Online resources offer wealth of information for substitute teachers
Teachers love sharing good ideas with each other, and one of the places they share them most is online. Substitute teachers looking for advice, games, worksheets, or other classroom activities can find plenty of helpful information on websites devoted to teaching.
A good place to start is Edustaff’s website, where we have a series of videos addressing many important facets of substitute teaching. From classroom management skills to handling emergencies, our SubTalk® video library gives helpful advice on dozens of topics.
There are also many other sites online dedicated to helping substitute teachers find warmup activities, games, or ideas for science and math experiments. Here are a few of our favorite sites:
We Are Teachers is a website supported by 3 million educators who share ideas, resources, and stories. Their 55 Tips, Tricks, and Ideas for Substitute Teachers was written by someone in the know about substitute teaching. From tips on making DIY fidget spinners to dressing for unpredictable classroom temperatures, the site has an abundance of ideas for new subs.
The SubStation site offers a collection of articles from the Education World archive all geared toward substitute teaching. It offers critical thinking activities for students and “quick-tivities” substitutes can use for awkward chunks of time during the day. Activities are listed by grade level as well as subject matter.
This site has lots of great ideas for “sponge activities” – little games or activities that can soak up small bits of time during the day in between lessons or just before the last bell of the day.
For a library of worksheets geared to different topics and grade levels, Education.com has thousands of worksheets available for pre-K through eighth grade classrooms. Many are free, but some require a membership.
For insight into why students behave the way they do, these classroom management tips by a pair of Nevada professors go beyond quick tips to dig deeper into why students might misbehave for a substitute teacher. They also offer strategies that can prevent misbehavior or stop it as soon as it starts.
Overtime, you will develop your own strategies and favorite activities to get the students engaged. Exploring the many resources available online will give you lots of ideas for things to try as you get started.
