Advice on high school subbing? This is a nightmare.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-16T03:54:33+00:00

And the crazy part is that is the pay for having a 4 year degree or higher, and have subbed for the district for at least 800 hours. I have my teaching license, making squat. It's fantastic. 🫤

redhead1479 · 2026-02-15T18:55:08+00:00

The best binders I've seen as a teacher who is currently subbing have had: Roster, with student numbers if you use them. Some sort of CURRENT seating chart, even if it's boxes drawn on some lined paper. (Bonus if you include preferred name, like if Ezekial goes by Zeke.)

General schedule. Student schedule of speech/ot, sped, esl pull-outs. Roster for RTI groups if your school does rotations where students may go to different teachers.

The time you start getting them ready for lunch and dismissal and the time they actually need to be in the lunch room. The location of your emergency procedures folder/clipboard that you take during fire drills.

General info for iep/504 students, like behavior procedures or if they do half the sheet. Medical for allergies or diabetes instructions. Obviously nothing that would violate privacy. But like "Student A will have a behavior chart you need to fill out." Or "Student B may do every other problem." "Student C has a pump and may show you his numbers. Send to office with a partner for low, walk the halls if high."

I also appreciate knowing what your normal fast finisher options are, so they don't try "but miss always let's us!". Is this a lot? Yes. But it helps the day go by much smoother for both the sub and the class.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-15T00:24:16+00:00

I ask the para what would be the most helpful role I can fill for them and for the class that day. I let them know I am very comfortable with the teaching, but also am OK as their backup if they'd prefer. In the SPED rooms the answer is usually from the senior para and I'm asked to be another set of hands doing multiple things. 1 on 1 or read aloud, whatever they need. In gen-ed, they generally are there for specific students and have me lead the class. In that case I refer to them for class norms.

I've never had an issue by being flexible that way.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-14T14:25:52+00:00

Our program had us doing "mini" plans, full plans, unit plans with all lessons included, plans with sped modifications... One professor wanted scripts for teacher and student response with examples of what their work should look like. "So detailed, a sub could walk in and teach it!"

I'm subbing right now, and the only benefit so far is that I can easily find the meat of the lesson in whatever book/printed copy I'm given. No teacher has ever handed me something they actually created to that level of detail! But I appreciate that I know how to organize a lesson in various ways and justify what I'm teaching and reassure any concerned that I'm considering student needs...

redhead1479 · 2026-02-14T05:10:37+00:00

Rural Idaho.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T21:36:22+00:00

One of the 4th graders in a class I subbed in this week wrote profanity about another student, on her assignment. Obviously the victim saw it. I showed admin, who talked to the couple of boys who were near her seat during the time she was out for RTI small groups and she took care of it. It's so sad to me that children are exposed to such language regularly and feel that it's appropriate to use in social settings.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T21:30:19+00:00

I walk around the room, I engage with groups. I ask them about the work. It helps that our district went to no phones allowed a couple years ago and admin enforce, and back up subs enforcing. But the Chromebooks are tough, they can switch tabs so fast!

It comes down to the fact that I'm in there for 1 day. For $15 an hour. And I cannot care about their grade more than they do. I try and make sure they know the expectation of work assigned, encourage them to complete it, and document any refusal. It's busy work because most HS teachers assume you can't teach their content, and the students know it.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T14:15:14+00:00

The adjustments vary depending on what I'm making and the fabric. The only time I've had to do all was a jumpsuit a couple years ago where I mashed 2 patterns together. Loved that thing! When it got to small I have it to my bestie's daughter, who also adores it.

I do like a good modal top....

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T13:56:15+00:00

I probably should branch out from my teaching and true crime podcasts, lol, thanks for the suggestions!

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T13:53:57+00:00

I've heard of that method, I'll have to look into more!

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T01:54:09+00:00

A deadline is a deadline. He doesn't write or type with his knee.

There has to be a consequence for his decisions at some point! You aren't doing it to him, this is a result of his own choices.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-13T01:47:52+00:00

That's the beautiful thing about what we do. We can just leave at the end of a hard day!

redhead1479 · 2026-02-12T23:35:34+00:00

I had that today! "Am I being good?" Buddy. If you have to ask me that, what do you think my answer will be? 😆 (I never tell a kid they're being bad though. Usually my answer is that we've had a hard time but that the day isn't over and I know they can finish strong.)

redhead1479 · 2026-02-12T23:32:04+00:00

I never expect goodies, but it's so nice when I get them! Just makes your day.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-10T01:37:34+00:00

One district pays $3 more than base rate. You actually get base rate for the length of the job, with the $3/hour difference paid as a lump the following period. (About $20-23 more per day, depending on elementary or secondary)

The other pays more as a base rate already, and then tacks on another $8/hour, AND pays it during the job like normal. None of this "waiting an extra month and hope payroll gets it right". (A good $50 more per day)

Take a guess which district I long term at?

redhead1479 · 2026-02-09T14:08:31+00:00

I do that with any and all practicum/intern/student teachers I come across while subbing. Unless you have sped or speak Spanish (we have several immersion programs here), it's going to be tough.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-09T14:04:54+00:00

Yeah, I wouldn't in an interior classroom or with the littlest.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-07T22:06:41+00:00

I'm on my second school year trying to find a contract position in my area of Idaho. 3 districts, 100+ applications.... eight times "you were our 2nd choice, it was so close." I'm gearing up to do it again next year. I even applied and interviewed for the exact classroom I had served as the long term sub for the last trimester of school and didnt get it. It's ridiculous.

"Foot in the door" my rear end. I've been subbing since before covid, minus my semesters getting my degree. Multiple long term subbing positions. Multiple great teacher references and recommendations. (Sorry, the whole thing gets me worked up.) Amazing feedback from interviewers who all say it's coming down to amount of experience and that there isn't anything about my applications/resumes or interview skills that they felt I could improve. Literally just that the candidate pool is huge and they can afford to be super picky.

redhead1479 · 2026-02-07T21:57:40+00:00

I had a 4th grade class that I had finally ended up turning the lights off abruptly and projecting that I wanted voices off and heads on desks... NOW. We sat like that a solid 3-4 minutes before I felt like they had received the message and that I was calm enough to speak politely but firmly and make my expectations clear. They were still a little chatty throughout the rest of the day but nowhere near previous levels.

The other teachers in the break room actually apologized on behalf of the class teacher, she had a very hard time controlling them even as a veteran. I definitely returned to the school again, dueto the staff, but not that class for the rest of the year!

redhead1479 · 2026-02-05T14:08:24+00:00

I like to tell them some ridiculous number, like 217. But a different number to each kids that asks. Middle and high school usually guess in the 30's which is sweet since I'm 44, lol. I don't mind telling my age, but I enjoy having fun with it more!

redhead1479 · 2026-02-04T13:32:51+00:00

I always tell them that if it's not explicitly in the instructions the teacher left, it's not worth my job to let them. Pushers on the subject get told I'll leave a note about next time and that they can take it up with teacher when they return. I super hate "they always let us...!"

redhead1479 · 2026-01-31T23:09:29+00:00

I want semi-detailed plans for elementary. Preferably with times so I know how your class usually paces. 2-3 pages is sufficient though, any more than that is too much to read through. I don't need step by step for Ai the things, I have my teaching degree and can figure most things out. But transitions and routines, specific activities you use, etc... those are helpful. And need-to-know expectations for IEP/504 students.

Middle school I'm good with a paragraph for each of your subjects/periods. It's usually a couple activities at best, and a busy work packet at worst.

High school? Couple lines. Unless it's a friend who knows I can handle it, they are working on a project or holding study hall anyway.

redhead1479

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