In this blog post today I am sharing 10 substitute teacher essentials that hopefully will help make your substitute teaching life easier. Let’s face it, teachers usually do need the same things – the same essentials. But when you’re a substitute teacher, those essentials may be slightly different. This is most likely because you don’t have a permanent classroom basis, and you may be teaching different ages, and in different schools. And that means you have to be a lot more flexible.. Plus you’ll possibly need different things everyday in this job! So I’ve been busy chatting to a bunch of substitute teachers, and we put together a list of 10 substitute teacher essentials that we think are the most beneficial.
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1. A Backpack
Let’s face it, you are going to need a backpack to carry all of your things around every working day. A backpack is going to be so much easier for you. And it’ll stop you from overpacking too. I’ve seen so many subs turn up with 3-4 bags of things that they ‘might’ need and honestly you won’t need it all! All you are doing is making the day so much harder for yourself lugging those things around.
Some of the most popular backpacks mentioned when I was talking to substitute teachers are;
2. Pencil Case and Stationery
There is nothing worse than arriving at a classroom and not being able to find what you need. I highly recommend keeping a pencil case and some basic stationery in your backpack so that you always have access to it. Things like;
- Pens
- Pencils
- Glue
- Cellotape
- Scissors
- Paperclips
- Stapler
- Staples
- Ruler
- Eraser
- Tipex
- Post-it Notes
3. Lunch Bag
Another important thing – take your own lunch! Some schools may not provide you with even the option for lunch. Others may – but you have to pay for it. And then they might only accept some forms of payment – and there might only be one option for food that day, which you may not like. I always recommend taking your own lunch, snacks and drinks so that you know you are going to be able to eat and drink that day.
4. Name tags
This depends what class you are going to go into. For my students, name tags wouldn’t be an option for them to wear. But some classes like to wear them, depending on their age, ability levels etc. This was something that many substitute teachers did find helpful – so it can be beneficial to have them on hand just incase!
5. Emergency Lesson Plans – Physical or Electronic
Sometimes things happen and you’re going to need something to fill in the time. Maybe you finished all the work that the classroom teacher left behind early. Or you can’t find something. Maybe the weather changed and you can’t go outside like planned. There are so many reasons for why something may need to change. So, it’s always handy to have a back-up plan.
I recommend having some emergency lesson plans – either physical or electronic – that students will enjoy and that you can easily differentiate. Remember to keep in mind ages and ability levels. This is where I LOVE Teachers Pay Teachers. You don’t even have to think! Just check out some great resources they have available, download them and keep them ready for if you ever need to use them. Better to be prepared in advance than panic on the day!
6. Change of Clothing
We once had a sub who blew me away with how prepared they were. We would go swimming every Friday, and we had to have a sub last minute because of sickness. The sub wasn’t told that we were going swimming, so of course I expected her to turn up without a kit.
Nope. She came prepared. I mean.. She actually had changes of clothing that she kept in her car when she was subbing!! She had a gym kit, swimming kit, spare pair of clothes and then some other bits like winter clothing or summer clothing that she could change into. Honestly, this was probably the best thing ever because it made the whole day so much easier when we had that extra body in the swimming pool with us!
7. ‘Special’ Books
My kids love books and story time. You’ll already know this if you follow me on Instagram, because I’m forever sharing our current favorite books. Keep some books suitable for different age ranges at home and then take a couple with you on the day when you’re subbing and when you know what age your class will be for that day.
Students LOVE when they get to have a ‘special’ book from a visitor – and it’s something new and exciting for thing. Plus, if it’s a book that you use regularly, you’ll be able to spend time collecting bits to go with it. Maybe you’ll turn it into a story sack. Or have some lesson plans and activities to go along with the book to extend it.
8. Sun Hat and/or Sunscreen
The weather can change real quick here. And you may need to go outside for play duty. This is when it’s really important to keep an eye on the weather and dress appropriately for it. We could start the morning raining in the summer, but by the afternoon it can be boiling hot with lots of sun. So it’s always a good idea to have a sun hat, sunscreen, sunglasses in the backpack that you can quickly grab.
9. Coat
And again, similar to number 9 – you may end up on duty outside and it’s freezing cold! Nobody wants to get caught outside in the cold without suitable clothing. So it’s always handy to keep a thick coat on you in the winter – and even a light one when it’s warmer too. Some playgrounds can get real cold and windy.
10. Notebook
Finally, a notebook. You’re going to possibly bet old a lot of things when you’re subbing, so it’s much easier to write them down in a notebook so you don’t forget them. Some teachers will already be prepared and they’ll have a sub folder set up ready for when you arrive with all the important information. But others may not.
One substitute teacher I spoke to actually gave me a run down of how she uses her notebook;
First, I write down the school I’m in and the class name. I always make quick notes on the school in general that I can refer back to next time. Maybe just things like where the toilets are, cafeteria. Things that won’t really change but are helpful for me to know.
Then I like to take quick notes on the class I’m going to be in before the students arrive. The teacher name, other staff in the classroom. If there’s anything happening in the schedule today. Important timings. Any important information that I need to know. All of these things are helpful for me to refer back to throughout the day and help me to stay organized.
At the end of the day, I’ll always add some extra notes about my thoughts on the classroom and school. This could also include if I find that maybe it wasn’t a great fit for me and so maybe I won’t go to that age group again, or that school.
I hope you found this ‘10 Substitute Teacher Essentials’ blog post helpful. Leave a comment down below to let us know what your substitute essentials are and if there’s anything not on this list. If you found this blog post helpful, please consider sharing it with your friends and colleagues on social media.
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