Many classroom teachers feel that leaving their classroom in the hands of a substitute teacher is too much of a disruption, and they are consequently reluctant to take personal days or attend meetings and conferences.

Conversely, many substitute teachers find that classroom teachers don't leave complete instructions, enough detail, or clear directions about classroom procedures. Substitutes also don't usually see the day's lesson plans or classroom instructions until a few minutes before class — leaving them little time to preview or to prepare for contingencies.

Being a substitute teacher isn't easy under the best of circumstances, but as a classroom teacher, you can take steps to facilitate a positive experience for everyone — the substitute, the students, and yourself. First, set up a system for your students, your classroom, and the substitute. Next, create and maintain a substitute teacher instruction file where you can record all of the information that a substitute in your classroom might need. Clear lesson plans help your substitute make an easy transition into your classroom, and covering classroom expectations with your students lets them know what is expected from them.

Finally, to get the type of feedback that you need, provide your substitute teachers with a feedback form. By providing a form for them to use, you can get the feedback that you need to make changes to improve the experience for any future substitutes.

• Help your substitute teacher succeed (Article)
  Learn how to prepare your students and the classroom for success with a substitute teacher.
• Substitute teacher instructions (Template)
  Use this template to create a substitute teacher instruction file that includes information such as resource locations, administrative contacts, and classroom policies, as well as lesson plans and activities.
• Syllabus (Template)
  Use this template to create a class syllabus, which can help substitute teachers to understand your evaluation policies and overall goals.
• Classroom expectations (Template)
  Use this PowerPoint template to establish expectations for student behavior in your classroom.
• Substitute teacher feedback form (Template)
  Provide this form so that your substitute teachers can share with you how their day went and any feedback they might have.