Top tips to make sub plans easier
Being sick is terrible… but being a sick teacher and having to write sub plans at 5:00AM is the worst. We’re bringing you some of our top tips to help make writing sub plans easier when you’re sick.
Sub Plan Tip #1 : Leave multi-day projects
Leave a project that students can work on over multiple days.
KEY: If you are out multiple days you don’t have to come up with multiple different plans!
When returning to school you have a low-energy lesson plan you can rely on.
Leave clear instructions in a folder or upload them to your LMS in advance.
Sub-Plan Tip #2: Have a sub-plan binder.
A Sub Binder will help you keep all the materials, instructions and important information that a sub would need to know for the day to go smoothly. By having it organized all in one place you won’t be worried about typing all of the information out in your sub plans early in the morning. If you have emergency plans ready and printed in the binder you’ll get back to bed sooner. You just need to let your sub buddy know where your binder is and that the plans will be in the binder.
Click this link to DOWNLOAD OUR FREE SUB PLAN BINDER!
Freebie includes:
A customizable sub-plan template of basic info and instructions.
Customizable templates for schedules, rosters, seating charts, emergency procedures, classroom routines, important phone numbers, and more.
An activity tab for each class. Have worksheets already copied so in an emergency all a sub has to do is hand them out.
Pro-tip - save paper! Put extra copies of puzzles, word searches, and other independent activities in your sub-binder for early finishers or emergencies.
Sub Plan Tip #3: Show a Movie!
Check out our post on using movies as input and get a FREE DOWNLOAD of a graphic organizer we use in class.
It feels like a break for the kids
Lasts a few days and gives you a low intensity day when you return
But the movie doesn’t have to completely derail your curriculum.
⭐️ Use the movie as input!
⭐️ Have students look for information and vocabulary related to your curriculum.
Pro tip: have generic graphic organizers that can be used with any movie printed and ready for a sub. ⭐️ Use student notes to write a comprehensible summary as a class about the movie. This can help you stretch the movie a few days while you recover and make it feel more academic.
Sub Plan Tip #4: Reading and more reading
Check out our post on using texts as sub plans to save your sanity and get a FREE DOWNLOAD of a lesson you can use tomorrow (in French & Spanish).
Reading is another great source of input to support language acquisition and texts are easy to prepare in advance.
Leave a text and activities that students can do independently.
⭐️ Language acquisition starts with reading
⭐️ Reading is not busy work
⭐️ Perfect way to review high-frequency structures and vocabulary in context
⭐️ Copy texts and activities in advance - no early morning work required!
⭐️ Use the text for low-prep review activities for when you return (Reader’s Theater, Lucky Reading Game, Flipped Running Dictation)
Bonus! Tip #5: Don’t feel guilty
DO NOT feel guilty about needing to take a sick day to rest and recover.
DO NOT feel guilty for taking a mental health day.
You are a person first and are allowed to take care of yourself. I feel like a better teacher when I am feeling my best (physically and mentally) and it sets a good example for my students when I take care of myself.
Check out these other posts to prepare for the inevitable sick day!
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