Dub it a Sub Hub!

Students have yet to arrive and you are frantically getting your class ready, putting up posters, rearranging desks for the uptenth time, organizing your desk and hopefully even lesson planning!  In the midst of getting ready for students, do not forget your sub hub.

Here is what you will need:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE SUB HUB TEMPLATE

1. A Sub Hub OR Sub Stache to house it all in one location such as a basket, tub, portable filing box, stacking trays  or any other means you find suitable.  I use a portable filing container like the one here. I like this because not only can I hang folders in it but it is big enough to include resources such as DVDs or other bulky resources that do not fit in folders.  When I know I'm going to be gone I place the sub hub on the center of my desk.  There is no way a sub can miss it this way especially with it being clearly labeled SUB HUB or SUB STACHE! Want to print these templates? Simply click on the image and it will take you to the templates.







CLICK HERE FOR FREE SUB STACHE TEMPLATE



2. A Classroom Brochure to feature procedures and best practices for your room.  I know there are some handy sub folders you can purchase out there, but here is why I create a brochure.  First of all a picture says a thousand words, I embed pictures in the brochure to show where to find things (such as hall passes, office passes and so on). Sure the sub can read about it, but I'd rather my sub spend more time reading my lesson plan than searching paragraphs on how to find something.  This leads me to the second reason I use a brochure format, brevity...it is concise and to the point.  I make mine a tri-fold. Below is an image of the brochure in order, but you can click HERE to access my Connect to Subs tab for the free template to edit for your own use.


3. A Lesson Plan in triplicate.
• Leave one plan in your sub hub/stache, the other with a colleague and one with your department chair.  If you do not have a colleague "sub buddy" you need to get one (if not two).  All too often do lesson plans get lost in the shuffle of papers.  Even more likely a need for a full day sub only gets filled by a half day sub to then be tag teamed by a hall monitor or another sub and suddenly the lesson plans are gone.  If a colleague has an extra copy then student learning can continue.
4. An Emergency Lesson Plan.
• In the unfortunate event of an emergency the last thing you want to do is make a sub plan. Your sub hub/stache needs to house an emergency lesson plan that can be implemented without any further doing on your part.  I even suggest a couple days worth of emergency plans as some times when it rains it pours.  Knowing you already have a lesson plan in place during an emergency will free your mind of one less worry in a time of crisis.

Dub it what you like!  The names are fun, but most definitely not the point of this post. Students recognize when you take the time to care for them even in your absence.  A solid plan in place and informing a sub of student needs and procedures will help minimize student sub conflicts thus making you, your sub and most importantly your students feeling at ease until you return.

For a lesson on your first day of school click here to build student teacher relationships!