Substitute Teaching Tips
Submitted by Donna (07-11-2012)
Here are a couple of Substitute Teaching Tips I used when I was subbing K-3 grades...
*Always go through the rules and make it very clear as to what you expect from the day.
*Always have a 'DEAR - Drop Everything and Read Session after lunch to quiet things down.
*A lot of the time I took in one of my favourite books and revolved the day's activities around that. This gave the day a real focus and the children loved it. We would draw pictures about the book, make up our own similar book, find words and sounds withing the book and more.
*It is also good to allow some 'free time' towards the end of the day if you feel comfortable with this - this is a good 'reward' for the day.
Here are some more....
*children write their names and decorate their name tag for the day.
*acrostic poems with children's names.
*label objects around the room - children draw and label their house.
*Make paper chains with spelling words, sight words.
*free writing
*Recipe book - take in a children's recipe book - children make up and write their own recipe.
*'I am Clever' concept book
*Make a worksheet for your partner.
*copy out poems / songs / rhymes in their most beautiful handwriting.
*read and draw off the board.
*talk and draw partner work - each child draws a picture then explains their picture to their partner so that they can draw the picture.
*cut letters out of magazines, newspapers, to make up spelling words.
*origami
*play number tag - call out a number - children make groups
*fingerprint characters - make up funny characters from childrens fingerprints
*play charades
*memory game
*chinese whispers
Hope this helps - please send in more....

What others are saying...
A great interactive social skills activity is a KIT shield - K=kind, I=important and T=true.
This is something I learned from a wonderful woman in Brisbane who was keen to teach young children the importance of non-violent behaviour.
Each child writes and decorates their name on an A4 sheet of coloured paper and leaves it on their desk.
Then everyone in the class writes something on it that is kind, important and or true about that child. Always run through the guidelines of what is acceptable to write, and how one might feel if something mean is written. If a child can not think of something nice to write about another, tell them to miss that shield and not write anything.
Don't forget to have chdn complete one for the teacher you are replacing. Probably best not to contribute as you do not know the children well enough to make legitimate comments.
Then display shields around room, or chdn keep to re-read when feeling a little low.
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