Secrets of a Substitute- Teacher Notes

In this post I want to focus on the note to the teacher that you leave at the end of the day after substituting. Now having been on both sides of writing sub notes and leaving sub notes, I have some ideas on do's and don'ts!

Note to the Teacher Don'ts

• don't write a novel of a note, they were just out of work they have things that they need to do- keep it short 
• don't tell minor disruptions (if you would consider it tattling for a kid to tell you, don't tell the teacher), only report problems that they NEED to know about
• don't just say everything went great- give details!
• don't not leave a note! A LOT can happen in a day, the teacher needs to know how it went! 

Note to the Teacher Do's

• tell the teacher if a lesson or activity did not get finished
• if a student of the class overall did not understand something you taught 
• **tell about wonderfully behaved students** - brings a huge smile to teacher's faces to get positive notes about children!
• if papers from the office were given to you and sent home 
• where you put finished stacks of papers or activities if not in plain sight 
• information about specific students shows you took personal individual care/ attention to their students
• write in an easy to follow format, not too many arrows or notes all over something- write on a separate paper from the lesson plans to leave clear feedback
• if you are leaving a report that students were misbehaving, be specific don't just leave their names as bad or the teacher will not know how to follow up with discipline the next day 

Many times the teacher has never met you and their only impression of you is the note that you leave and the condition that you leave their desk/ classroom. It is REALLY appreciated to leave the classroom in the same condition that you found it. Be respectful of entering someone else's second home :) 

Becky