestions on how to help students understand their vocabulary words.
I had a substitute teacher email me this last week and asked what apps are good for substitute teachers. If you are a smartphone user, what apps do you have that you find most helpful? Please share by leaving a comment below.
Thanks!
The slides from this presentation are available by clicking the "Download" button below.
When students refuse to attempt a written assignment, successful teachers usually begin by offering several forms of assistance, continue by offering various forms of reinforcement and, if necessary, end up reviewing expectations and consequences. If the student refuses to accept any consequences, consider using some of the strategies from the following range of suggestions.
Offer to help the student:
- Sit with the student, show a caring attitude, and do a few problems together.
- Remind the student of a previous similar assignment that he or she completed successfully.
- Ask if the student understands the assignment.
- Suggest that the student skip the first problem and pick another for getting started.
- In the case of a possible learning disability, modify the assignment.
Offer encouragement and positive reinforcement for efforts made
- Express verbal approval for any sign of beginning the assignment even if the student just picks up the pencil.
- Communicate high expectations of work effort. Say something like, "At least try first and if you need help, I'll be there."
- Give the student several choices, letting him or her know that there will be consequences for not participating in the activity. For example, "You can work now during class time or work during lunch time or after school or in the office. It's your choice."
When students refuse to work, giving them positive reinforcement and ample opportunities to succeed will be your best tools as a substitute teacher. What other strategies have you used? What has been most successful? Leave your comments below.
A few weeks ago, I interviewed Michelle, a substitute teacher who works to make learning fun for the students. She mentions that maintaining high energy and engaging students into the lesson decreases her classroom management problems.
To hear the interview, click the "download" button below; also please share what you do to make learning fun for the students!
I often hear substitute teachers ask, "Why is it that I do everything right when it comes to classroom management but the students are still off task?"
This is an excellent question! You will find that no matter how excellent your classroom management skills are, unless you have engaging activities, there is no hope for keeping the students on task.
There is a profound relationship between classroom management skills and teaching strategies. The better your teaching strategies are, the easier classroom management becomes. Also, the better your classroom management is, the more time you have to implement teaching strategies because you're able to get through the lesson plan more quickly. I realize that you are bound to the lesson plan that the permanent teacher left, but there might be room for some creativity as to how that content is delivered.
Next Monday being Martin Luther King, Jr Day, here are some activity ideas that you might want to use. Enjoy!
Hello, Bus Stop readers! I am Rachel Friedrich of the Sub Hub blog. I have been a substitute teacher in grades K-5 for three and a half years. At Sub Hub blog, my goal is to provide teachers and subs with ideas, tools, and activities to make substitute days be just as productive as regular school days. You can find me at SubHubOnline.blogspot.com.
I wanted to share a few things I have come across as a sub that are refreshing and make my life easier. And on the other hand, I have also seen a number of practices that throw up stumbling blocks and are to be avoided.