Maybe you can relate– sub planning in the 11th hour when you realize you need a sub. It’s the worst trying to come up with plans for your class while dealing with an illness of your own or taking care of a sick child. What if you could save yourself some of the stress. Enter the FREE Sub Plans for Business Teachers. Simply download and print to prepare your emergency sub folder.
What to Include in Your Emergency Sub Folder
- Roster
- Class Schedule
- Basic Sub Instructions
- Printed Assignment (you can grab the versatile, company research project here)
When the semester starts, print a copy of your rosters and class schedule and place them in a labeled folder on your desk. If you don’t have a pre-printed copy of your schedule, use the page included in the FREE Sub Plans for Business Teachers download to record the course title, class times, and any special notes such as specific students that can help if needed or breaks in the period such as lunchtime. If you have a designated seating chart that may also be helpful to place in the folder.
Print class sets of the activity or project you would like to leave for your students. While I absolutely LOVE digital materials, print can come in handy. With print a substitute teacher can see if students are doing the work and you can be sure that students can’t blame your LMS for not being able to do the assignment. In an emergency situation its nice not to have to worry about if the assignment has been published correctly or if students can find the work.
Leave the folder on your desk or in an easy-to-find location so if you need to be out, you can text your teacher bestie and have them pull out the materials for the substitute.
Other Tips
•Don’t leave overly complicated materials for a sub. Straightforward activities or projects usually work best.
•Lower your expectations. You have a rapport with your students and without you there, some students may not perform to the best of their ability.
•Choose the easiest grading option. There is nothing worse than coming back from a sub day to a huge stack of grading. Do what works best for your class– don’t give a grade, give a completion grade, or use a grading rubric. For the Company Research Project (included in FREE download), I recommend having students start the class period you return with their elevator pitch in place of giving a grade. This holds students accountable for their work while avoiding the massive stack of grading.
Recommended Sub Projects
- Workplace Skills: Organization
- Franchise Scavenger Hunt & Research Activity
- Consumer Protection Agencies Project
Business Girl Education 