As a substitute I always struggle with class management. I hop from one class in one school to another. One teaching style and class management style to another. Not only do I not know which style the teacher uses, but how do I implement it as a substitute.

It’s not just hard, but nearly impossible. I think I can speak for the majority of subs when I say that we try our best and have to put in a bit of our own style to get through the day. I was hoping, as his talk got under way that we would learn something about how to handle class management while subbing. My friend actually asked for specifics, but he didn’t respond (although I’m not sure why, exactly).

When I got this opportunity to do a long-term subbing job I became excited that I would be able to use the knowledge (and books I purchased) in this new classroom. After all, to me, long-term implied 2-3 weeks at the least. Last I heard I’ll be there for just one week.

However, that’s better than one day and it’s a brand new classroom, meaning there has to be some sort of management going on. Rules should be set so that kids have something to work with and when the teacher arrives it is not chaos. With that in mind, I’m going to start at least one idea that Mr. Morris showed us.

Basically it gives kids different sign language signs to use when raising their hands.

One of my biggest pet peeves in the classroom is when kids call out. I’m all for kids talking and having conversations, but when it’s MY turn to do what I have to do I don’t want them yelling at me. So I’m hoping these signs do the trick. I’m printing them out and going to put them up on Monday morning. It will take time for the kids to learn these strategies, but hopefully the teacher who is taking the class for the rest of the year will like it and keep it going.

I want to start a clip chart (behavior) but I don’t know that I will have enough time to really do so. Monday I have class at 7pm and I would rather not stay from 2:30-7 at work, but I am thinking I might have to, in order to prepare for the rest of the week. Although I was told that I shouldn’t be there past 4:30pm (it’s a rough neighborhood). If I’m going to have something for behavior for the week, though, it should be ready on Monday morning. However, I wasn’t given the names of the students because it wasn’t on the computer.

Decisions!