Procedures: For the Teacher

Substitute Teacher Handbook

A substitute teacher handbook equips the substitute teacher with all the necessary
information to be successful. The handbook also prepares a substitute to take on the
teaching responsibilities for the class in the teachers absence, so learning continues in
a business-as-usual manner for students.
Important things to include in the handbook.
1. Welcome letter Write a welcome letter thanking the substitute teacher for covering the
class in your absence. Emphasize that student must follow detailed procedures, daily
routines, and rules, and students know they
must follow the information even when no one
is monitoring the classroom.
2. Student roster and seating chart If you use
and electronic record book, you can easily
print student lists. These rosters list the names
of students with the option for marking
students as present, absent, or tardy.
Seating charts that show where students sit in
class are helpful for attendance and class
management purposes.
Include information on what the substitute is to
do with the roster once attendance has been taken.
3. Information about students List any necessary background information on the
students.
a. Student gets picked up by a particular person.
b. Student goes to speech class and at what time.
c. Students have ADHD or ADD.
d. Students have behavior issues.
e. Students have learning disabilities and need help in certain areas.
f. Students who need to be monitored a little closer than other for any reason.
4. Daily schedule Briefly list what the daily schedule is for each day. Include when the
class goes to specials, and recess, lunch, and dismissal time.
5. Lesson Plans Leave a copy of the weekly lesson plans in the handbook. The substitute
teacher can refer to them if you are unable to send a copy before the start of the day.
If the lesson involved handouts, have the handouts copied and ready to be distributed. If
work is to be collected, inform the substitute teacher where papers are to be kept.
A general lesson plan that describes skills to work on and activities to do is helpful in
case there is any spare time during the day or if more detailed lesson plans are
unavailable. Include a reading assignment or learning activity for students who finish
assignments early.
Tell the substitute teacher where teaching materials and manuals are located in the
classroom.
6. Classroom procedures Keep a copy of the classroom procedures in the binder. This
can be the same information given to the students at the beginning of the school year. A
substitute teacher can study the procedures and understand how the class is typically
run. Knowing the established procedure for things like sharpening a pencil, using the
bathroom, or what to do with unfinished work helps maintain consistency while you are
away.

Include emergency procedures for fire drills and lockdown in this section. Include the exit
route maps the teacher is to follow during an emergency, as well as the meeting point for
students. If the school has coded emergency drills, include an explanation of these
codes.
7. Classroom rules List the classroom rules, along with any consequences and rewards
used with the class. Encourage the substitute to enforce the rules in your absence.
8. Referral slips Many schools have preprinted forms for referring students to the office.
Let the substitute teacher know what to do in the event a student becomes defiant,
angry, or disrespectful and needs to be referred to the office. Include referral slips in the
binder pocket.
Also include forms for sending ill students to the school nurse. Include these forms with
explicit instruction detailing the procedure for their use.
9. Contact information Leave your contact information for the substitute teacher in case
there are any questions. Include contact information of a colleague at the same grade
level, and how to reach the school secretary or front office, as well as the custodian.
10. Blank paper for notes and comments Leave some pages of blank paper in the binder,
with a memo to the substitute requesting that a note be left behind on how the day went
and what you can do to the make the next experience a more positive one.
11. Classroom review After an absence, review the substitute teachers notes and
compliment students appropriately for their outstanding efforts during your absence.
Work on areas of difficulty indicated by the substitute teacher. If necessary, hold
individual private meetings with students who performed poorly.

A Teacher Aide
A teacher aide enables you to have more time for lesson planning and teaching. When
you plan and prepare for the teacher aide to work in the classroom, everyone benefits.
A teacher aide brings expertise and a desire to help in the classroom. Determine the skill of your
aide and make the most of it.
1. Keep a teacher aide notebook This notebook provides the aide with necessary
information and can be revised as needed throughout the year. Include:
a. Overall responsibilities and expectations for supervising and working with
students individually or in groups.
b. Marks used to score papers, how to compute percentages for letter grades, and
how to use a rubric.
c. Computation of the percentage grade to match up with the letter grade noted on
papers.
d. Take attendance, make copies, and maintain the classroom.
e. Classroom schedules, procedures, and rules.
In addition, this notebook can be used as a communication journal. Encourage the aide
to write about curriculum taught, encounters with students and assistance needed to
help students at the end of each school day. Leave comments and suggestions for the
aide to read before beginning work with students the next day.
2. Hold regular meetings Meet periodically with the teacher aide so that a good working
relationship can be formed. Set up specific dates and times for these meetings.
3. Be considerate Working closely with students is rewarding, but it can also be
physically tiring and emotionally draining for an aide. Be considerate of the tasks the
aide is asked to perform. Vary the tasks when possible and thank the aide for the work
done to help the classroom run smoothly.

Parent Volunteer
Having procedures in place will help parent
volunteers better understand their roles as
volunteers in the classroom. The procedures in
place will help guide their contributions to the
class while allowing the teacher to employ their
time and expertise effectively.
Let parents know you welcome them in the
classroom. Provide various opportunities for parents
to volunteer. Offer multiple time slots to better fit the
working parent. Invite the adults in a childs life to be
a part of their education process.
1. Create a job list Create a list of classroom
tasks with which parent volunteers can
help. At Back to school Night or Open
House, distribute a copy of this list to each
parent. Ask parents to sign up to help with
any of the areas on the list. Some parents
may choose to be more behind the scene with making copies, gathering supplies, or
organizing the classroom library, while other parents may want to be directly involved
with helping students on a project. Provide a variety of tasks.
Post the list on the class website so parents are able to see where their help is needed.
2. Survey parents Not all parents will attend Back to- School night or Open House.
Create a survey for all parents to complete and return, asking about their areas of
expertise and if they might be willing to serve as volunteers in the classroom. Sending
this survey home with each student will increase the classroom volunteer base.
3. Make a schedule After parents have returned the survey and signed up for specific
jobs, create a parent volunteer schedule and include:
a. dates
b. times
c. specific tasks
d. detailed job descriptions
Send this schedule home with the student to give their parents. Post the schedule to the
class website. Call the parents to thank them and invite them to attend the parent
volunteer orientation meeting.
4. Schedule a parent volunteer orientation meeting At this meeting, discuss in detail:
a. parents role as volunteers
b. classroom procedure and rules
c. school dress code
d. when and how to praise students
Parents need to understand their primary purpose in the classroom is to enhance
learning for students and assist with daily tasks. Teach them what they need to know to
become an outstanding parent volunteer. Let parents know their help is appreciated
and they are welcome in the classroom.
5. Make a To-Do list Based on responses to the job list and the parent survey, make a
specific To-Do list for each parent-volunteer.
Prioritize the list, so the most urgent tasks get accomplished first. Include specific times
and periods for the work to be completed.

If several parent-volunteers are scheduled to come in on the same day, let them know
the times when you would appreciate their help and assign tasks to specific parents
accordingly.
6. Schedule an appreciation event If the school
participates in a schoolwide parent volunteer
program, present certificates of appreciation
during the event.
Ask friends to write thank you letters for
volunteers. A framed picture of the class is
holding up a thank you sign is also a nice token
of appreciation for volunteers. The appreciation
does not have to be costly. It truly is the thought
that counts in making volunteers feel
appreciated.

Home and School Connection

By providing different ways for parents to keep abreast of classroom assignments,
activities, and information about their child, a teacher encourages parents to
communicate and offer support. The more the home is connected to the classroom, the
more positive the relationship becomes, the greater the chances are for your success
and every students success.
Before the start of school, decide which communication tools will be most appropriate for the
class and parents. In the first welcoming letter, you sent to students and parents, include
information about these forms of communication. Parents will feel more confident and
comfortable about the school year ahead knowing you have tools in place for keeping them
informed about their childs school life.
1. A weekly newsletter is sent home with students at the end of the week. The newsletter is
a one-page, easy-to-read synopsis of the week that includes:
a. Material that will be covered the following week in each subject areas
b. Important upcoming dates
c. Quick reminders of things parents need to know.
The newsletter can be a hard copy that is hand-delivered to the home or an electronic
copy emailed directly to parents. The parents know to look for this newsletter at the end
of every week.

2. Class Website Create a simple class website where

students and parents can find updated information at
any time that includes any of this information:
a. homework assignments
b. upcoming events
c. test dates
d. useful links related to the material the class is
studying
e. weekly spelling words
Parents can easily check the website and get updates
from any location at any time.
Update the website at the end of each week with new
information. The class website address should be
posted on each students weekly assignment sheet, in
all parent letters, and at the bottom of emails as part of
your electronic signature.
Make your website simple for you to set up and maintain throughout the year and easy
for parents to access and read.
3. Email Most parents have emails access at home, work, or on some personal electronic
device. Use this option to communicate with parents quickly. Give parents your email
address as early ad possible and invite them to email you at any time with a question,
concern, or comment. As with all written correspondence between parents, be sure to
save all emails sent to and from parents until the end of the school year by setting up a
folder.
4. Voicemail Encourage parents to leave a voicemail for you without disrupting teaching
time. Parents who do not have access to email, or who feel more comfortable speaking
to you, will find this communication option useful.
Check your voicemail at the end of each day and return calls promptly.
5. Weekly Reports At the end of the week, a weekly report is emailed to parents or sent
home for students with missing homework or classwork assignments, or who have had
other issues during the week. A parent must acknowledge receipt of the email or sign the
hard copy of the report and return it on Monday morning. This report should have space
allocated for you to write comments and for parents to respond. These weekly reports
keep parents up to date with their childs progress, as well as many missing assignments
the child needs to complete.

Technology in the Classroom

Helping students understand their responsibilities when using technology will ensure
students stay safe while navigating the unlimited information available online.
Technology opens new doors to learning for students and teachers.
Adapt steps to suit the type of technology used in your classroom and how you want the
technology to be used for learning.
1. Develop an Online Safety Pledge Students need to be instructed in what you and the
school consider safe in connection with the use of computers and other technology in
the classroom. Assume nothing and plan for everything when allowing students to
browse the Internet.

Prepare an Online Safety Pledge that you, the student, and a parent must sign before
the student is allowed to use technology in the classroom. Keep the pledge on file and
remind students of the pledge before starting a project that requires online research.
2. Prepare a Parent Waiver Prepare a Parent Waiver that outlines the technology
students will be using in the classroom. Be sure to state that you, the school, and the
district do not accept any responsibility for harm caused either directly or indirectly to
users of the Internet. Require a parent signature before the student goes online.
3. Help students understand their responsibilities Talk to students about the privilege of
using technology in the classroom. Remind students that privilege comes with
responsibility. Let students know they are trusted, but also, tell them that their usage will
be monitored.
If your trust in them is violated, let them know there is a possible loss of this privilege or
something greater, depending on the extent of the
abuse. Students should understand that abuse of
this privilege will not be tolerated.
Remind students of their responsibilities each
time they use technology in the classroom.
4. Monitor student use of technology - Most schools
that have technology for student use have filters
in place to block questionable websites. No filter,
however, can replace your watchful eye. Walk
around and closely monitor student browsing
activity.
Clearly define what constitutes appropriate
browsing, language, and content. Be very specific
and ask for questions. Tell students that if they
have to ask if something is appropriate or not, it
probably is not. Assign students to the same
computer throughout the year. Any problems
can be traced back to the user. Frequently remind
students of their responsibilities and reinforce the
consequences. Do not tolerate inappropriate use
of technology in the classroom.