Substitute Binder

I have been gradually working on a Substitute Binder since the day after our first inservice day of this year. 

My subs have always told me that I'm very organized, but I just knew I could do better. I've always left detailed lesson plans, but once, I forgot an updated roster.  Since then, I knew I would never make that same mistake.

As I planned the binder, I thought about the days when I was a substitute and how I was often left with little to no plans.  Sometimes the teachers didn't even leave me absentee slips. I wanted to be thorough with this binder and this is how I did it.

The binder is labeled as: Substitute Binder.

When you open it, to the left is an updated roster and the pocket is labeled: roster.  In that pouch the sub will also find a small stack of attendance slips. I also added something we have to do right now called a Warm Body Count.  The sub will have those slips there as well with a note explaining the purpose.

The next thing the sub will see are clear dividers in the center of the binder. The first paper is a schedule with details on my prep and teaming times.  The next divided section is labeled lesson plans.  I don't give my sub the lesson plans we have as a department. I rewrite them for her/him. 

I have a section with seating charts. 

Another section is instructions for Emergency procedures with the red, yellow, and green cards that we use during these procedures. I have also included a diagram of the school and which way the class is supposed to exit the building during a fire drill.

The last section is a pocket divider with Emergency Lesson plans and at the very back is a stack of outdated referrals but will be useful for a substitute.

I want to buy a decorative binder and will then take pictures. Right now, it's in an old black binder. 

Items in Use

Generally, you always see an organization tool's components right before its use so that you see a polished, ready-to-be used item.  You don't often see a tool while it's being used because by that time, life is busy and "who has time to take pictures of stuff"?  LOL  Grading, calling parents, meetings... you name it. Teachers are busy and stay busy no matter what the world thinks.

After school on Friday, as I was preparing for a substitute and getting my calendar ready for this month, I had my cell phone in my pocket.  I had a few seconds, so I went to my No Name sign and then my calendar and took pictures that I hope will show you what I mean.

Sorry about the glare on the calendar picture. As you can see, I have footballs up there for game days as well as volleyballs... but from this shot they just look like white balls.  ha ha  The brightly colored cards (neon pink, green, orange...) are birthday cards where the students put their names and then the months and dates of their birthdays.  On the 10th and 24th of this month, we have library days, so I cut half a sheet of **throw-away paper and wrote library. That will remind my students that checked-out books must be returned that day. 

I will also put up papers with homework due dates, assemblies, and test dates.

 

**Throw-away papers are those EXTRA papers teachers tend to accumulate based on extra worksheets (only one side copied). If I just have a couple or a few, I hate to put them back in a folder, so I cut them in half and use them to write notes and post my weekly agenda. 

 

Oh, and the bottom got busier than I thought it would this year.  I have the district's yearly calendar to the far bottom left. One of our teams has composed a creative calendar of events that's right next to it.  My bathroom pass hangs there as well as well as the library pass paper.  Underneath the NEWS letters is a weekly calendar of events created by our principal.  The monthly calendar from the cafeteria is that blue paper.  All of the other white papers to the right are football and volleyball schedules. I STILL need a soccer calendar. 

 

 

I used the NO NAME sign after the third day of school.  It has been quite effective.  As you can see, it's right above the light switch which means it's by my door.  The board is also on this wall.  As I go through our daily routine, I often walk and point to the papers and mention it to students. When no one responds, I go to my grade book and inform students with missing assignments that theirs may be up there.   You can't see in this picture, but I have written the period in which these assignments were completed, or at least that's the paper tray in which they were placed.