Sick Happens: The Ultimate Guide to Prepping a Sub Binder!
We’ve all had those mornings that just didn’t go our way. You know the mornings I’m talking about… the ones where you’ve just woken up running a fever, your child woke up throwing up, or you get a flat tire on the way to work.
Panic sets in. You know you’re about to make THE CALL to school, but you have NOTHING prepared. This wasn’t in your plans! Most teachers I know would rather drag themselves out of bed with their bodies screaming “NOOOO” and struggle through the day than have to make sub plans.
Why does it feel like education is one of the only careers where it actually takes more work to take a day off than it does to just show up to work sick? (That’s a systemic issue to be explored for another time. I digress…)
As educators, we are great at struggling through and faking it til we make it, but sometimes it's better for you and your students to just give in, make that call, and get a sub so you can rest and recover or be the caregiver for someone who needs to rest and recover
Let’s face it, there’s going to be a day (or two or three) when you need to be out of school and leave your classes in the hands of a substitute teacher, and we all know prepping for a sub can be more stressful and difficult than just being at work.
It’s no secret that some subs are fantastic and will go above and beyond to follow exactly what you leave in your plans. We also know that some subs are nothing more than a warm body. Since our control in these situations is limited, let’s focus on what we can control…making a substitute’s job as manageable as possible. Creating a strong sub binder is a great way to calm your own stress and panic, support the substitute in your classroom, and make the transition more calm and manageable for your students.
Meet Your New Best Friend…The Sub Binder
A well organized substitute binder becomes your best ally on a day you have to be absent!
The key to a great sub binder is having it put together BEFORE you need it! Future you will thank current you for taking the time to get everything organized. At most, a great sub binder probably takes about an hour or two to prepare. Think of that time as an investment in your sanity when your next day off rolls around!
Here’s why I recommend using an actual three ring binder over a folder:
It can be used year after year (with a few revisions). I highly recommend that you place the information in page protectors and organize them with tabs that would help a substitute navigate the contents quickly.
It needs to be a binder that is clearly labeled and huge! Small folders get lost, thrown away, or accidentally taken home by subs.
If you wake up sick, you will be able to send an email with a description of exactly where the binder is. You won’t be writing a long email with a ton of directions at 3 a.m. that someone may or may not read before the start of the school day.
What Should I Include in My Sub Binder?
1. Basic Classroom Routine and Procedures Information
Every classroom operates differently, and what may seem like common sense to you might be completely unfamiliar to a substitute. Be sure to include all of the following in your substitute binder:
Daily Bell Schedule (and any alternative bell schedules that may exist for special events)
Contact Information for office, sub coordinator, nurse, team lead/department head, teacher next door, and/or assistant principal
Lunch Schedule
Hall/Bathroom Monitoring responsibilities
Explanation of Class Policies-bathroom, cell phones, tardies, dismissal, digital hall pass system (if applicable),etc.
Explanation of Daily Class Routine-think bellringers, technology usage, procedures when finished with work, where to turn things in, supplies that can be used if needed, etc.
Procedures for drills or actual emergencies
Computer Login Information (guest login over personal passwords if applicable)
Random Information subs might need- this could include how to turn on projector, how to start a video, etc.
2. Student Rosters and Relevant Information
To be able to effectively manage your classroom during your absence, your substitute teacher needs to be in the know with basic information about your students.
For relevant student information be sure to include:
Class rosters
Copies of seating charts (if applicable)
List of students who have accommodations, health plans, behavior plans, or students who may need additional support
Our students who need additional support often have the most difficult time transitioning when their teacher is absent. It helps your sub if they have a basic list of their needs. Don’t leave copies of your IEPS, 504s, behavior plans, health plans, etc. Instead, I like to leave a simple chart for each class with the information/ accommodations summarized. You can also star these students that have/need extra supports on the copies of the seating chart!
If you have any students with serious health needs or behavior needs, I always loop in the teacher next door and give him or her a copy of the charts too so they can assist if there is a crisis when I am out!
Pro tip: Leave a list of two students from each class who are trustworthy and can answer sub questions- I designate these students ahead of time, list them on one page for all classes in the binder, and let the students know their role so they are prepared when you’re out. I’ve found if a sub asks an entire class a question, it tends to turn into chaos with tons of varying (and not always truthful ha) answers.
3. An Emergency Lesson Plan (or Two)
The key to a successful absence? Your students have to have something MEANINGFUL to do!
It’s unrealistic to expect most substitute teachers to be able to teach a full lesson, but you still want your students to expand on student knowledge while you are out. I like to use activities that reinforce skills/concepts that have already been taught or activities that get them doing independent research and/or creating a product!
Bonus points if you go ahead and make enough copies of the activity for all of your classes, store them somewhere easy to locate, and put a note where to find them in your sub binder. Is the activity something that you can drop into your LMS system? Even better!
If you need a no prep, ready to go sub plan, check out my Emergency Sub Plan Choice Board. I love this one because it has so many engaging activity choices for students, and you can expand and use it over multiple days if you need to!
Final Thoughts
In my experience, a sub binder was always on my to-do list, but it never got around to being “to done.”
That was until one Fall Break when I got bit by a brown recluse ON MY FACE, spent the next 3 weeks in and out of the hospital, and I missed about a month of school total. Complete nightmare scenario. Ever written sub plans from a hospital bed while your flesh is rotting off your face & you’re on alllllll the pain meds? 0/10. Do. Not. Recommend. Wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. The next semester I created a master sub binder, and I never went without one in the classroom again!
A well-prepared substitute binder is an investment in your students’ success and YOUR peace of mind. By taking the time to create a comprehensive binder, you’re ensuring that your classroom remains a positive and productive learning environment, even when you’re not there.
So, what’s your action step for this week after reading this?
Set aside one hour (a power hour as I like to call it) to build out as much of your substitute binder as you can. Once you get going, you will probably find that most of these documents were easy to copy and place in the binder without much thought.
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