Following the Lesson Plan

Maintaining the same pace of the various lessons as the Classroom Teacher which is needed to cover all the material he/she desires. Most of the time I tend to get more in depth and involved in the various subjects (elementary level) than they expect, and, therefore, end up not covering as much as the time allows. Strict minute-by-minute coverage of a topic is truly hard.

I work in music and hopefully will have a permanent job in Jan. Howevever I have been subbing for almost and year and keeping my own informal records. 60% of regular teachers do not leave lesson plans. They lie and say they do but they don't. It if even worse for music...upwards of 90% there are no lesson plans of any kind. It is obvious permanent teachers, most of them, do not care in the slightest about subs and consider us only babysitters and not even ones worth leaving a plan for.

I follow the lesson plan, The teachers take the time to make it easy for you and they are in the class room with their students every day. Why make it hard on yourself? It's already a harder day on the students to have a substitute for the day taking them out of their routine. Use that plan that the Teacher leaves for you and make it a better day as much as possible.

If I have some time at the end of the class and the lesson plans are completed I throw in some information about staying alcohol and drug clean since I was an alcohol and drug therapist at a prison. They love to hear some of my stories. This really gets their attention and they learn. But only after the required lesson plans are completed.

Sometimes it's hard to understand what needs to be done on the plan because teachers use school-specific language or acronyms that the sub is not familiar with. Also, the materials need to be pulled out all in one place, where possible. Asking the sub to locate a certain book "on the shelf near the door" or similar is not nearly specific enough if you do not know what it looks like and there are several shelves. Looking for things while trying to control the class reduces your credibility with the kids right away.

I find that the teacher's plans are not specific enough and do not leave materials in an obvious place for the sub to quickly access them. Also,since we are not to use the smart board (do not know how) that there is so little chalk board space for the sub to actually use. tThe long objectives are up on whatecver chalk board there is and there is no room for us to write on.

It has been my sub experience that almost all of the teachers leave excellent lesson plans; along with all the necessary handouts. It always depends on the grade I am teaching as to whether or not we cover everything listed. Sometimes the older grades have questions and it leads to good conversation and learning. The younger grades need a little more attention in the explanations. I teach from Pre-K to High School. But, one thing I have noticed overall...is to keep the students busy because when they are not focusing on doing a task they tend to talk and get in trouble.

I have found the teachers that leave samples of projects and answer keys to worksheets/review questions really helps me a substitue complete the complete the lesson plans in a timely manner. If I don't have to personally read a chapter and complete a worksheet prior to going over it with a class it allows me to use that time helping students indididually. I am also able to move through the material with more confidence, and feel more productive for the students and the permanent teacher.

Lesson plans. I follow the lesson plans as closely as possible. However, when there is confusion about the lesson, or I lose the students because the assignment is too complicated for the substitute to administer, I use my own material. When some students are doing the lesson and others are disruptive, I give the disruptive students something else to do that I have brought, or assign a writing activity.

Materials. As much as possible, all materials should be on the teacher's desk, or written where to find them.

Comments. It would greatly help the subs if each teacher put comments about his/her classes on Aesop, such as the schedule, the number of students in each class, and class level. This would enable us to bring material relating to those subjects, which to me is vital, and to bring enough copies for the early classes. Later in the day we would have time to make copies for the later classes.

Sometimes the lesson plan is too vague or doesn't tell where all the necessary material is located. Lesson plans are great when they give plenty of details.

I recently was a substitute for a 1st grade ESL class. The lesson plans/worksheets left were way above the knowledge level of that class. I had two interns assisting and it took all three of us to assist those students. It is very difficult for a substitute teacher to follow a lesson plan or assists students completing worksheets when adequate content instruction has not been provided. I also believe it is a disservice to students when the regular classroom teacher leaves new concepts to be taught by the substitute. We are not provided crucial information such as names of special needs students, disruptive behavior students, struggling students, or they are new students. Sometimes other students have knowledge of this information and will provide it to the substitute teacher.

I always leave notes why I could not follow the lesson plans including Smartboard was not working, could not find appropriate link or file on desktop, or students were not cooperative, etc.

I feel in order to help students properly if questions are required to be answered, keys need to be left so we may help the students properly. It takes time to answer the questions and it may not be exactly what they were wanting.

As a PS to my earlier comment, I really appreciate it when classroom teachers leave teacher's manuals and/or answer keys for high school work. I generally can figure out the solutions but like having a back up so I can be most helpful to students.

The majority of the teacher lesson plans are easy to follow. However, I have come across some challenging situations. My most challenging is hunting across the room or closet for the materials needed. This causes a delay in instruction leading to a chaos.

Somewhere in the process of obtaining teaching credentials prospects should realize that the 'getting to know you' process takes time and that subs should be given time to get to know the kids. Also allow time for emergencies. Mold the clay, do not freeze it.

Too many times, we get caught waiting for the Classroom door to be unlocked by the Custodian, resulting in Valable time, they should be spent studying the Lesson Plan, being lost waiting to get in the Classroom.

One morning, after a third grader was found to be in possession of a pellet pistol, my class was again interrupted by a father seeking the school work his son would miss, while serving a suspension.

I was totally embarrassed to only give him what amounted to one find-a-word puzzle. That was the only work left by a teacher. He looked at me and said "you've got to be kidding."

Do a survey and ask us Subs, "what percentage of the time do you get a sufficient lesson plan?" I would say less than half.
Ans then there are those "packets" and students can "work in groups." In other words, students will be noisy and not on task for the entire class.

Pacing of lessons is one of the greatest challenges to a substitute, as Bruce mentioned. It is difficult to understand the needs of the students (no prior knowledge) and anticipate what will happen in the actual teaching of that lesson. This is especially true with longer lessons and if the regular teacher is vague with what is needed to be accomplished. If a lesson did not get to where the teacher wanted, I will try to make up the time later on in the day when something not as important is planned, like some filler worksheets or such.

I think one of the hardest activities to subervise is small group activities. The permanent teacher will ask me to break the class into groups and the groups are assigned a project or an assignment to do and check. If I don't know the class, it is hard to make sure each group is on task and not fooling around.

Teachers should appoint students in each class to assist with technology. I had a class last week where I was supposed to play the CD through the laptop. I was completely clueless.

I always try to follow the teachers lesson plans for the most part. But once I subbed for a library teacher and she didn't allow students to check out books while she was not present and in one of her lessons she wanted me to read from a chapter book to 5th graders for the whole entire 50 minute block. I think leaving such a lesson is highly inadequate under the circumstances. Needless to say I changed things a little. I don't mind following teachers lesson plans but they should leave adequate and sufficient but more importantly, don't leave a sub a lesson to do that you yourself won't do.

Lack of one !

My biggest challenge, which happens only at the high school level, is lack of a real lesson plan. "Work day to catch up" is not a lesson plan; most students will say they are caught up. Watching a Bond movie is not a lesson plan; students know it is irrelevant. A ten-minute "Read Chapter 12 aloud" is not a lesson plan. Please, just trust me to teach something! By the way, middle school teachers leave great, detailed plans - usually more than I can get done, but that is on purpose. They know that the sub wants to use every minute of time!

I am saddened to hear that some substitutes do not follow thier teacher's plan. I tell the students that my motto is: "Teacher plans the work and I work the plan." That's the way it should be. Everyone is happy with that.

I try my best to follow step by step the teacher's plan. The only way to do it is by being in the classroom at least one hour before school starts. However, there still times that no matter how much time I have ahead, I have troble when I had to follow a science or math lesson from the teacher's manual. It would be helpfull if the teacher write a little outline of the whole lesson such as Goals, objectives, materiasl and prosedure.

I follow the lesson plans that the teacher leaves. In high school, the students are disruptive or uninterested, unless I am administering a test. In the past, I have substituted in a 2nd grade class where the teacher left alternate lesson plans for the substitute. Her lesson plans were there, also. i looked at the alternate plans and went with the REAL plans. The lesson plans left were "busy work". That is not appropriate for 2nd and above. In fact as a retired Early Childhood teacher, busy work is not appropriate for any grade, now. recently, I substituted in a Social Studies class in Middle School. The students were to complete a time line using cartoon pics and titles with a one-sentence explanation. Many students completed this project before the 55 minutes were up. I have to say, the students in this school were very respectful and found alternate activities rather than visit and be disruptive.

Because of the lesson plan problem, I stopped subbing in certain schools. The districts I'm in now leave good plans. The other problem that subs face in certain schools, is disruptive students who are not just hostile to a sub, but also to regular teachers and official school staff.

Well, sometimes, it's just lack of knowledge of timing for how long a lesson should take. Classroom management can also play a factor. Sometimes, kids take a long time to get quiet so you can be an effective instructor.

At least half of the substitute plans I see are sorely lacking in important details. These include activities and procedures that the students follow every day and the class is disrupted and out of sync without them. Things like exactly what time they line up and go to lunch and what that procedure is. It is frequently quite involved. Some teachers fail to mention whether you pick the students up from recess or specials or in the morning, or where they will be. Some do not have the materials or books to be used ready. Sometimes there are aides or parents coming and I know nothing about it until they arrive. Very few tell me about special needs students. Basically, instead of 45 minutes, some plans look like they took 45 seconds. I don't mind taking the time to cover fairly involved lesson plans, I'm good at that, as long as the plans are detailed enough.

Students tell me that the teacher doesn't grade the assignment so they don't do them Or they say it's just busy work and only do this type of thing when there is a substitute. Sometimes I even see past and recent worksheets ungraded laying around so I can assume the students are telling me the truth. Also, incomplete lesson plans with no specific instructions, such as can the kids work together?, is it open book? will it be graded? where is information I can use to answer subject questions. Some teachers believe we know the details when we don't. This week I am subbing for three days in high school. The teacher left stacks of worksheets and a few tests but NO NOTES. I'm trying to accomplish what I think she wants done but with no specifics I can't be sure.

I am surprised at some of he comments. We are there to keep the ship running smoothly. The lesson plans are great if they leave one. If not I look at their lesson plan book and follow this. Just recently there was an emergency and so the plans in her planning book were used. We have to be flexible and able to to adjust to the situation. Finding the Teacher's Edition of the material is sometimes hard to locate...my pet peeve. Plus sometimes there are not enough copies of the handouts/worksheets so it is always best to count them at the beginning of the day. If I am unsure about something I will ask the Teamleader in the morning, or lunch time, or a child in the class. I always scan the room for the discipline procedure, have the day mapped out and write it on the board. Then I make sure greet my students at the door - always nice to get off to a good start. Indeed our purpose is to keep the teaching on target, of course, slowing down if the class is not grasping a concept.

I have probably had to go through all or most of the situations already mentioned and yes, I much rather have a lot of work than not enough. The one that took the cake though was one of my very first experiences: Elementary school. Last minute assigment (half day). I get there and cannot find anything anywhere so I go next door to ask for help to the other teacher and she can't find anything either so I start working on something related to what they had been studying in the previous days... I thought I did great and for sure I did my best given the circumstances. The teacher came back and I explained the situation to her and she said she understood. A couple of weeks later I got a very impersonal email from the district letting me know that due to teacher's request I was not allowed to sub in her class again!! I call and asked for an explanation and they told me that she had said that I had not followed the lesson plans she left for the 1/2 day... Can you believe the nerve!!?? I then requested to have my name removed from the list of substitutes available for that school... Not worth the trouble (but it still makes me mad when I remember that day).

My biggest problems have been inadequate information. Often times the instructions will be vague where specific requirements are concerned, and if the students don't (or claim not to) know exactly what the teacher means, it can be a hopeless cause trying to figure it out.

Due to eye troubles, I have problems reading both roster and seeing the students out there. Classroom monitoring is sometimes difficult. A big problem is that I do not know the students as the teacher knows them; I cannot readily see faces and hands, attach names and leave names for the teacher. Group reading/writing's sometimes very difficult to gently enforce.
and/or out-load readings, student presentations are sometimes very difficult to accomplish if/when there are disruptive students. I usually can work around bored and uninvolved students if they leave others alone. I realize my limitations -- so I walk around constantly, encouraging [sometimes gently nagging] classwork to get started, to get finished, to get turned in -- the grade-book never lies, it records what the students have/have not done. Re-enforcing the lesson plan again and again, encouraging the students each class-period/block. I leave notes praising the school, the staff, the teachers for all they do every day. I'm thankful to have work within the 3 ISDs I sub in.

I am so grateful to every teacher who leaves lesson plans. I recently served as a sub for a high school teacher. She requested the students to identify shapes, color each one a different color then create a key and number the shapes. The students were in an uproar as they felt coloring was too elementary. I explained to them she was testing their knowledge of the concepts in Geometry , and to determine where her teaching should focus. Also, they were advised this was an "A" if completed with 100% accuracy, or a "F" if they failed to do it. Many chose not to do it.

In this case they became very disruptive. I pulled out my Substitute Handbook and went to chapter six "critical thinking" [filler activities]. After dividing the room into two teams - A and B - the challenge was on. I won over 99% of the students and they had a blast. One student quoted, "I can't believe she is a substitute teacher".

This was also utilized during my Psychology classes. They had projects to work on, but felt socializing was more fun. I pulled out the same exercise and they, too, had a blast!

I did inform the teacher of my actions and left copies of what we covered in "Mind Benders and Rittles" - chapter six, "critical thinking".

Let's not forget about potential backlash for reporting that the teacher left nothing for the students. Can you say: "Tucson Unified School District"?

I so appreciate lesson plans, and use them! I know the teachers work hard to prepare them and I know they have guidelines they must adhere to, therefore I do my best to follow the lesson plans given to me as closely as possible. It is rare I go into a classroom without a lesson plan ready, but if there isn't one, I know there soon will be. The teacher will either be emailing another teacher from home or is in contact with another teacher while I am inspecting the class and making name tags. I have never had to begin a class without guidance from the teacher. Only once was there not quite enough information, and it was in a middle school so the extra time that wasn't covered from the instructions emailed from the teacher I was easily able to cover with information from my sub handbook that I am never without. This teacher happened to get sick that morning and wasn't prepared to "have" to prepare for a sub. I have also had short notes that were hastily prepared lesson plans made by teachers that have become violently ill after they had gotten to school, but these could not be helped, and I feel they did very well indeed in preparing even that much in some situations. Neighboring teachers have helped me in some of these situations, and again I rely on my sub handbook. In the cases where neighboring teachers assist, I've been lucky enough that they have shared lesson plans as a lot of team teaching goes on in this area. My day runs much smoother when there are lesson plans to follow. But for the students sake as well as my own and the teachers, I feel following the Lesson Plan is always the best way to go.

I agree on many of the posts here. Some teachers are not that organize, and the material is not there ready to go. Expectation - too much work to be covered, or too little with no extra material.

First do the plan if possible. I look at it first to see if it will fill the time. If not, I make up a quiz at the start of only 5 questions which will have only 3 to 4 questions related to the topic, such as definitions or 'give 3 examples of'. 1 or 2 will be about their opinion to justify when we go over the answers together, and at least 1 simple a pop culture question. That fills the time, stays on topic, and builds raport.

I really don't have any challenges following the teacher's lesson plan; when there is one, and I have enough experience and knowledge to know where to go for help. After five years of "subing", I mostly sub for teachers I know.

I have subbed for one particular high school teacher on several different occasions over the last two years. Her lesson plans are always the same: "The kids know what to do." How's that for planning?

Teachers sometimes leave a lot of the plan on sticky-notes, which is fine, if they are all stuck to one or two items right in the middle of the desk. Otherwise, half way through the day, the sub can notice another part of the plan stuck to a monitor, Promethean-board, or the next page in the teacher's text. Ideally, the plan ought to be condensed to a single sheet of paper. Another problem can be the front office. When the classroom is locked, and the sub isn't allowed into the room until 5 minutes before the kids arrive, the sub may not have time to find and read the plan. Another problem is that most plans have multiple parts, and sometimes I need guidance on how long to let the students work on each part.

I am thrilled to read that I am not the only one who has concerns with what the teachers leave for me. What I do is leave a detailed note on the days events, ie; how well the day went, the lessons being completed or not and, if not, I add why & what would have been helpful. I have seen a few teachers make some adjustments to their plans if they know they are going to be out.

Many teachers leave so much work, I can't get to it all. They do this so the children will be kept busy and not be disruptive. I try to get to it all, but just can't sometimes.

The lesson plan should, without doubt, be the guide for a substitute. However the expectation that it will be followed without stray is naive. There are many factors that go into this, the largest contribution, as I seem to perceive, is trust via the aspect of the personal community within a classroom. A permanent teacher knows his/her students, they are very aware of how to approach students who are straying from focus, how to cheer a certain child up, etc. As the sub, one does not have this wonderful relationship with the class. This factor affects the flow of the whole day.
Furthermore, I have found that many teachers neglect to put in a guide for the routine that goes on. For the pupils, it is rather apparent that they depend on this schedule. Many times as a sub, I have found that breaking the routine (inevitable, because the sub has not participated in the process of creating and understanding the daily practices and times) causes many students to be uncomfortable and many to be disruptive.
Indeed, the previous two points of trust and schedule are but the surface of a giant dialogue of school and it's inherent cultures, but I find them to be the most influential when it comes to the ability to follow lesson plans. I will finish with the sentiment that when a substitute walks into a classroom that has cultivated inquiry, adaptability, and understanding, the lesson plan will be easier to complete as directed, but when a classroom is based more on behavior, it becomes a more difficult task.

My experience is that many times the permanent teacher doesn't even leave a lesson plan; therefore, what can a sub do? Also, when a teacher does leave a lesson plan, the students will not do as they are told. They take it as a free day...Is not that the subs are not following the lesson plan, is that students are being allowed to do whatever they want. 99% of students will take their teacher's absence as a free day and just sit the whole period to talk.

Furthermore, one time I complained to administration about the students not wanting to do anything in class and the person I spoke to was upset that according to him "I wasn't keeping control of the classroom." Can we as subs force a student to do anything? or even can the permanent teacher force a student to work in class? I am sure the answer is no. In one school I went to, the school's policy goes as far as prohibiting substitutes to write referrals on anyone. So that means that the sub is left to just babysit and render him or her powerless. However, I have seen substitutes over- react with students and write up any student for the dumbest of reasons.

I think that administrations in every school is to give the same support to a sub that is given to their permanent teacher. We, SUBS, look after your students when you are gone and yet we get less respect from both administration and teachers we replace for that day. We get less respect from students and we get more disruption and attitude from students, and why? Because the students know that subs are treated as third class teachers who have no support from administration. In many cases students even know that a sub has no power in the classroom and thats the reason they act the way they do.

So, is not that the sub is side tracking from a lesson plan. The problem lies elsewhere.

Sometimes it is hard to read the lesson plans ~ not because of illegible handwriting but b/c of the use of abbreviations or teacher acronyms. I have also had a hard time finding the teacher's desk sometimes. Many elementary teachers do not have their materials on their desk but on a rolling cart or a table in the back of the room. And, yes, I too find that with the addition of Smartboards, the chalkboard is often covered so that there is no place to write. I have temporarily removed posters and such to allow more writing space on the board.

The only challenge I have found so far with the lesson plans are adequate time to complete ALL the tasks. I become engaged in the lesson and sometimes don't have time for the "fun" tasks such as playing a game unrelated to the topic being taught.