1. Behavior is largely a product of its immediate environment.

At Home

Accepting Last Minute Calls The hardest assignments for schools to fill are the early morning and last minute slots. Even though it isn't easy to accept last minute calls, it is a great method if you want to fill your schedule and get offered more jobs. Try giving yourself a head start—pack your lunch, pick your clothes, and iron them the night before. The next morning, get up early and start getting ready at your normal time, while anticipating a call. If it doesn't come through, then you're still ready to start your day. Prepare a set of note cards . . . or make a note on an electronic device for each school where you may be called to teach. On each note list: the name of the school principal secretary school phone numbers start time address driving directions the approximate time it will take to get there SubPack Just like a prepared hiker or paramedic who carries a first-aid kit, a SubPack is like an emergency kit for the classroom and can help you be ready for anything. It should contain a variety of useful and necessary classroom supplies and materials. We'll show you how to pack a powerful kit that can be organized into these four categories: Personal and Professional Items, Classroom Supplies, Rewards and Motivators, and Activity Materials. You can tailor your SubPack to fit your personal teaching style and the grade levels you teach most often. (More on this later.) SubPack Container When selecting a container for your SubPack, choose one that is easy to carry, large enough to hold all of your supplies, has a secure lid or closure device, and looks professional. Designate a section of your closet . . . for substitute teaching clothes. Assemble entire outfits, including shoes and socks, which are ironed and ready to go at a moment's notice. Be sure to choose comfortable shoes, since as an effective substitute teacher you will be on your feet all day. Answer the phone yourself A groggy spouse or roommate does not always make a professional impression, and you will be wasting the caller's time while they are waiting for you to wake up and get to the phone. You may also want to have a notebook and pencil by the phone. Make a plan After you hang up, take a look at your note card for the school, determine how long it will take you to get there, and plan the rest of the morning accordingly. Remember, you want to be at the school at least 20 minutes prior to either the beginning of class or when students arrive. Get ready and don't forget to grab your SubPack as you head out the door.

Bullying

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the definition of bullying is repeated, unwanted, and aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involve a real or perceived power imbalance. When it comes to bullying behavior, most schools will have a "no tolerance" policy in place. Many bullying behaviors are obvious, but others are not. As a substitute teacher, it is difficult to track repeated offenses, so we must learn to trust the reaction of students. Even if an infraction seems minor, it is better to err on the side of caution and treat it as if it were a bullying situation. If you see incidents of bullying, intervene by separating the students while remaining calm and modeling how to treat others with respect. Attend to any immediate problems that were caused by the incident and report the misbehavior to a school administrator. You may also consider keeping a record of the incident. Avoid these common mistakes when responding to bullying: Bullying should not be ignored. Teachers should respond to bullying incidents immediately; students should feel safe with teachers. Avoid feeling as though you need to sort out facts or details of the incident immediately. Instead, wait until later when you can visit with students one-on-one. Do not put students into embarrassing situations, because this can make the interaction coercive. It is essential that teachers do not become the bully. Note: Remember, students learn by watching how adults handle situations. When teaching, be sure to model respect while interacting with all students. You can also use "getting to know you" activities to help students see each other as peers.

Better to be Safe than Sorry (or Sued!)

Although some situations, such as bringing treats for a class, may seem harmless... it is better to steer clear of any situation that could become dangerous due to factors you might not know about (such as allergies or medical conditions, for example.) You also have a vital responsibility to lead and protect students during an emergency. Always . . . Know the drills and emergency procedures for the school where you are assigned. Be ready to take charge and act quickly during an emergency situation. Be especially prepared for what to do in a lock-down or intruder situation. (See your school district's policies for more information). Never . . . Give food to students. Transport a student in a vehicle.

Manage by Walking Around

An easy and effective strategy for keeping students on task is for the teacher to walk around the classroom in a random pattern. By moving about the room, you can observe the progress of students, acknowledge and reinforce appropriate behavior, and manage off task behavior with proximity. There is a direct relationship between how close a teacher is to students and how well students behave. Wear comfortable shoes and plan to be on your feet all day monitoring, assisting, providing positive reinforcement, and using proximity to keep students on task. Proximity can be defined as the physical distance between the teacher and student. Do not underestimate the power of this strategy; you will be amazed at how many negative behavior problems will be taken care of just by placing yourself nearer to a student. In most cases, talking to the poorly behaving student will not be required, what will be required is constantly reinforcing on task behavior with verbal praise. By walking around the room and acknowledging appropriate behavior, instead of reading a book at the permanent teacher's desk, we are showing students the importance of being on task instead of just telling them.

Orientation and Legal Issues

As a person solely responsible for children, your role as a substitute teacher requires extra care and caution in order to keep students safe. Although these guidelines might seem extreme in some cases, they will help protect you from a range of problems. By sticking to these rules for your own behavior, you can avoid everything from simple misunderstandings that can affect your reputation, up through more serious legal consequences and termination of your employment. As you stay far away from the line in these Danger Zones - Supervision, Safety, Physical Boundaries, Employment Policies, Leadership, and Professionalism - you will be safe and successful as a substitute teacher. The information presented here should be used as a review of general guidelines. Be sure to find out about policies, procedures, and state laws related to your specific district and school. Don't be afraid to ask fellow teachers, school administrators, or district personnel questions you might have about these or other topics.

Teaching with Technology

As a substitute teacher, you'll often get the chance to use innovative classroom technology, such as an interactive whiteboard, video player, projector, or document camera. It's important for you to have a general knowledge of how to use each of these items before you walk into class. Here are some ways to up your skill level and become a more tech-savvy sub. Search for Online Resources Surveys have shown that substitute teachers who are handy with technology are offered more jobs. So take time to brush up by reviewing some resources online, like instructional videos on how to use document cameras or interactive whiteboards. Ask for Help If you find yourself faced with tricky technology, don't be afraid to ask the technical department, a neighboring teacher, or even students for a little help. Remember, arriving at least twenty minutes prior to the start of the day gives you time to investigate the classroom layout and technology you'll need. Have a Back-up Plan As a substitute teacher, you might run into Murphy's Law when working with technology, meaning the one piece of equipment you need will be the one most likely to cause you grief! This is where having a well-stocked SubPack can be your best ally. You can quickly pull out something fun and engaging, and the class will never know it wasn't part of the original lesson plan. Consider Your First Impression For those who have been on a bad first date, we understand that first impressions stick! Although getting the interactive whiteboard or projector up and running is a top priority, consider the first impression students might have if they see you struggling with technology when they walk into class. It is important to have everything ready for the lesson, but it is even more important to be ready for the students. Greeting students at the door and helping them get settled will help you get off on the right foot. If you need more setup time, try giving students a longer starter activity to work on while you finish your preparations. Important note about whiteboards: Dry-erase boards and interactive whiteboards often look very similar. To avoid leaving your mark (permanently!) be sure to check before using any type of markers.

Class Expectations

As a substitute teacher, your first objective should be to model the expectations of the permanent teacher. Try to determine the classroom rules and strategies used by the permanent teacher to get the attention of the class. These may be in the lesson plans or posted somewhere in the classroom. You can also ask students about the procedures they are used to. Be sure to find out the permanent teacher's expectations about mp3 players and cell phones and follow them, even if you don't agree. Be prepared to set your own expectations if you can't figure out what the permanent teacher usually does. One way to make general expectations more specific is to inform students what your expectation looks like. For example, we could take the common expectation "be respectful" and change it to "Respect yourself by doing your best work and removing negative language about yourself from your vocabulary." Or, "Respect others by looking at them when they speak, express appreciation for their contributions, and only speak kind words to one another." Or, "Respect school property by returning borrowed materials and leaving the classroom materials in an orderly fashion." Class expectations should be clear, concise, and give specific instructions for student behavior. Phrases such as "be cooperative," "respect others," and "be polite and helpful" are too general and take too much time to explain. Effective expectations such as: "Follow directions the first time they are given," are direct, provide specific standards, and are appropriate for any grade level. The number of expectations should correlate with the age and ability of the students; in general, limit them to five or less. Once classroom expectations have been taught, they should be displayed somewhere in the room. For instance, you can write them and keep them visible in the room. In some cases, illustrations of expectations might be more appropriate. For students who need extra direction, very precise detailing of expectations is typically necessary and might involve a daily review of expectations for a week or two. Since older students tend to be a bit more assertive, there is the strong possibility that students will question your expectations, even challenge them. Our responsibility as teachers is to not be reactive, harsh, defensive, or argumentative. Reactive responses are typically coercive and, as Dr. Sidman has so clearly observed, it's that kind of response that drives wedges between students and schools. When students are defiant, overly assertive, and challenging, we find that in the great majority of instances, if the teacher is calm and proactively invites an acceptable response, students will respond appropriately—typically requiring no more than two or three invitations to respond to the teacher. It is really quite amazing. Problems arise when a contest for power begins. Arguing occurs, people have positions to defend and faces to save. Here is a short audio clip from Dr. Glenn Latham sharing an example of being firm in an intense situation.

Jigsaw Learning

As you'll soon discover, one of the best ways to learn something is to teach it! Jigsaw Learning takes advantage of this fact by flipping things around and letting students have a chance to teach each other. It takes a bit of advanced preparation time, but can pack a real punch—especially when you need to cover a lot of material. You may want to avoid this activity with students younger than 4th grade. Older students will have an easier time understanding the process and responsibilities required of them. Jigsaw Learning ExplainedHere's how Jigsaw Learning works with 25 students: Divide the learning material into five sections. (This could change based on the amount of material and the number of students in the class. Use different colored dot stickers to represent each section and number each color 1-5. Distribute all the stickers, which will assign each student into two groups (one color and one number.) Arrange the classroom so students with the same colors sit together. Assign each color group a task to accomplish or a topic to study in a designated amount of time. After completing the assigned task, students rearrange into number groups where they teach each other the information they have "mastered" while in their color group.

At the End of the Day

At the End of the Day Being professional is just as important at the end of the day as it is at the beginning. What you do just before the school day ends will be the impression students take home with them. How you leave the classroom will be the first impression the permanent teacher has of you when he returns. There are several things you should do during the last few minutes of class before the students leave: Gather supplies and materials If the teacher has classroom sets (calculators, scissors, books, etc.), make sure they are all returned before the students leave the room. It is much easier to locate a missing calculator in a class of 30 than trying to find it somewhere in the whole school. Review with students Challenge students to recall and list on the board, projects and topics they have studied that day. (Now they will have a positive answer when parents ask what they did in school, instead of the traditional, "Nothing, we had a substitute teacher.") Remind students of homework Writing homework assignments on the board throughout the day will help both you and the students remember. Enlist the help of students Have students straighten and clean up the area around their desks.

Higher Level Thinking Questions

Bloom's Taxonomy is a famous system for helping students really "bloom" as thinkers and learners. As a teacher, you can learn how to ask excellent questions that range from simple knowledge to complex critical thinking. When a teacher asks the right type of questions, students progress from just recalling facts and figures, to being able to apply and evaluate new information in different situations. Read through each level below, and notice how every time you move up a level, students are connecting more deeply with what they're learning. The important verbs that fit in each level are marked in bold. Level 1: Knowledge-Level Questions Knowledge-level questions ask students to recognize, recall, and state information like facts, terms, and basic concepts. Sample Knowledge-Level Questions: Name the characters in the story. What is the capital of Wyoming? Define the word condensation. List the numbers between 23 and 45. Level 2: Comprehension-Level Questions Comprehension means students understand concepts at a basic level. They know the meaning of the information, but can't apply it to other situations yet. Sample Comprehension-Level Questions: List three examples of plants. Describe the setting of the story. Classify the characters in the story as good guys or bad guys. Compare a cup of milk to a cup of water. Level 3: Application-Level Questions Application means students can use knowledge in a certain situation. They can apply rules, principles, and concepts in new and appropriate contexts. Sample Application-Level Questions: Why is the sun important to life on Earth? Using what you have learned, how would you solve the following problem? How would schools be different without electricity? How much money would you have if you saved a dollar a day for seven years? Level 4: Analysis-Level Questions Analysis means students can break down a concept into its different parts. Sample Analysis-Level Questions: Why did the boy in the story give away his gold coin? Draw the parts of a flower. Explain the differences between a raindrop and a snowflake. Which characters in the film were necessary for the plot? Level 5: Synthesis-Level Questions Synthesis means students can put together elements or parts to form a whole. They can arrange and combine pieces to form a pattern, structure, or idea that was not clear before. Sample Synthesis-Level Questions: How could you change the characters' personalities to make them more likable? Design a new invention for... Organize the books you have read this year into three categories. Prepare a shopping list for Thanksgiving dinner. Level 6: Evaluation-Level Questions Evaluation requires the highest level of intellectual functioning. It means students not only understand the material but can also make a judgment about it. Sample Evaluation-Level Questions: Should students be allowed to bring cell phones to school? Would you recommend this book/film to a friend? Why? How would the discovery of life on another planet affect the U.S. Space Program? Does the protection of an endangered species justify the loss of job opportunities? Summary of Promoting Higher-Level Thinking Level 1: KnowledgeDefine, Draw, Repeat, Record, Label, Identify, Name, ListName the author of the book. Level 2: ComprehensionClassify, Compare, Contrast, Translate, Explain, Summarize, Give ExamplesCompare the weather from yesterday with today. Level 3: ApplicationApply, Calculate, Compare, Demonstrate, Illustrate, Practice, Solve, Use, Predict, ShowComplete the sentence using a vocabulary word from the lesson. Level 4: AnalysisAnalyze, Classify, Discuss, Divide, Explain, Infer, InspectExplain why it is important to have classroom rules. Level 5: SynthesisArrange, Combine, Construct, Create, Design, Develop, Generalize, Organize, Plan, Categorize, Predict, RearrangePredict what would happen if a law was passed that made commercials on television illegal. Level 6: EvaluationAssess, Critique, Estimate, Evaluate, Judge, Rank, Rate, Recommend, Test, Value, JustifyWhat requirements for employing a new teacher would you recommend to the principal?

The Substitute Teacher Report

Be sure to communicate with the permanent teacher by leaving a Substitute Teacher Report. Here are a few details to include: Share positive feedback. Let teachers know which students were cooperative and helpful. Leave academic feedback. Teachers often only receive feedback about student behavior. Be sure to let them know which students mastered the learning concepts, need a little review, and those who may need re-teaching. Leave a personal note for the permanent teacher. Let them know you enjoyed the class and would like to substitute teach for them again. Leave your name and number for them or even a business card you have created. After the Students Leave After the students have gone, take a few minutes to complete your professional duties as a substitute teacher. Substitute teacher report Fill out a Substitute Teacher Report for the permanent teacher. Write a detailed summary of what was accomplished throughout the day, along with any problems that arose and notes about things that went well, or students that were particularly helpful. If, for any reason, you were unable to carry out the plans left by the permanent teacher, make sure you explain why you were unable to carry them out and what you did instead. Leave contact information Leave your contact information and an invitation for the permanent teacher to get in touch with you if they have any questions or want to request you as their substitute teacher again in the future. Leave it organized Leave the teacher's desk and assignments neatly organized. Close windows, turn off lights and equipment, and double check to make sure the room is in good order before you lock the door and head for the office. Return keys Return to the office and turn in any keys, name badges, building folders, or any other materials given to you by the office staff. While you're there, express appreciation for the help you received, and check to see if you will be needed again the next day.

Prior to Entering the Classroom

Being Professional It's time to learn about professionalism prior to entering the classroom. Arrive at the School . . . enthusiastic about the day, while serious about your role. If possible, arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the beginning of class. Report to the principal or office to let them know you have arrived, and ask these questions and any others you have: Will I be responsible for playground, lunch, or other duties? Do any of the students have medical problems I should be aware of? If the need arises, how do I refer a student to the office? How do I report students who are tardy or absent? Do students need a pass to be in the halls during class time? Obtain any keys Having keys to the classroom during the day is extremely useful for substitute teachers. Be careful with these keys and make sure you return them! If keys aren't returned, the school will have to re-key the building which can cost up to $15,000. Find the locations of the restrooms ...the staff room, the cafeteria, the auditorium, the media center, and the nearest drinking fountain before school begins. Meet neighboring teachers Be sure to smile, and greet the school staff and other personnel you encounter by introducing yourself and thanking them for having you in the building for the day.

The Professional Substitute Teacher

Being a polished and professional substitute teacher starts before your teaching day even begins and doesn't end when you leave the classroom. It involves many aspects of attitude and conduct that you should think about continuously while you develop as a substitute teacher. In this chapter, you'll learn how to present yourself professionally as we walk through five time frames: At Home Prior to Entering the Classroom In the Classroom Before School Throughout the Day At the End of the Day

Brainstorming

Brainstorming is a classic teaching strategy that can be your go-to method for any age group or subject. How do I lead a productive brainstorming session? Make sure everyone is on the same page. Have a brief conversation with the students outlining your simple rules for brainstorming. Following are the DOVE rules for brainstorming. Set a time limit. One to three minutes is usually about right; occasionally up to five minutes might be needed. It is better to start with a short time and extend the activity than to have the students lose interest. Keep the ideas flowing. It is very common for students to run out of ideas quickly, often called "hitting the wall." To get things flowing again, you could have students read their list to help others start thinking of new ideas. Remind students that it is okay to "piggyback" on someone else's ideas, because sometimes a really unique idea can spark another good idea from someone else. Accept all ideas. Evaluating ideas should not happen during the brainstorm. If someone says "That won't work" or "That's a stupid idea," then creativity is squelched and some students will stop sharing. If evaluation is a step you want to use, it comes later after all ideas have been freely given.

Protecting Your Students and Protecting Yourself

By strictly maintaining appropriate boundaries, you can avoid even the appearance of inappropriate relations between you and the students. It is critical that you never do anything that could be considered sexual harassment. Also note that interacting with minors outside the teaching assignment is unacceptable and against the law. Protect yourself from misunderstandings and more serious consequences by staying far away from the line. Always . . . Avoid situations where you are alone with an individual student. Leave the classroom door open when only a small number of students are in your classroom. Never . . . Never touch a student or have any physical contact. (Even avoid seemingly innocent touches such as a pat on the back or putting your hand on their shoulder to get a student's attention.) Never comment on a student's appearance. Never make comments about a student based on their gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. Never be alone with a student in a private setting. Never contact or attempt to have a student contact you after a teaching assignment. Never interact with students online (no email, Facebook, etc.) Never use picture or video cameras including those in cell phones on school grounds.

First Aid and Safety

Common sense is the best resource when handling most classroom and playground accidents. Students who are injured should be sent to the office where a school nurse or secretary can administer first aid. However, don't fall into the trap of allowing students to go to the office for band-aids or ice for fake injuries. In the event of a severe injury, do not move the student. Instead, remain with the student, send another student or teacher for help, and try to keep the other students calm. Never give medication to a student, not even aspirin. If a student requires medication, it should be administered through the school nurse, secretary, or other designated medical personnel. Advice from School Nurses *This advice submitted by Berks County Intermediate Unit, Reading, Pennsylvania "Do not dispense medication (prescription or over-the-counter) to any students. Send them to the office or school clinic where they have a record of the written permission to give the student the medication, the prescribed amount, and a system for recording the times and dosage administered. " "Refer all students with injuries (even minor ones) to the office so the normal school procedures can be followed. In an emergency, you may need to ask another student to escort the injured student to the office or solicit help." "Carry a pair of disposable gloves that are waterproof and made of either latex or vinyl, for use in the event of an emergency that requires you to come in direct contact with a student's injury." "Always wear protective gloves when you come in contact with blood, bodily fluids, and torn skin, or when handling materials soiled with the same." "Encourage students to wash their hands before meals and when using the restrooms to reduce exposure to germs." "If you come in contact with bodily fluids from a student, throw your gloves away in a lined garbage can. Better yet, seal the soiled gloves in a small plastic bag before depositing them in the trash. After you remove the gloves, wash your hands for 10 seconds with soap and warm running water. " "Do not allow students who are bleeding to participate in class until the bleeding has stopped and the wound has been cleaned and completely covered." "Check with the school office when there is a student injury. Some schools may require you to complete an accident report form. If so, leave a copy for the permanent teacher and keep one for your records." "Prevention is the best antidote for medical emergencies. Always stay with the students. Contact another adult if you need to leave the students at any time. If you have recess duty, walk around the playground and be proactive about potentially dangerous behavior. Remember, you are the adult in charge. " OSHA Universal Precautions for Handling Exposure to Blood/Bodily Fluids You should also be prepared to handle situations involving blood and other bodily fluids. Listed below are the OSHA Universal Precautions for dealing with these situations. Contact the school district to find out the specific district policies and procedures that should be followed. All blood/bodily fluids should be considered infectious regardless of the perceived status of the individual. Avoid contact with blood/bodily fluids if possible. Immediately notify the school nurse, administrator, or her designated first aid person. Allow the injured individual to clean the injury if possible. If it is not possible for the individual to clean the injury, disposable gloves should be worn. Gloves are to be discarded in a designated lined bag or container. Clothing that has been exposed should be placed in a plastic bag and sent home with the individual. Upon removal of gloves, hands should be washed thoroughly with warm water and soap. Surfaces contaminated with blood/bodily fluids should be cleaned thoroughly with disinfectant. The cleaning should be completed by the custodian, administrator, or designated individual responsible for cleanup. As a general rule, do not touch a student who is bleeding even if you use gloves. If a student has a bloody nose or cut knee, hand him the box of tissues or paper towel, instruct him to hold it on his wound, and then send him to the office or school nurse for further care. Students who are bleeding should not be allowed to participate in class activities until the bleeding has stopped and the wound has been cleaned and completely covered. Note: Handle accidents with common sense. Only the school nurse or other designated personnel should administer first aid, including dispensing medication. Do not move a severely injured student. Learn and follow school district policy for handling situations involving blood/bodily fluids. Always remain with the class and send a student or another teacher to get help when needed.

Concept Mapping

Concept mapping, also known as webbing, is one of the most versatile and useful activities to pull out of your bag of tricks. This activity is perfect for introducing a new topic or checking to see what students have learned at the end of a lesson. It works great for an entire class, small groups, or individuals—plus, students in all grade levels will enjoy creating maps. Note: Using maps at the beginning of a lesson allows students to share what they already know about the topic, so you don't have to waste time covering familiar material. As a follow-up activity, concept mapping can be fascinating as you and the students get to see how much their knowledge has expanded. It also works great as a review, because it helps students to share what they have read, heard, or observed and restate it using key words they understand. The concept map is also a great tool for students to use in completing writing assignments.

Special Education Quick Review

Congratulations on completing the Special Education portion of the SubSkills Training Course. Following are a few reflection questions for you to consider before moving onto the next section. What are your feelings about teaching in a Special Education Classroom? What role does confidentiality play? Do you think you will teach in Special Education? Why or why not?

Procedural Expectations

Each assignment and activity throughout the day will have its own set of expectations. As you develop and explain these expectations, realize that students need four things in order to successfully meet the expectations you establish: what it is they are supposed to do how they are expected to do it where the necessary tools are how much time they have to complete the task Explaining expectations in the form of a step-by-step process often makes it easier for students to remember and complete the task. Just telling students your expectations is often not enough. Expectations should be explained, restated by the students, demonstrated, and even role-played until you are sure the students understand what is expected of them. Questioning students helps you to know if everyone understands and remembers the expectations. You can have students respond as an entire group and act out behaviors, such as: asking students to raise their hands, which requires every student in the class to understand and acknowledge the expectation by raising their hands. Example Teacher: "When I say begin, stop reading and quietly put your reading book away. Get out your math book and paper. Open the book to page 112. You have one minute to do this. Please begin."

What to Do in a Crisis

Each school you work in will have a comprehensive crisis, emergency management, and medical emergency response plan. We have provided the guidelines below as a general reference. If you are not provided with a copy of the school's emergency procedures when you arrive to substitute teach, then request this information at the office. Being prepared will help you feel confident in your ability to respond during a crisis situation. Crisis In Your Classroom Notify the building principal immediately Get help from a neighboring teacher Crisis in the School Lockdown will be announced Check hallway and bring any student into your classroom Lock the classroom door Direct students to a place that cannot be seen from the doorway glass Turn off the lights Everyone should remain silent Wait for the principal to give the all clear Safety and Evacuation Procedures Familiarize yourself with the school layout so that you know how to evacuate the class in the event of a fire drill or other emergency. Fire/weather drill routes are posted in all classrooms. Know where the nearest exits are located. Have a class roster to take with you as you evacuate the building so you can account for them later. Some classroom may have an emergency backpack hanging by the door. If you see such a backpack, take it with you when you evacuate. Note: As a substitute teacher you are responsible for making sure the learning environment is safe. This includes tasks such as arranging desks so as not to block exits and properly supervising the use of potentially dangerous classroom equipment. A teacher must also consider the potential for problems in certain kinds of classes. If you feel planned activities in a physical education, science, shop, or home economics class may be unsafe, you may choose an alternate activity that you feel can be conducted safely.

In the Classroom Before School

Enter the classroom with confidence ...and with your SubPack at the ready. Put your name on the board and familiarize yourself with the room. Locate and review the classroom rules and evacuation map. Read through the lesson plans Review the lesson plan left by the permanent teacher and identify books, handouts, and papers that will be needed throughout the day. Study the seating chart A seating chart is a valuable tool you can use to take roll and call students by name. Sometimes you may not be able to locate a seating chart, or the seating chart left by the permanent teacher may not be current. If this is the case, you can quickly make a seating chart by using small sticky notes and a file folder from your SubPack. Distribute a sticky note to each student, and have them write their name on it. Then, arrange the names on the file folder in the same configuration as the desks in the classroom. The few minutes it takes to establish an accurate seating chart at the beginning of class is well worth the effort. Stand in the doorway and smile Greet students as they enter the classroom. Be professional, friendly, and enthusiastic about the day. This first impression will take you a long way. Meeting Students Research shows students "sum you up" in approximately two seconds, so this first impression is critical for setting the climate for the day. As you greet them with a smile, be sure to give a verbal reminder of what you are expecting them to do as they enter the classroom. This lets students know they are expected to get to work immediately and that it will not be a wasted day.

Venn Diagram

Graphic organizers are handy tools for helping students visually organize and identify relationships between bits of information. Research has shown that using graphic organizers can really help students retain and make sense of material. Here are descriptions of two graphic organizers for you to try in your next class: Venn diagrams and concept maps. A Venn diagram is a terrific and artistic way to compare and contrast two or three ideas. To create a Venn diagram, the student or teacher will draw two circles partially overlapped. Try implementing a Venn diagram whenever the plans call for comparing topics, discussing differences, or referencing students' previous knowledge of two to three topics.

Teaching Strategies

Have you ever felt stumped when trying to get students on board during a dry lesson plan or been embarrassed by the sound of crickets when leading a class discussion? Or maybe you've nervously accepted a teaching assignment outside your comfort zone? This chapter is filled with clever tips from the files of experienced teachers to give you just the tools you'll need to get through tough teaching challenges. The strategies offered here should complement the lesson, not change or replace the permanent teacher's plan. Remember: substitute teachers should always follow the lesson plan. However, the instructions may leave room for some creative additions that can add a little life and variety for the students, often cutting down on discipline problems. For example, if the lesson plan includes "Read chapter four and answer the questions at the end of the chapter," you can probably guess students will likely get bored and off task. Try one of the following strategies to help the class stay active and engaged— leading to more student learning and more success (and less headaches!) for you.

How will I know how to interact with students who have unique needs?

Having an Attitude of Respect When you interact with students with disabilities or special needs, be respectful of them as individuals and treat them with dignity. The way you talk about them can reveal your attitude toward them. Use language that refers to the student as a person with a disability, not a disabled person. Do not use demeaning words like "crippled," "handicapped," or "retarded." The way you talk to students can also reveal your attitude toward them. Talk directly to the student, not to the paraprofessional or other helper that may be with them. Be welcoming and caring, but don't baby them or feel sorry for them. As with all students, you want to be firm and fair. Recognize that students with disabilities have individual differences - both from their non-disabled peers and also from other students that have the same or similar disability. But also remember that students with disabilities or special needs, like all students, have a lot in common with their peers. Confidentiality is particularly important when working in a special education setting. Refrain from talking about students to anyone who does not work with them. Any private details about a student's disability or program that you learn or hear about should remain private. A good rule of thumb to follow is the phrase, "Need-to-Know Basis." Which means, does the person you are about to share the information with need to know it in order to help the student? If not, don't say anything. For example, a spouse doesn't need to know who is in a resource class. Information you share on a need-to-know basis should only go to school district personnel and parents/guardians. Assume that others do not need to know.

4. Whether a behavior has been punished or reinforced is known only by the course of that behavior in the future.

If an appropriate behavior is repeated, it has been reinforced. If an undesirable behavior is repeated, it too has been reinforced. If an undesirable behavior has discontinued, it has been properly disciplined. The only way to tell if a response to a behavior is punishing or reinforcing is to watch what happens to the behavior in the future. What is considered a punishment to one person may reinforce and perpetuate a behavior in another. Example: Two students are talking in the back of the classroom and not working on their assignments. The teacher moves closer to the students. One student stops talking and begins working. The other student keeps talking. The teacher realizes that proximity wasn't a punishment to the second student and tries another strategy. The teacher quietly says to the student, "What do I expect you to be doing now?" The student replies that she doesn't understand the assignment. The teacher then assists the student as the rest of the class continues working.

Model Appropriate Behavior

If you would like the students to be on task and working hard, be sure to model on task behavior yourself. To model on task behavior, a teacher should be regularly walking around the classroom, monitoring the students, looking for and showing appreciation for appropriate student behavior. If a student sees the teacher just sitting at a desk, it gives students permission to not be working. Additionally, teachers frequently disrespect their own expectations. For example, teachers may expect students to raise their hands if they want to be called on, yet teachers will call on students when they don't raise their hands and not call on them when they do. This action defies their own expectations by giving attention to students who blurt out answers without raising their hands and delivers a mixed message. Even if the answer is correct, it should not be acknowledged. Students pick up on this sort of thing immediately and think if it's of no value to the teacher, it's of no value to me. In this example, it is critical to keep calling on students only when they raise their hand to continue this appropriate behavior. When students fail to meet expectations, the teacher should simply: Turn his/her attention away from the noncompliant student and towards a compliant student Acknowledge the appropriate behavior and accurate answer

Out-of-Classroom Activities

In addition to regular classroom management, there are several special situations that you need to be aware of and prepared for. These situations include assemblies, playground and lunch duty, field trips, bad weather days, and escorting students to the bus. As you review the following suggestions, keep in mind that you are the teacher and must assume full responsibility for all of the students in your care. Assemblies/Pep Rallies At first thought, an assembly may seem like a pleasant break in the school day routine. However, it can turn into a nightmare for a substitute teacher who does not have a plan for managing students during this activity. Here are some suggestions to help you survive the event with nerves still intact. Find out the time and location of the assembly, and whether or not the students will need to bring chairs from the classroom. Check to see how the regular class schedule will be altered to accommodate the assembly. Talk to neighboring teachers to find out specific procedures for going to and returning from an assembly, as well as assigned seating for each class. If there are no established procedures, plan your own (walk in a single file line down the hall to the assembly, sit together as a class, return in a single file line, etc.). Determine and explain the specific behavior you expect during the assembly, and review the consequences and rewards that will follow meeting the expectations. Avoid punishing the whole class for the misdeeds of a few, which can frustrate students and add to discipline problems. Field Trips Field trips give students first-hand learning opportunities and are often used to introduce or conclude a specific topic of study. You have many duties in order to successfully carry out the planned learning experience when substituting on the day of a field trip. Parental permission to participate in the field trip must be secured prior to the trip. Be certain that every student in the class has turned in a signed release/consent form. Find out the school policy for any students who do not have documented parental permission to participate in the field trip. If a student without permission is required to remain at school, arrange for him to attend another teacher's class. Prior to the trip, remind students that appropriate behavior is especially important and review the do's and don'ts for the day. Always . . . Be courteous Stay with the group Listen attentively Follow safety rules Never . . . Ask personal or irrelevant questions Lag behind Interrupt Take samples or touch, unless given specific permission to do so Never use picture or video cameras including those in cell phones on school grounds Also, Remember these Ideas Since you will most likely be unfamiliar with the students, create nametags to be worn on students' shirts or coats. If you are visiting a location where there may be many school groups, use a distinctive shape or color for your students' nametags. Students should be assigned a travel partner and chaperones should be assigned to specific group of students and given a list of their names. You may want to consider giving each chaperone's group a different color nametag. Take a first-aid kit along and be aware of safety precautions at all times. Count the number of students before leaving the classroom and often throughout the trip, especially when loading and unloading buses or moving from one area to another. Students should have been informed of special things to look for and what they will likely see and hear on the trip. Familiarize yourself with the learning agenda if possible and use this information to facilitate learning on the trip. Do your best to carry out the plans left by the permanent teacher, which may include having students take notes using clipboards, notebooks, or specific note-taking sheets prepared for the trip. Follow the planned time frame and sequence for the visit. Set aside time for note taking, questions and answers, or sketching as needed. On the return trip or back at school, give students time to process what they learned by having them share what particular experiences interested them. You may also want to follow up with a writing assignment. Remember, you are responsible for the supervision and conduct of your students at all times, including on the bus and at the field trip destination.

Cooperative Learning

In cooperative learning, your job shifts from presenter to organizer. Here are some basic tips for setting up a cooperative learning activity (developed by Dr. Carolyn Andrews-Beck). Note that putting students into groups comes after explaining what you'd like to see them accomplish. Once students know who else is going to be in their group, that is all they will focus on. State the Goal. State the goal and instructions for the group work. Tell students that once they're in their group they should complete the following steps: Arrange themselves in a small compact circle so they can see everyone's face. Introduce themselves to their group. Complete these two statements as they begin: "The job is..." "We will know we have finished when..." Set a Time Limit. Set a time limit for the activity. Question Students. Question students about the expectations discussed so far. This should be done before assigning groups. "What should the group members do once they get into groups?" "How long do you have to complete the assignment?" Divide Into Groups. Divide the students into groups. Have students count off or form groups based on the seating arrangement. Do not let students self-select groups; it can lead to discipline problems. Keep the groups small (two to five per group). Let Them Work. Let the groups get to work! Be Near the Students. Walk around and interact with each group to see how things are going and to help any groups that seem stuck. Assigning Roles To help the groups function smoothly, you can assign each member a specific role as they work. This method builds teamwork and makes sure that everyone is contributing. Here are some common roles you can try using with groups: Director, Captain, Leader, or Manager: This person is the leader and is responsible for keeping the group members on task and working toward the goal. Recorder: This person records information for the group's activities, fills out worksheets, or prepares written material with help from the group. Materials Manager: This person picks up and returns equipment, materials, and supplies needed for the activity. Procedure Director: This person reads instructions, explains procedures, and makes sure the group is doing the activity correctly. Cleanup Leader: This person supervises the cleanup of the group's area at the end of the activity or project.

When Students Finish Early

In every class, there will be several students who finish their assignments early. With nothing to do, even good students may behave inappropriately and disrupt the work of the whole class. Use some activities that are designed to be fun and keep early finishers involved in constructive activities. As you select activities to use for early finishers, remember to adjust each activity to the situation and individual needs of students. Minimize Time During Transitions When students are transitioning from one activity to another it is easy for them to get off task. Consider ways that you can minimize transition time. The following are a few ideas: Hand out worksheets or materials while students are working on a previous assignment. Set materials out for easier access. While students are working, write instructional and procedural expectations for the next activity on the board for quick reference.

Will I know how to work with students with different abilities?

In this section we'll briefly review strategies that will help individual students. As we understand you may not know what every student's needs are, this information is meant as a guide. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder When working with students with attention-deficit problems, keep in mind that they have difficulty concentrating on tasks in the classroom and may appear impulsive or out of control. They are easily distracted. It is helpful if you have the student sit where they will not be disturbed by people passing by their desk. Keep instructional materials and educational toys out of the student's reach until it is time to use them. Describe expectations positively instead of stating what they should not do. Let the students learn by doing hands-on activities. Keep the pacing of the lesson in mind, especially if the student appears bored or appears hyperactive. Orthopedic Impairments Appropriate interactions depend on the characteristics of students. Some students may require physical lifting or transferring. Be sure that the paraprofessionals or other staff in the classroom handle these procedures. They have been trained in correct body positioning so they do not injure the student or themselves. Cognitive Impairment Effective interaction with students with cognitive impairment will depend on the student. Use clear and simple language and check for understanding. Get the student's attention by saying his or her name and making eye contact before giving instructions. Break tasks into small parts. Recognize students when they are successful and be specific in your praise. Students will often imitate what they hear and see, so always model appropriate social behaviors. Learning Disabilities Try to understand the student's frustration, but don't accept "I don't know" as an answer. Allow more time to complete the assignment. You may even have the student speak the answers rather than just having him or her write the answers. Emotional Disorders Give students with emotional disorders genuine praise for their success. Point out the student's successes so he or she can build self-esteem. Make expectations small and achievable. Maintain trust by making eye contact, talking in a straightforward way, and listening carefully. Deaf or Hearing Impaired Speak clearly with your face and lips in full view of the student. Do not talk loudly unless the student asks you to. Use the form of communication that the student uses. Blindness or Low Vision When working with students who are blind, be sure to keep the classroom environment and layout consistent. Find out what assistive devices the student uses and allow those devices to be readily available. Ask students if you may assist them in moving from one place to the next. Autism Students with autism need explicit assistance to identify cues for social occasions and respond in ways considered appropriate by others. When interacting with students with autism, use the communication system they use. Many students with autism require a very structured classroom, clear expectations, fast-paced instruction, and positive consequences for acceptable behavior. Keep classroom activities as regular and predictable as possible.

Ethical and Legal Responsibility

It's your responsibility. As a substitute teacher, you have an ethical and legal responsibility to care for students in your charge. Whether they are kindergarteners or high school students, your diligent attention is the best protection you can provide. Always . . . Stay engaged and monitor student behavior at all times Stay alert and continuously scan for dangerous situations, particularly if you're on a bus or during playground duty Understand and follow the school district policy for reporting suspected child abuse Release students to adults through the main office, as you may not know what restraints or custody situations are present Never . . . Leave students unattended Leave school grounds during school hours, even during lunch or prep period Leave an assignment in an elementary school until all students are picked up Release a student or allow them to leave the building during the school day without express consent from the office Allow a student to be alone with or leave with anyone who comes to the class without express consent from the office (due to possible restraints on who may have custody of a child) Due Care and Caution A teacher is required to exercise due care and caution for the safety of the students in his charge. Essentially this means acting reasonably and with safety in mind, being able to explain circumstances and your actions, and following school safety policies and procedures. Child Abuse Reporting The purpose of child abuse reporting legislation is to protect the best interests of children, offer protective services to prevent harm to children, stabilize the home environment, preserve family life whenever possible, and encourage cooperation among the states in dealing with the problem of child abuse. Duty to Notify. School employees (including substitute teachers) who know or reasonably believe that a student has been neglected, or physically or sexually abused, shall immediately notify the building principal, the law enforcement agency, or office of the State Division of Human Services. Further Investigation. It is not the responsibility of the school employees to prove the student has been abused or neglected. Neither do they need to determine if the student is in need of protection. Investigations are the responsibility of the Division of Human Services. Investigations by education personnel prior to submitting a report should not go beyond simply validating a reasonable belief that a reportable problem exists. Report Suspected Abuse Immediately. Persons making reports of alleged child abuse or neglect, in good faith, are immune from any civil or criminal liability that might otherwise arise from those actions.

KWL Chart

KWL charts are a great grab-and-go strategy that accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time. This chart can be filled out individually, in small groups, or as a whole class. To prepare a KWL chart, fold a piece of paper into thirds, similar to a letter. Title the first column "K," the second column "W," and the last column "L." Have students write the following in each column: The K column: What do I already KNOW? This step prompts students to tap into their prior knowledge. The W column: What do I WANT to know? Next, students ask themselves thoughtful questions about what new knowledge they are interested in learning. The L column: What have I LEARNED? Then, students check their own understanding after the lesson as they fill out the last column. KWL can be useful as a teaching strategy in situations where: Students know more about the topic than you do. The lesson plan calls for a review of test material without using their textbooks. The classroom teacher's lesson plan cannot be deciphered. Where cooperative learning is used.

"Just Show the Video"

Keep the Lights On A darkened classroom is an open invitation for problems. Besides making everyone feel ready for a nap, some students will feel bolder about trying to get away with things they would never attempt in the light. A well-lit classroom is the appropriate status quo and makes it possible for students to take notes or complete assignments that go with the video. Stand in the Back You can also prevent problems, by staying "on the job" during the video. Sitting at the teacher's desk correcting papers or reading a book puts you at a disadvantage in heading off discipline problems. Consider standing at the back of the room, where it is easy to spot and correct trouble early. Try Making KWL Charts Another easy idea is to assign individual K-W-L charts like the one found earlier. Before the video, have students complete the first two columns about what they already know about the topic and what they might like to learn. Students can then complete the third column as they watch. You can even let students share their favorite "light bulb" learning moments after the video by making a combined list on the board. Create Concept Maps Concept maps also help students focus during a video, but have a little more pizzazz than just taking notes. Start by listing the main topic in the center of the page. As they watch, students can record key words and bits of information they are learning.Think creatively about what students can do with their maps after the video. A few ideas are to have them expand their maps by sharing with a neighbor, turn them in for quick teacher feedback, or create a giant map on the board by allowing all students to come up front and write one thing from their own map. Set up a Question Exchange Here's a snappy way to help students stay active during the video and to interact with others after. While they watch, each student comes up with an allotted number of questions. Each question must fit these two criteria: The answer must come from the video. The student writing the question must know the answer. Each student can then challenge others to an exchange after watching. Always be sure to plan enough time for the students to complete the question exchange. Otherwise, students may not take this activity seriously.

Should I change how I teach?

Maintaining Instructional Consistency When working in a special education setting, you will often work with students who need structure and consistency. Therefore, it is extremely important that you follow the lesson plans left by the permanent teacher and follow the same classroom procedures. Some undesirable behaviors from students can be avoided by maintaining their structured routines. Carefully note the daily schedules for each student. They often have related service personnel (language or hearing specialists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists) come into the classroom. At other times they may leave the classroom to attend classes in other school locations.

How can I make sure I'm meeting individual needs?

Meeting the needs of individual students requires sensitivity to their behaviors and developing a keen ability to communicate with each student. Some students have specific needs involving medical issues, transportation, materials, and strategies for instruction and behavior. Be as attentive as possible to the students and keep the following guidelines in mind: The permanent teacher knows the students, what is required by their IEP (individualized education plan), and has drawn up lesson plans to meet those needs. You may need to stay in close proximity to offer assistance. A gentle reminder will often be enough to help the students stay focused. Use the student's name first to get his/her attention (e.g., "Phoebe, please place the paper in the trash." Avoid "Place the paper in the trash, Phoebe."). You may need to repeat yourself more often than usual. Be patient. Check for student understanding (e.g., "Phoebe, please tell me what I asked you to do."). Be flexible. Schedules can change and students may be transitioning in and out of the general education setting throughout the day. Be aware that some students may have experienced years of failure. Help them find success by recognizing and praising small successes. In class discussions, if a student responds with an incorrect answer, provide clues or a follow-up question to help him/her think of the correct answer. Look for ways to praise students for their thinking, behavior, and correct answers. Deal with a student individually if problems arise. Do not single him/her out in front of the class. Present short and varied instructional tasks planned with the students' success in mind. Allow students to use learning aids to assist them with their work as directed by the instructions left by the permanent teacher. Check with a paraprofessional, the principal, or another teacher before using any specialized teaching equipment or machines. Do not hesitate to ask for assistance from the principal or another teacher if you have concerns or questions during the day.

Ignore Inconsequential Behavior

Most inappropriate student behavior—roughly 94%—is inconsequential. A teacher responding (verbally or through body language) to inconsequential student behavior, is still providing reinforcement. Therefore, the frequency of these incorrect behaviors will likely increase. A better approach is: to purposefully ignore inconsequential behavior recognize appropriate behavior with a smile, verbal praise, a nod, or other appropriate gesture Research has identified over and over that combining these two strategies is powerful for teachers. Let's talk a little more about ignoring inconsequential behavior. It may seem obvious, but let's define what "ignoring" means. When we ignore inconsequential behavior, we refuse to notice or intentionally disregard annoying student behavior. Here is what ignoring is NOT: Eye-rolling Sighing loudly or softly Tension in the shoulders Any subtle body language indicating you are frustrated or annoyed We want you to be so convincing that you convince yourself that the inconsequential behavior doesn't bother you. Researchers have identified the combination of ignoring inconsequential behavior and positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior is very effective in achieving better classroom behavior. In addition, they concluded that when teachers give positive reinforcement for appropriate behaviors, it is probably the most important strategy in achieving effective classroom management. Note from Jessica: I'm really excited to share this audio clip with you. It's from Dr. Latham giving an example of ignoring inconsequential behavior. Listen to it and then tell me what you think! Email [email protected] and title the email: Ignoring Inconsequential Behavior

Safe Schools Policy

Most school districts have established a Safe Schools Policy to foster a safe environment for students, staff, community, neighbors, and visitors where learning takes place without unnecessary disruptions. Although each district has its own version/edition of a Safe Schools Policy, some general guidelines usually apply. Generally school administrators have a school-wide behavior management program in place, which could include: A variety of positive reinforcements A variety of consequences for inappropriate behavior A plan for serious misbehavior High visibility of teachers, staff, and administration Early intervention programs Special training programs Parent involvement Written policies on expulsion and suspension Accommodations for students with special needs Students also have requirements and restrictions including: Knowing and complying with the school's rules of conduct Complying with all federal, state, and local laws Showing respect for other people Obeying people in authority at the school Note: Your district's Safe Schools Policy may be included with your substitute teaching orientation material. If not, be sure to request a copy from your district office and review it thoroughly. You may also want to search on the internet your school district and "safe school policy" too, if it comes up, and review it.

The Ask, Pause, Call Method

Occasionally, you might be asked to help students with a unit review or, better yet, you might even get a chance to directly teach something new. This can be one of your most rewarding experiences as a substitute teacher, because it's where the rubber meets the road and teaching happens! But sometimes class discussions can quickly run dry and become hard to manage. One of your best defenses against boredom and blank stares is asking excellent questions. Why ask excellent questions? They help keep students on-task and focused. They help determine skill and knowledge levels. They promote higher-level thinking. They encourage broader student participation. What makes questions excellent? They are logical and sequential. They fit the students abilities. They cause students to think, not just recite. They encourage students to ask their own questions. Avoid these common pitfalls so your excellentquestions hit the mark Practice your patience! Sometimes teachers fall into this trap: they ask a question, then feel nervous during the few seconds of silence (when students are usually just thinking) and so they jump in and answer it themselves. This is one sure way to derail your discussion, because students quickly learn that you don't really expect them to answer the question. Sometimes you need to wait longer than you think is comfortable, so students actually feel stretched a bit and encouraged to get talking. Make it personal! A question directed to the entire class sometimes seems like a question to no one. It's okay to direct your questions to specific students. You can even try creative ways of calling on different students like drawing names out of a jar, shuffling cards with students' names on them, or using a random name generator online. Note: Remember to put the student's name back into the jar after they have been called, so that every student continues to be engaged in the lesson. Here's an easy method to remember: ASK ... a well thought-out question to the class.PAUSE ... long enough for students to think about a response.CALL ... on a specific student to respond to the question. When asking questions, don't fear a little silence! Step up your bravery and try pausing after each step. For example, ask the question then pause for several seconds, which gives students time to think about an answer (1st pause). Then, after you call on a specific student, pause again to give that student time to verbalize a response (2nd pause). You can even pause one more time after you ask for any other responses, which helps everyone think deeper about the question (3rd pause). Learning to increase your wait time can be hard to do—but with practice, you can slow down the pace and have these great results* happen in your class: Students feel more confident in their answers with fewer "I don't knows." More students participate, not just the same small group. Students ask more of their own questions. Students elaborate more and give higher quality answers. Students listen to each other better. Teachers are more flexible when responding to a student's answer. Teachers are better at involving a variety of students, even lower performing students and students with special needs. *Results shown in: "Wait Time: Slowing Down May Be A Way of Speeding Up!" by Mary Judd Rowe, Journal of Teacher Education. 1986. What should I do when asking questions? Be positive and focus on what students DO know. Wait until the class is listening before asking a question. Ask questions in a clear and direct voice. Expect an answer. What should I avoid when asking questions? Steer clear of rushing for an answer or answering it yourself. Try not to use discouraging language like, "wrong," "not true," "incorrect," etc. Don't call on the same students over and over; give others a chance to share. Refrain from automatically repeating questions; instead teach them to listen the first time.

Skill Two: Increase Positive Interactions

Once students know exactly what they are supposed to do, the teacher should look out for students who are meeting the expectations. The behavior a teacher gives the most attention to is the behavior that is going to be abundant in the classroom. If you spend your time as a teacher reacting to and reinforcing only undesirable behavior, you will find that students continue that pattern. On average, teachers allow 98 percent of all appropriate student behavior to go unrecognized. Additionally, teachers are two to three times more likely to recognize inappropriate behavior. Research has shown that strengthening desirable behavior through positive reinforcement does more to make a classroom favorable to learning than any other skill. We'll tell you what to do with the inappropriate behavior later. (Spoiler alert: we usually just ignore it.) Positive interactions should outnumber negative interactions eight to one. The benefits to maintaining a high ratio of positive interactions will be countless. When teachers work to keep a high ratio of positive interactions, students will be far more likely to follow instructions. Also, your classroom will feel more safe, students will volunteer more easily, and students will likely hang out in your classroom more.

3. Behavior ultimately responds better to positive than to negative consequences.

People respond better to positive encouragement than to negative processes. Think of the tasks you do every day; if someone thanks you or compliments you on how well you did, you feel much more likely to continue the task. As a teacher, you can help stop undesirable behavior and increase appropriate behavior by genuinely reinforcing the latter. Example: As a teacher was trying to line up his students, he kept asking Caden to get in line, but Caden wouldn't move. After asking two times, the teacher changed his tactic. He thanked Sophia and Mark for getting in line so quickly. Almost immediately after the positive interaction, Caden jumped in line. After 30 seconds, the teacher then thanked Caden for standing so quietly in line.

Positive and Negative Interactions

Positive Interactions Positive feedback & compliments Smiling Giving specific examples when praising Eye contact Calm, pleasant voice tone Offers to help Joking and teasing (playful only) Fairness Explaining why, how, or what Concern Enthusiasm Politeness Getting right to the point Appropriate physical contact Negative Interactions Talking only about mistakes Overt displays of anger Accusing or blaming statements Shouting Giving no opportunity to speak Mean, insulting remarks Unwelcome physical contact Lack of fairness Being bossy or demanding Unpleasantness Unfriendliness Lack of understanding Profanity Anger Conditions of Praise Dr. Ben Bissell has outlined five conditions of praise. We don't want to make students into what researchers call "praise junkies," but it is important to let students know when they have met the expectations. Praise must be authentic. We need to praise people for actions that we genuinely appreciate. Praise must be specific. Praise a specific action rather than giving the student a general "good job." Praise needs to be immediate. Praise must be clean. This means that you should praise a behavior for no other reason than to express your gratitude. You can't have other motives. More importantly, it also means that praise can't include a "however" statement. For example, "Thank you for working on your assignment, you got 100%, but you didn't stop talking the entire time." Praise needs to be private. This means that the act of praising a student shouldn't cause any embarrassment—when praise is embarrassing, it can become coercive.Quoted in What Great Teachers Do Differently by Dr. Todd Whitaker. Originally given in a paper called The Paradoxical Leader by Dr. Benjamin Bissell in 1992 In general, positive verbal praise, a smile or nod, and other appropriate gestures are among the very best ways to interact in a positive manner with students. Negative and corrective interactions should be outnumbered by positive interactions, with a recommended ratio of one negative (or corrective) interaction to eight positive interactions. At times, situations will arise that will be so annoying and unnerving that every positive interaction you have ever practiced will completely escape your recollection. When you can't think of an appropriate way to respond and feel overwhelmed with the urge to react in a negative manner, don't do anything! Unless what you are about to say or do has a high probability for making things better, it is better to do nothing at all. Tracking Positive Interactions Tracking positive interactions is a great place to begin. This is a skill we want to make sure to do well. One simple way to track positive interactions is to place 30 or so small items in one pocket. These could be pennies, beans, or paperclips. Whenever you have a positive interaction, move the item from one pocket to the other. The goal is to move the items from one pocket to the other pocket three times during the day. (This works well at home too!) Another way to track positive interactions is to make note on a class roll. Put a tally mark next to the name of the student you've had a positive interaction with. This will help you gain a clear idea of which students you are noticing. Have you ever noticed there tend to be a group of students that seem to gang up against you? Researchers have called this the wolf pack. This wolf pack forms because students realize the teachers are having fewer positive interactions with them, so they unite against the teacher. The best offense is to work to make sure there is an equal number of positive interactions with all students. Rewards and Motivators Many teachers experience success in motivating classes by providing rewards throughout the day. The following are ideas for low and no-cost rewards and motivators. Certificates: Print blank certificates to be filled out and given to exceptional students, groups, or the entire class at the end of the day or as prizes for classroom activities. Pencils and Pens: Colorful variations of these school supply basics are well received at any grade level as contest prizes. They can often be purchased very inexpensively at discount and dollar stores. Stickers: These can be given intermittently throughout the day to students who are on-task or placed on completed assignments to denote outstanding work. They are particularly useful for students in primary school. Tickets: Throughout the day, students can be given tickets for being on-task, cooperating, and following directions. These good behavior tickets are then turned in for a drawing to win a special prize prior to going home. Extra Recess Time: Being allowed five extra minutes of recess can provide tremendous motivation for many students. Be sure to check with the principal or neighboring teacher beforehand to make sure that this reward will not interfere with the schedule of anyone else in the school. Privilege Cards: Individual students can be rewarded for good work or appropriate behavior with special privileges. Examples include: being first in line, getting a drink, being the teacher's assistant for an activity, choosing the end of the day activity, etc. Fun Activity: The promise of a fun activity later in the day can motivate students for hours. The activity might be a Five-Minute Filler or Short Activity from this book, or any other activity you think they would enjoy. Remember, being "fun" is usually anything that is different from the routine of an ordinary day. Story Time: Every time the students are behaving well, write a letter on the board. At the end of the day if they spell out the word "DINOSAUR" for example, they get to hear the story. Estimation Jar: Fill a jar with pennies, marbles, beans, or rubber bands. Recognize students who are on-task, setting a good example, or working hard, by giving them a slip of paper to write their name and guess the number of items in the jar. The more times they are recognized for good behavior throughout the day the more chances they have to "guess." At the end of the day, reveal the total number of items in the jar and award a prize to the student whose guess was the closest. Talk Time: Students really like moving to another seat and being allowed to sit and talk with friends during the last three minutes of class. To ensure an orderly classroom, you may need to insist that students select their new seat and then not get up until class is over.

Are there terms and laws I need to know?

Public Law 94-142 (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) Passed in 1975 and updated most recently in May 2004, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act has been amended and is now called IDEA or the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It entitles all students with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21 to free, appropriate public education. Presently, the terms disability and disabled are used in place of handicap and handicapped. The law defines individuals with disabilities to include those who are cognitively disabled, hard of hearing, deaf, speech impaired, seriously emotionally disturbed, or orthopedically impaired; have multiple disabilities; and/or have other health impairments or learning disabilities and therefore need special educational services. IDEA also provides ALL students with disabilities with the right to be served in the least restrictive environment. This means that they must be educated and treated in a manner similar to their non-disabled peers. This usually consists of placing children with disabilities in the regular classroom. Who Decides How Children with Disabilities Will Be Educated? IDEA requires that a team consisting of the student, his/her parent(s), teachers, principal, and other professionals develop an individual education plan (IEP) detailing the goals and objectives of the educational services to be provided. The IEP lists all special and regular activities that the student will participate in. Section 504 This section of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination against people based on their disability. Students may not be left out of a public school activity only because of a disability. The major difference between Section 504 and IDEA is that the definition of a "disability" is broader under Section 504. In addition to the categories of disability mentioned above, it covers students with AIDS, tuberculosis, hepatitis, allergies, asthma, diabetes, heart disease, and many others that may not be covered by IDEA. Assistive Technology: The use of devices that increase the ability of students to get along in society or that improve their quality of life (wheelchairs, computers, hearing aids, etc.) IEP Team: A group of educational and related service personnel who develop, carry out, and evaluate the individual education plan, or IEP Individualized Education Plan (IEP): An individualized, written program that is developed and carried out by the members of the IEP team Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): A plan written by the IEP team for an individual student that specifically outlines what procedures and practices will be used to reinforce positive behaviors and decrease undesirable behaviors Curriculum-Based Assessment (CBA): The practice of obtaining direct and frequent measures of student performance based on a series of objectives from a classroom curriculum Inclusion: Involving students with disabilities as active participants in general education classroom activities Least Restrictive Environment: A location in which students have a maximum opportunity to interact with students who do not have disabilities

Have Students Restate Expectations

Question students about details of expectations to make sure they understand them. Once you state what you expect, ask individual students to restate what is expected. Example Teacher: "During today's science lesson, you will be using water and working with syringes at your desk. I expect you to use the syringes, water, and other materials appropriately as outlined in the activity. Anyone who uses these materials inappropriately will be asked to leave their group and observe the remainder of the activity in a seat away from the lab area. Jordan, what do I expect during this activity?"Jordan: "To use the syringes, water, and other materials correctly as outlined in the activity."Teacher: "Jessie, what are the benefits of using these materials correctly?"Jessie: "I can remain with my group and complete the activity."Teacher: "That is right. What will be the consequences if someone uses the materials inappropriately, Tyrel?"Tyrel: "He will be asked to leave the group and watch the rest of the activity from a seat away from the lab area." Remember: You should never repeat an expectation a student already knows. Question the students regarding expectations instead to ensure they are the ones to repeat them. One phrase that many teachers use is, "What do you need to be doing right now?"

Appropriate Attire Guidelines for Men and Women

Research shows that teachers who dress professionally command more respect in the classroom than those who dress casually or inappropriately. Gain the respect you deserve by the way you dress. As a general rule, jeans, T-shirts, sandals, and other casual clothing are not considered professional or appropriate for the classroom setting. You should always dress at least as professionally as your permanent teacher counterpart. Even if the school has casual days, choose to dress a step above the permanent staff.

Intense Situations

Responding Non-Coercively to a Refusal to Do Work In some classrooms you may have a student or students who refuse to complete an assignment or participate in activities. Your first response should be recognition of students who are on task and positive encouragement for the noncompliant student. If, after you encourage the student to complete the assignment, she makes a statement such as, "You can't make me," an appropriate strategy would be to acknowledge and restate. Disarm the student by acknowledging that she is correct, you cannot force her, and then restate your expectations and consequences if they are not met. Follow these steps when a student doesn't want to work: Positively praise students who are on task Give positive encouragement for the student to continue doing the task Acknowledge the student's feelings Restate your expectations for the activity Restate the consequences if the activity is not completed It may be helpful to note that many times students may refuse to work simply because they don't understand the task. Students would rather appear bad than stupid. If this is the case, you may need to restate the concept or provide extra help for the student. You can also emphasize what the student can do or has already accomplished and recognize student effort. Example Teacher: "You're right, Daniela, I can't make you complete this task. I can, however, expect you to have it completed before you leave for lunch. If it is not finished by then, you will have to take it home and work on it. I also expect you to remain quiet and not disrupt the other students who are choosing to complete the assignment at this time." Responding Non-Coercively to Inappropriate Language or Derogatory Remarks Occasionally, a student may use obscene language or make a derogatory remark about you, another student, or another teacher. Do the following in this instance: Avoid taking the remarks personally Respond to the behavior in a professional manner Don't let your emotions override your behavior management skills The classroom expectations and consequences established at the beginning of the day have provisions for dealing with this challenging situation—implement them! You might say something such as, "Ben, you chose to break the classroom rule regarding using proper language. What is the consequence?" Do not ask the student why he said what he did—just acknowledge that he chose to break a rule or behave inappropriately. Dismiss the incident as quickly as possible and resume class work. Have the student repeat the consequence and then carry it out. Put the incident out of your mind as quickly as possible and resume class work with a pleasant and cheerful tone in your voice. Remain calm and do not draw more attention to the improper behavior. Responding Non-Coercively to a Fight If you see two students yelling at each other or poised for a fight, make sure to respond quickly and decisively. Do not hesitate to get help from another teacher if needed. Aggressive behavior can usually be extinguished by a firm command as you move toward the problem saying, "Stop right now and take a seat quietly against the wall." Students will most likely respond to your calm, authoritative voice combined with an instructive statement. Try to end verbal disagreements and name-calling early, so that things don't escalate into pushing or fighting. If students are engaged physically, you must act quickly and with authority. Tell them to step back away from each other immediately. Do not get angry, excited, or show a lot of emotion—because this can inflame an already tense situation. Do not place yourself between students to try to stop the engagement, as this can be very dangerous for you. Instead focus on giving clear instructions and send for help. Responding Non-Coercively to Threats Threats are difficult to handle—the best strategy varies with each situation. However, should a student threaten you or another student, the most important thing to do is stay calm and emotionally detached so you can evaluate and manage the situation professionally. The school may have a policy on how to handle such situations and you may want to ask a neighboring teacher about how to be prepared. A threat is often the result of an emotional response. Ignoring the student will probably evoke more threats and perhaps even aggression. Responding with threats of your own may accelerate the confrontation. Instead, acknowledge the threat calmly and direct the student to begin something constructive. If you feel that more discussion is needed, it is often wise to wait until after the lesson, later in the day, or to refer the student to a school counselor so that the emotional distance can help them have a clearer perspective. Teacher: "I understand that you are very angry right now. However, I need you to sit down and begin completing page 112 in your math book. We will discuss the situation after lunch." If you feel that you or any of the students are in danger of physical harm, stay calm and immediately call or send someone to the office to get help. After help has arrived and the situation is under control, document the event by recording what happened prior to the threat, what you said and did, what the student said and did, as well as the actions of anyone else involved in the situation.

Skill Four: Manage Unwanted Behavior

Skill number four is where we learn how to respond to inappropriate student behavior. Remember that first we aim to prevent improper student behavior. But there will be times when we need to handle whatever behavior is happening in the moment. This is one of the most difficult things a teacher has to do. It is easy to feel exasperated at the students, but these emotions will not make the situation better or solve the problem. The following are strategies to handle inappropriate student behavior in a calm and respectful manner. Most importantly, these strategies will not destroy the safe learning environment you've worked to create. When implemented correctly, students will quickly get back on task and you will have no need to be angry or frustrated. You can feel confident that you handled a difficult situation professionally and efficiently. Remember that our goal is not to punish, it's to encourage appropriate and on-task behavior. Consequential vs. Inconsequential Behavior Any time a student behaves inappropriately you will probably find it annoying. However, the type of behavior—rather than the annoyance level—should be your guide for implementing an appropriate teacher response strategy. Inappropriate student behaviors can be classified as either consequential or inconsequential. Consequential behaviors have a significant negative effect on the learning environment and interfere with the rights of other students to learn. Inconsequential behaviors are behaviors that the classroom environment would be better off without, but their negative impact on student learning is minimal. Inconsequential behaviors, such as tapping your pencil on the desk, can become consequential if they escalate or persist over a period of time. Before you move on, will you make sure you understand the difference between consequential and inconsequential behaviors? This is an imperative concept to understand.

When the Whole Class is Off-Task

Sometimes an event outside the classroom, such as an assembly, fire drill, or a rousing game of soccer at recess makes it difficult to get and keep students on task. On other occasions, the entire class may be off task or out of control for no apparent reason. Some teachers use techniques, such as silent signals or prompt/response procedures, to refocus the class. Often, the best way to deal with major disruptions is to minimize the event by capturing and redirecting students' attention. For example, have students complete an activity that requires mental concentration. Involving students in an engaging and mentally challenging learning activity will help them settle back down into the routine of the day. Write and Erase: If students are between activities and talking among themselves, one way to get their attention and give further instructions is to begin writing and erasing the instructions on the board, one word at a time. For example, if you wanted them to get their science books out of their desks, you would write the word "Get" on the whiteboard and then erase it. Next, you would write the word "your" and erase it. Then, write "science" and erase it, etc. Students soon become involved in trying to figure out what you are writing and realize that they are missing the instructions. You will quickly have the undivided attention of the entire class. Whisper Strategy: Your first instinct in a situation where the entire class is noisy and off task may be to raise your voice above the noise level of the room and demand attention. However, when students hear you speak loudly they may assume it is alright for them to raise their voices as well. A productive strategy is to whisper. Move to the front of the room and begin giving instructions very quietly. As students begin to hear you, they will need to become quiet in order to understand what you are saying. Soon, students who are still inattentive will also focus and listen to the instructions. When you have the attention of the entire class, you can then give instructions or directions as needed.

Will I succeed in a Special Education classroom?

Special education teachers find their jobs very enjoyable and rewarding. As you spend time working with students with special needs, you will also find satisfaction at the end of the day. The classroom management skills presented are based on 35 years of research and trials conducted by a special education professor. They have been used in countless regular and special needs classrooms worldwide, and combined with the additional skills presented in this chapter, you will be equipped to have an effective and rewarding substitute teaching experience in any classroom.

Is a Special Education Classroom set up differently from other classrooms?

Special education usually encompasses an integrated set of several individualized services, not necessarily a location. However, to familiarize you with what special education may look like, here are some possibilities: A general education classroom with some students with special needs who spend all or part of their day in the classroom with or without support from paraprofessionals A resource room where students are pulled from their classrooms for small periods of the day Multiple general education classrooms where the special education teacher spends time co-teaching with the general education teacher with mixed groups of students A self-contained classroom with students with similar disabilities (e.g., a classroom with only students with autism) The diversity may seem challenging, but can be very fun if you are up for adapting to an array of experiences throughout your day and from assignment to assignment.

Trap One: The Criticism Trap

Students need and respond to attention—and whether this attention reinforces appropriate or inappropriate behavior is up to you. The criticism trap comes from paying too much attention to negative behavior, which actually highlights and encourages that behavior. Avoid the criticism trap by reinforcing appropriate behavior instead! Do your best to have at least eight positive interactions for every one negative interaction with a student.

Risk-Free Response Opportunities

Suppose you asked a question expecting a correct response, but for whatever reason the student didn't give the right answer. In such situations, don't dwell on the failure of the student or the incorrect answer. Instead, direct the question and the class' attention to another student who you think knows the answer. Once the question has been answered correctly, come back to the original student and ask the question again, allowing her to echo the correct response. This makes the experience a success for the student. Teacher: "Jenni, how do you spell the word 'symphony'?"Jenni: "S - Y - M - F - O - N - Y"Teacher: "Very good, Jenni. You are very close. Is there anyone else that thinks they know how you spell symphony? Gabe, why don't you give it a try?"Gabe: "S - Y - M - P - H - O - N - Y"Teacher: "That is correct. Good job, Gabe. Jenni, will you please spellsymphony again?" Jenni: "S - Y - M - P - H - O - N - Y"Teacher: "Very good! That is exactly right."

What is Coercion?

Teachers commonly respond to consequential behavior using coercion. Coercion involves attempts to achieve compliance through the use of threats or force. The intent is to compel students to behave out of fear of what will happen to them if they do not. Coercion makes a student want to escape or avoid the coercer; it does nothing to address the problem. At best, coercion instills a sense of fear in students that prevents them from acting out. While on the surface the problem seems to have gone away, in reality you have threatened the student's self-confidence and destroyed the risk-free atmosphere. For example, some teachers use sarcasm to make students comply. They do this by making fun of or talking down to the student in front of peers. While this type of negative teacher behavior may look like it works, it is actually destroying the student's confidence, and any rapport the teacher may have established with that student is ruined.

Skill Five: Avoid Traps

Teachers often find themselves caught in one of the following seven discipline traps. If you get caught in these traps, you will lose some of your power as an effective educator. Recognizing and avoiding these traps helps you provide students with a better learning environment and also avoid a lot of classroom management stress. On the following pages, we're going to review the seven traps that educators easily fall into, they are: Trap One: The Criticism TrapTrap Two: The Common Sense TrapTrap Three: The Questioning TrapTrap Four: The Sarcasm TrapTrap Five: The Despair and Pleading TrapTrap Six: The Threat TrapTrap Seven: The Physical and Verbal Force Trap

Trap Two: The Common Sense Trap

The common sense trap is where common sense, reasoning, or logic is used to try and persuade students to change their behavior. This strategy is ineffective because students don't learn anything new and are not offered a reasonable incentive to change their behavior. Avoid the common sense trap by creating a positive environment where there are incentives to change and where positive consequences reinforce that change.

SubPack

The number one trait of a successful substitute teacher is having a collection of resources in a SubPack. To be confident and prepared, a good substitute teacher will enter a classroom with a set of tools, much as a builder would enter a construction site. No one wants to begin a lesson plan and then discover that a simple item, such as a pair of scissors, cannot be located. Likewise, when a lesson plan receives a "boring" response from students, introducing a motivator idea from a SubPack can bring a renewed enthusiasm for assignments. A SubPack is like an emergency kit for the classroom. It should contain a variety of useful and necessary classroom supplies and materials. The specific contents of your SubPack will be personalized to fit your teaching style and the grade levels you teach most often; however, contents are generally categorized as 1) classroom supplies, 2) personal and professional items, 3) rewards and motivators, and 4) activity materials. SubPack Container When selecting a container for your SubPack, choose one that is easy to carry, large enough to hold all of your supplies, has a secure lid or closure device, and looks professional. Review each list or Download a list of SubPack Items (pdf). Classroom Supplies Calculator Crayons File Folders Glue Lined and blank paper Markers Colored pencils Name-tag materials Paper clips, stapler, and rubber bands Pens Pencils Sticky Notes Rulers Scissors Transparent and masking tape Personal and Professional Items Band-aids Clipboards Coffee mug Water bottle Disposable gloves for your safety District policies and information Plastic bags Small bags or coin purse Small package of tissues Small sewing kit Snack for yourself Substitute Teacher Report forms (click here to download as a pdf) Whistle Rewards and Motivators Certificates Mystery Box Stamp and ink pad Stickers Tickets Activity Ideas Bookmarks Estimation Jar Newspaper Numbered Cubes or Dice Pictures and activity books Tangrams Timer/Stopwatch Substitute Teacher Handbook!

The Starter Activity

The sooner you get students on task, the easier it is to keep them actively engaged in constructive activities. Work to minimize the time you spend on responsibilities like taking roll and lunch count. Dragging things out at the start of class simply provides time for students to get bored and start behaving inappropriately. One way to get students immediately on task is to direct them to a starter activity. Starter activities serve three purposes in the classroom:1. Having a starter activity sets a professional tone for the day.2. Starter activities get students actively engaged in a learning activity immediately, which helps discourage inappropriate behavior.3. Starter activities give you time to take roll and prepare materials for a smooth transition to the next activity. After students have had time to complete the starter activity, tell them the schedule of activities for the rest of the day (or have it written on the board). Then you can quickly review expectations, explain consequences, and introduce any incentives or early-finisher activities you will be using. Share any other relevant information about what they should accomplish during the day, and then get students involved in the next learning activity as quickly as possible.

Trap Seven: The Physical and Verbal Force Trap

The use of physical or verbal force is absolutely inappropriate. Physical force as a behavior management tool is not only unproductive and inappropriate—in many states it is also illegal. Avoid the physical and verbal force trap by concentrating on restating the expectations in a proactive way. Then, have the student restate and demonstrate the expectation. Keep your cool, count to ten, walk to the other side of the room—do whatever it takes to keep from resorting to force.

Greet Students at the Door

The way you begin the day or class period sets the tone for students. A great way to set a positive tone for the day is to stand at the door and greet the students. Remember back to when you were a student, what kind of difference would it have made if a teacher greeted you each day? Greeting students at the door serves two purposes. First, when teachers stand in the doorway and are welcoming and inviting, it gives an immediate first impression of professionalism. This gesture lets students know in a very non-threatening way that it will not be a wasted day. Second, greeting students at the door gives you the chance to direct students to the starter activity. Students who are on task are less likely to behave inappropriately. It's important as a teacher to get students on task immediately.

Trap Three: The Questioning Trap

There are three reasons why questioning students about inappropriate behavior is usually unproductive. You want students to change the behavior, not just talk about it. One question usually leads to more questions that simply waste learning time. As you question a student about an inappropriate behavior, you are actually calling attention to and reinforcing the behavior you want to eliminate. Avoid the questioning trap by not asking students about their inappropriate behavior unless you really need the information to redirect the behavior. A better approach is to restate the expected behavior, make sure they understand the expectation, then positively reinforce the expected behavior.

Skill Three: Teach Expectations

There are two types of expectations discussed in this section. First, we will look at class expectations. Class expectations are the expectations set up at the beginning of the school year or new term. These apply to all students in all situations. Second, we will review procedural expectations. Procedural expectations only apply to the current activity. Before instruction begins, students should know exactly what is expected of them. Rather than just tell the students, both class expectations and procedural expectations should be explained, demonstrated and role played, such as through a skit. It is encouraged that teachers manage their class with expectations rather than rules. The word "rule" in school settings has acquired a negative, even coercive connotation.

Trap Five: The Despair and Pleading Trap

There will be days when nothing you do seems to work. As tempting as it may be to confide your feelings of inadequacy and frustration to the students and plead for their help in solving the problem, don't do it! Teachers often become their own worst enemies when they communicate to students that they feel incapable of managing the classroom, and often the inappropriate behavior will accelerate rather than diminish. Avoid the despair and pleading trap by having a good offense. Come to the classroom prepared with several classroom management strategies. For some classes, positive verbal reinforcement will be enough. In others, you may need to introduce tangible reinforcers such as point systems, end of the day drawings, or special awards. When you find that one strategy is not working with an individual or class, don't be afraid to try something else.

Throughout the Day

Throughout the Day Keep these tips in mind as you interact with students. When a substitute teacher uses good judgment, avoids criticism, and adapts to circumstances in a positive way, she becomes a professional role model for both the students and other teachers. Follow the lesson plan Do your best to follow the lesson plans and carry out the assigned duties left by the permanent teacher. Over 75 percent of permanent teachers report they spend at least 45 minutes preparing lesson plans and materials for substitute teachers. Having invested both time and energy into these plans, permanent teachers feel very strongly about having them carried out. Be ready for the unexpected You may enter a classroom where you are unable to locate the lesson plans or necessary materials. In this situation, prepare a starter activity and report the problem to your grade level or departmental colleagues or to the office. It could simply be that plans have been emailed to someone who is not yet aware. Be sure to act quickly, calmly, and confidently to utilize materials and ideas in your SubPack, until someone brings you the plan. If one doesn't arrive, you will still have a productive day. Work to bring out the best in each student Whatever situation or challenge you are faced with, always strive to be positive and respectful. Permanent teachers care about the students in their class. They want to see each student's strengths and weaknesses handled appropriately. Build a positive relationship with students Permanent teachers urge substitute teachers to be aware of how small things, like using a respectful tone in your voice, giving praise, and having a positive attitude, can affect students. Students resent teachers who talk down to them, make promises or threats they don't intend to keep, and are not fair in administering rewards and consequences. Treating students as individuals is important. Don't blame the whole class or punish the group for the misdeeds of a few.

Sexual Harassment

What is sexual harassment? Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature when: submission to such conduct is made, either explicitly or implicitly, a term or condition of a person's employment or a student's academic success submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as the basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individuals such conduct unreasonably interferes with an individual's work or academic performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working or learning environment. Sexual harassment can be directed at or perpetrated by you, administrators, faculty members, staff members, or students. Sexual harassment: is unwanted or unwelcome is sexual in nature or gender-based is severe, pervasive, and/or repeated has an adverse impact on the workplace or academic environment often occurs in the context of a relationship where one person has more formal power than the other (supervisor/employee, faculty/student, etc.) Who should I talk to about sexual harassment concerns? Your local principal, superintendent, or personnel/human resources office Your city or state office of Anti-Discrimination Your state office of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) The Office of Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education What Are Some Examples of Verbal, Nonverbal, And Physical Sexual Harassment? The following are behaviors that could be viewed as sexual harassment when they are unwelcome. Verbal whistling or making cat calls at someone making sexual comments about a person's clothing or body telling sexual jokes or stories referring to an adult woman or man as a hunk, doll, babe, or honey spreading rumors about a person's personal sex life repeatedly "asking out" a person who is not interested Nonverbal paying unwanted attention to someone (staring, following) making facial expressions (winking, throwing kisses, licking) making lewd gestures giving gifts of a sexual nature Physical hanging around, standing close, or brushing up against a person touching a person's clothing, hair, or body touching oneself in a sexual manner around another person hugging, kissing, patting, stroking, massaging What Should I Do if I Feel I am Being Sexually Harassed? Talk to your harasser if possible. Tell her that you find the behavior offensive. Continue going to work/classes. Document all sexual harassment incidents. Record the time, date, place, and people involved. Consider talking to others to see if they have experienced sexual harassment. Put your objection in writing, sending a copy by registered mail to the harasser and keeping a copy in your file. Say: On "this date" you did "this." It made me feel "this." I want "this" to happen next (e.g., I want "this" to stop). Report the harassment to the building administrator and district personnel/human resource director.

Trap Four: The Sarcasm Trap

When a teacher resorts to sarcasm by belittling or making fun of students, it destroys the positive classroom environment and may prompt students to lash out with inappropriate remarks of their own. The use of sarcasm suggests that teacher does not know any better way of interacting and sets the stage for similar negative interactions between students themselves. Avoid the sarcasm trap by communicating with students in a positive way. To review maintaining a high ratio of positive interactions, see Classroom Management section one.

2. Behavior is strengthened or weakened by its consequences.

When disruptive behavior becomes a pattern, it is important to take a look at what is happening immediately after the behavior. Attention from a teacher is a powerful motivator for most students. If you pay more attention to students who are behaving appropriately than to students who are not, you will be encouraging appropriate behavior. Example: Lizzy yells out the answer to a question and the teacher acknowledges her answer. The next time she wants to answer a question, Lizzy will most likely yell out the answer again. However, if Lizzy yells out the answer and the teacher ignores it and calls on Cameron who is raising his hand, Lizzy will see that she needs to raise her hand in order to get the teacher's attention.

Trap Six: The Threat Trap

When teachers resort to making threats, they are just one step beyond despair and pleading on the scale of helplessness and the majority of threats are either unreasonable or unenforceable. If you fall into this trap out of frustration, you are communicating to students that you are at a loss of what to do. Avoid the threat trap by planning ahead. The best way to avoid frustrating situations is to formulate and state both expectations and appropriate consequences in advance. Then reinforce appropriate student behavior and follow through with consequences.

Reviewing Strategies

When the lesson plan calls for you to help students review a previous lesson or prepare for a test, don't succumb to something humdrum, get creative instead! Here are a few simple ideas that can help students recall and then retain information in fun ways. SmartArt Break out the crayons, butcher paper, watercolors, etc., and have students review the chapter using only pictures—no words. Students can create poster collages, artistic murals, or even 3-D models using basic classroom supplies. If you don't see what you need in your own classroom, stop by the office to see how you can get things from the school supply room. This activity is great for imaginative thinking because they get to use their right brain to review left-brained information. Tell the class you will watch for contributions from each person, and be sure to keep groups small (two or three) so everyone gets to participate with their hands. Remind students that fun is the focus of this activity! They should avoid saying negative things about their ability to draw and just use the time to create and see the lesson material in a new way. Invent a Game Although games might seem like pure play, they are actually an excellent way to drill information. Divide students into groups of two or three, and have each group make a game to review the material you need to cover. Trivia games, memory games, and flashcard games...anything goes! Exit Slips Try this method as an easy way to take inventory of what learning happened during the class period. Instead of a secret password, students need to present an exit slip to get by you and out the door. Near the end of class, hand each student a sticky note. You can direct them to write either the most important concept they reviewed that day, one thing they learned, or one question they still have about the information.

Handle Consequential Behavior Non-Coercively

While most student behavior is inconsequential, there are inappropriate student behaviors that are of consequence and need to be addressed. Consequential behavior can be defined as behavior that is: Persistent and disruptive Destructive to the learning environment Physically or verbally abusive When responding to consequential behavior, the pattern that should be followed is to: stop the inappropriate behavior redirect the student to an appropriate behavior, which is typically back on task Non-Coercive Strategies (There are a lot of them, so we'd recommend picking three.) Talk with a Student One on One Instead of being coercive, a better way to handle consequential behavior is to stop the student behavior, and then redirect it. This should be done as privately and quietly as possible. The following are six steps for stopping and redirecting inappropriate student behavior: Say something positive to the student or class. Briefly describe the problem behavior. Describe the desired alternative behavior. Give a reason why the new behavior is more desirable. Check for understanding. Provide positive feedback. Say something positive. "Isabella, I enjoy having you in class. You have a lot of very creative ideas."Describe the problem behavior. "Just then when I asked you to stop talking to Adam and read your book, you continued to talk to him."Describe the desired behavior. "When I ask you to do something, I need you to follow my instructions immediately."Give a reason the new behavior is desirable. "If you stop talking to Adam, the class will be quieter and everyone, including you, will be able to finish the reading task more quickly."Check for understanding. "Isabella, what should you do when I give you instructions?" (Isabella says, "Do it.") If Isabella does not respond, prompt her. If she responds inappropriately, repeat the question without displaying anger.Provide positive feedback. When Isabella responds correctly, the teacher says, "Great! This time you picked up your book and started reading. Well done!" This process can take less than two minutes and becomes quite natural when you practice it regularly. At this point you might be thinking, "Well that's all right for young students, but not for the kids I work with." However, this strategy was developed at Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, and has been shown to be successful with students of all ages, including high school. The "I Understand" Method There are two words that can stop most protests from any student and let you take control of the situation. These words are "I understand." If a student says, "But that's not fair!" you can say, "I understand that is how you feel, however, these are the expectations for today." If a student says, "You're a terrible sub!" you can say, "I understand you feel that way, however, I am the teacher today and you are expected to follow my directions." If a student says, "This assignment is stupid," you can say, "I hear you, but you will need to have it completed for class tomorrow." Keep quietly and politely repeating that you understand them, but then continue to state the expectations for the activity. Reevaluate the Situation One of the first steps you should take when a student or group of students is behaving inappropriately is to reevaluate the situation. If a group of students will not stop talking, step back and see if you can figure out why they are talking. Perhaps they do not understand the assignment and need more instruction from you, or you could even restructure the assignment to allow students to work in small groups. State the Facts In some situations, stating the facts motivates students to behave appropriately. For example, if you suspect students aren't sitting in the right seats, tell them that you are writing a list, based on the seating chart, that you will leave for the permanent teacher of students who are working and on task. Acknowledge and Restate Your Expectations Some students may vocally express negative opinions, inappropriate views, and frustrations. Verbally acknowledging a student's comment validates him as a person and often diffuses an emotionally charged situation. Phrases such as "I can tell that you..." or "It is obvious that..." can be used to acknowledge what the student said without getting emotionally involved yourself. Transition words such as "however" and "nevertheless" bring the dialogue back to restating the expected behavior. Example Teacher: "I can see you are not very interested in this topic, but I need you to construct a timeline for the industrial revolution. It needs to be done by the end of class, so I'll come check on you in a minute or two to see how you're doing." Use Assertive Statements Be assertive so students don't feel they can manipulate your decisions and authority. Giving instructive statements that also assert what students need to do is a great way to show what you expect from them. "Thanks to those who have their reading books out. I will need you to read for the next 10 minutes." "Wow, I'm impressed with how many are lined up ready to go. Once everyone is in line, the line leader can then lead us down the hallway." "I'm watching for everyone to have their names on their paper so we can begin." A Note About Consequences When possible, consequences should be a natural outcome or directly related to the behavior. For example, if a student is off task and does not finish her assignment, the consequence could be that she has to continue working on her assignment while the rest of the class is participating in a fun activity. Consequences should be administered quickly and quietly without getting emotionally involved. All consequences should be reasonable, appropriate, and in accordance with district or school guidelines and policies. Students need to know, in advance, what they can expect as a result of their behavior (both positive and negative) so they can make informed choices about how to behave. In other words, you should avoid springing new consequences on students out of nowhere after the behavior has already taken place. Consequences should also be communicated to students as predetermined outcomes of behavior rather than threats. It is a good idea to discuss consequences when you are explaining expectations for the classroom or a particular activity. Therefore, you will want to go over these consequences before students start the activity. Assign consequences to an individual student rather than punishing the whole group. Punishing the entire class for the misbehavior of one student usually results in two negative outcomes. First, the student receives a lot of attention as he is singled out and recognized as the cause for the class consequences. Second, any trust you had established with the remaining students is lost because it feels unfair. Instead, correct the behavior and apply the consequences to that individual student, which will avoid giving him unneeded attention for his negative behavior.

Classroom Management Quick Review

While we are at the end of learning about the skills for managing student behavior, we encourage you to think of it as just the beginning. This is the beginning of becoming an observer and a student of managing behavior, the beginning of collecting skills that will help you promote on-task student behavior. Additionally, we encourage you to revisit these five skills and four principles intermittently through the school year. You'll likely find them even more useful. Put on your calendar a reminder every three weeks to pick up this chapter and quickly review it. Maybe even ask a neighboring teacher if you can come and observe for a few minutes. There are countless teachers and therefore countless ways these skills are implemented. Find what works for you and the students you teach. By nature, teachers are lifelong learners. Thank you for letting this course be part of your journey.

Will I be responsible for all the students on my own?

Working with Paraprofessionals One of the greatest benefits of working in a special education classroom is the amount of support generally available from experienced paraprofessionals. You can use their individual expertise about classroom procedures and specific students to make your day successful. It is important, however, that you remember that you are substituting for the teacher, not the paraprofessional. Be willing to delegate when appropriate. Here are some other tips: Define Working Relationships Early You are the teacher, which means you are responsible for ensuring that the lesson plans are carried out. Ask Questions to Clarify Your Responsibilities After reading the lesson plans, ask any questions you have about the classroom routines, students, or specific responsibilities with the paraprofessional. Define what you and the paraprofessional(s) will do in case of emergency. Do not think that asking questions or asking for help makes you appear less capable. Let the Paraprofessional Do His/Her Job The classroom paraprofessional may be willing and able to assume some degree of authority for conducting classroom activities. Some students may work better with a familiar face. Discuss roles and responsibilities with the paraprofessional before issues develop. Respect the Paraprofessional's Level of Knowledge and Expertise Be teachable. The paraprofessional knows the classroom and the students. You can value their experience without diminishing your own.

Don't Cross the Line

You are expected to behave professionally at all times during your assignment. You should avoid doing any personal business while on the job, and never use classroom technology or resources in any way other than what is specified in the lesson plans. Always . . . Your cell phone should be out of sight and on silent during classroom times. Keep all information about students confidential. Never . . . Never text or use your cellphone when students are around or when you're on duty. Never use the internet or the teacher's computer except for class business. Never use school equipment for personal purposes: This includes but is not limited to using or installing any software on district/school computers, downloading of inappropriate or obscene material, and using school resources for purposes that are not job-related. Never teach personal religious or political beliefs, philosophies and opinions or distribute religious, political or commercial materials to students. Never bring or show unauthorized movies or videos online. It is recommended to not show a video unless the permanent teacher left it as part of the lesson plan. Never, in a short-term substitute assignment, attempt to directly contact a parent or guardian. No one should visit you during your assignment, without permission from the school principal.

Special Duties and Responsibilities

Your assignment as a substitute teacher may include additional responsibilities such as hall, lunch, or bus duty. Specific instructions associated with such an assignment should be explained by the principal/secretary or outlined in the permanent teacher's lesson plans. If not, keep the following in mind: Supervisory duties involve more than just being near the students. Your job is to supervise student actions and activities to ensure a safe environment and experience. Be proactive in managing potential problem situations. Your active presence is usually enough to discourage inappropriate behavior. Be alert and attentive to what students are doing. Remain standing. Move about the area you are supervising as much as possible. Should a problem arise, intervene before the situation gets out of control, and don't hesitate to ask for help from another teacher. Never leave a group of students unsupervised.

It's the Law

Your employment as a school district employee requires you to strictly follow all policies that apply to permanent teachers. Each state and district may have their own policies, so be aware of the specifics for each assignment you accept. These kinds of violations can affect your employment status as well as have serious legal consequences. You must disclose an accurate criminal history with your application and inform the district of any changes during the time you are employed. Many states require you to have a Tuberculosis test before being hired. Possession or use of drugs and alcohol on school grounds is prohibited. Using tobacco on school grounds is also prohibited. Each state has its own policy about concealed weapons and firearms on school grounds. Many states forbid Corporal Punishment in any form. What Are You Really Teaching? As an educator, your goal is to teach—however, be careful of what students are learning from you indirectly through your example. Students will model what you say and do, so be sure to set the proper example.