What are some of your best/worst substitute teaching exp.?

Question

What grade did this happen in?
How do you control a classroom when your subbing to make it a good exp.?

Answer 1

Lots of best experiences.... they all happened teaching 3rd graders (old enough not to cry every 8 minutes, young enough to still be nice to each other)

3 Worst experiences.... having to send someone to the office. The last time was a case where I was teaching 4th graders that moved from classroom to classroom. They walked into my class, and one boy picked up a chair and started swinging at the other boy screaming, "I'm going to kill you". Luckily their regular teacher who is 5' nothing and skinny as a rail was sick that day and neither that chair nor the 4th grade boy was a match for my 6'6" 300lb mass. Scared the devil out of everyone in the class including myself. The boy ended up coming to me after his suspension and apologized sincerely.

Normally though I always try to get on the good side of the class. Subs by and large feel they need to be 'meaner' then the average teacher and therefore get less respect.... and less done, then the average teacher. If I am successful, it will happen in the first 2 hours. After the first 2 hours, the rest of the day just amplifies those first 2. First impressions are a big thing.

Also I don't go into a classroom trying to be a know it all. I do make sure they know that their teacher does things one way and I do things a different way and while they may point out the difference, it will be my decision which way we will do it. (learned that one the hard way.... the kids WILL point out differences in every little detail, give in and you lost it, be hard line and you lost it, consider what they are used to and if you can live with it.... then great)

My favorite "get into line" phrase is to mistakenly call them not very well behaved for (2 grades earlier) . Telling them they are not well behaved for 5th graders, when they are 5th graders is like giving them a pat on the back..... but calling a 5th grader a 3rd grader is a major insult. Do it innocently, they will correct you and you can respond, "are you sure.... but your acting like.... how many 5th graders do we actually have in this class..... good now start acting like it" (I used to do that in the army too, nothing like calling a bunch of sergeants, recruits to get thier attention)

Finally use the office....

Every case that I have ever subbed, it was the office that hired me and its the office that I report to. Therefore though "our teacher usually gives out three warnings then makes you flip a piece of paper over, and then dance like a chicken, before sending someone to the office", when times of trouble come it is, "well your principal and I are really good friends, and I think you need to go talk to her now, and make sure to tell her how much grief you have been giving me".

Been subbing for 6 years now, sent 3 people to the office, but not once did I ever give out 3 warnings, flip over a piece of paper and then make them dance like a chicken.

Answer 2

LOL, I just asked a subbing question before I saw yours. I only had 3 classes so it's pretty hard to say. Amazing how no matter how well-prepared the teacher leaves you, there's always one question the student asks that you can't answer!