Sub Tub Makeover!

I’m in the process of making over my Sub Tub, so I decided to revamp my Substitute Binder too!  I LOVE the ocean/submarine pun/theme!  I’ve added it to my TpT store, so if you’re interested, you can snag a copy or check out the preview file there.  As always, the preview includes thumbnails of each page so that you can see what’s included in the file.  I have a copy of each page in my Substitute Binder, and then I keep it in a locker crate (for now) with the Sub Tub sign on it.  I keep this on the edge of my desk with emergency plans filed in it, games, and other resources.  By far, this is my favorite classroom management tool! It helped me successfully cope with two surgeries this year without missing a beat!

 

I’ve always been a little Type A when it comes to sub plans. I typically write lengthy narratives when I know that I’ll be out of school, and I typically spend HOURS doing it. Many times, I feel that I type up the same routines over and over and over again while thinking, “There has to be a more efficient way”.  I’ve also had days where I wake up and I feel like I’m about to keel over at any moment and I get hit with that feeling– that dreaded oh-no-I-am-so-not-ready-for-a-sub-today belly flop.  So, in the past, I have dragged myself into work after a thirty-minute drive to organize my desk for a sub while the room spun around me and I miserably sunk into a chair. Those days are now gone!  Phew!

 

Let’s just say that this transformation, in my case, was a little stressful, and let’s just say that 2010 was a bit of a challenge for me. I underwent two knee surgeries over the course of the year (several months apart). Last May, I wrote out my typical pre-sub narratives, and it was fine. Of course, I was able to schedule my surgery for a Friday,  and we happened to have the following Monday off. I was back by Tuesday, and it was relatively painless– the planning, at least. I didn’t fare so well in October. After switching surgeons (because the first surgeon apparently wasn’t able to locate my torn meniscus), I was only able to schedule my surgery on a Monday.  If I hadn’t been walking around with torn cartilage for five months, I would have scheduled my surgery for another week, but the soonest they could get me in was the week of Halloween. (Just thinking of it now makes me cringe!) To make a
long story short, knowing that I could be out anywhere from three to five days made the gears start turning, and the Sub Tub was born.

I created a template to fill in.  The nice thing is, I now will only have to write it out once a year (if that) rather than every time I’m going to be out.  I created a few pages of photographs that explained where things were located around the room as well. In the back, I photocopied frequently used documents, their computer usernames and passwords, and other practical documents that they may or may not need during my absence.

I also added a few documents to supplement other sections of the binder. I included emergency plans that can be used at any time in case of a major emergency.  I put one copy of each document in page protectors, then I ran off 24 copies of each document and organized them into color-coded file folders.

I keep the Substitute Teacher Kit on the edge of my desk. It’s empty in this photograph but has been filled with books, resources, and the aforementioned emergency plans folders… just in case I wake up feeling like I’m going to keel at any point. I keep this filing system next to it for “Papers to Grade”.  I labeled each folder with the days of the week, and it was also a life-saver when I was out for a week. I came back, and everything was already organized.   Another perk is if you’re uber-organized and detailed– your substitute tends to repay the favor with a detailed account of their day(s) with the kiddos! Everything is spelled out in detail in my substitute binder, and luckily, I don’t
have to freak out if I’m going to be out.  More often than not, when I’m out a half-day for Literacy PD, a post-it note or two does the trick.  For somebody that used to spend HOURS freaking out before a substitute, even for a half-day release, this is a wonderful insurance policy!