First Day Substitute Teaching

I wish I found this site before I started substitute teaching. Yesterday, I was called in to substitute a 2nd grade classroom. I arrived 15min. before class started and found there were no lesson plans. The teacher that called me in to substitute teach quickly wrote down a list of lessons to review with the students. Then, when the students arrived, the teacher stayed with me until the end of morning exercises. After she left, I had no control over the classroom. I tried using the verbal cues and signs the teacher taught me to quiet the students but nothing worked. The noise level grew out of control and another teacher had to quiet the students. When it was time to go to the bathroom, music, lunch and etc., I had no idea where to go. I couldn't even get the boys and girls to form a straight line to quietly walk down the hall. Now, after that experience, I realize I should have been more prepared. I am creating my own substitute teaching kit complete with lesson plans, disciplinary forms and hall passes. I also realize I need to work on my voice level because I am soft-spoken. I probably will not receive another opportunity to substitute teach in the same school but I hope to be better prepared for the next school.

Be prepared but realize that every class is not like that class those students acted out only because the teacher stayed in the class room longer than neccessary and they wanted to prove a point. Stop being soft spoken and start taking names, depending on age sit the unruly student in a corner for time out, and if possible seperate the talkers.