Sub Survival Kit - Tutorial

Two of my best friends just graduated. They are facing the facts that they will probably not have their own classroom come fall. They are both planning on subbing. For graduation, I gave them both Sub Survival Kits. I put a lot of thought and reflection into them looking back over the last 6 months at the things I had used and wished I had in the classroom with me.



Step One - Find a cute bag

You want something that is big and sturdy but not something that you don't want to get messy. Sometimes the classrooms are dirty and you never know what the students might do. This bag came from Dollar Tree. I have several of them that I use for Girl Scouts, Teaching, and carrying my laptop. They are big and strong.





Step 2 - Make a treat jar

I bought a three pack of these left over containers and decorated it with reward stickers that I already had. The containers aren't super sturdy but they will work. Again, you don't want to put too much money into them. I can't tell you how many times I've left my jar in a classroom. Luckily,all of the teachers have saved them for me but you never know.





Step 3 - Fill it with candy!

In this case I basically just took candy out of my own treat jar...But I made sure they had a selection. Whey buying candy, make sure you think about the age of the children. I try to give softer candy or safety pops to the Kindergartners. Also, think about the rules at the school, can the kids have gum? My own treat jar also has small toys, pencil sharpeners, and cap erasers.







Step 4 - Stickers

This step is pretty self explanatory. I cut up some sheets of stickers to split between them and made sure they had a good variety.









Step 5 - First Aid

Now for the basic first aid items: tissues, Hand Sanitizer, wipes and band aids







Step 6 - Note pads

I like to have several types of notepads. There's always something to write down. Behavior problems, other notes to teachers, hall passes etc. I also added safety pins.





Step 7 - Office supplies



A pencil pouch with all of the "little" items. Pencils (sharpened), pens (several different colors), erasers, paper clips, a highlighter, pencil sharpener, and a dry erase marker. Don't assume you'll be able to find these things in the classroom.



Step 8 - Whistle

This is to bring the kids in from recess.



Step - 9 - An activity book

Add an age appropriate activity book. This is great for kids who finish early. You can give them a page to work on quietly.



Step 10 - a game

For the final step I added a copy of my 6 in 1 bingo game. I featured this game a few months back as a give away. It is good for children in kindergarten through 5th and covers math skills from number recognition to division.



Would you like a copy of my bingo game???

Leave me a comment telling me what you like about my blog or how I can improve. Be sure to leave your email address and I'll send you a copy :)



I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday!



JoAnne

Behavior Management

Over the past few weeks, my subbing has picked up. Each classroom is vastly different which was surprising to me (but probably shouldn't have been) The schools are even more different. When entering a new school or classroom, I'm given the chance to see how each teacher works. Their behavior plans, their rewards/consequences, and their classroom set up. You can also tell a lot about the teachers by the way their kids act when they aren't there. Here is one thing I've observed this Winter.

One really interesting thing I have observed has been behavior plans. At one of the schools I have subbed at several times, many of the teachers us a clip board for their behavior chart. The chart has each child's name listed and columns for each day of the week. Each of the five days are separated into 5 smaller columns (Warning, Lonely Lunch, No Recess, Note home, Office). If a child misbehaves, the teacher marks in a box by the child's name. This is also coded by which rule has been broken. There are 5 school rules (be respectful, be responsible, be safe, be cooperative, be peaceful.) From what the kids have told me they earn weekly points and loose a point each time a mark is put by their name. I haven't quite figured this part of the system out since I'm normally only in their classroom one day.

What I like about this system: At the end of a crazy day, you are able to remember what the student has done, and why you are writing a note home. You are able to identify patterns. If used correctly. There aren't lots of verbal reminders and you mark by there name after the first warning.

What I don't like about the system: The students constantly ask if they have lost any points. Because the teacher is in control of clip board, the kids don't always know if she is or isn't taking points. When a student has to get up to "flip a card", "change a color" or even right their name on the board they have to, at least temporarily, stop the behavior and move across the room. With the clip board system nothing is stopping the student from continuing the behavior. Even when you tell them "I'm taking a point because you are not being peaceful when you talk during independent reading" seconds later most of the children are continuing their conversations.

By observing these behavior management systems for a few days, I am able to see what I like and don't like and I haven't committed to it in my classroom. Hopefully before I have a classroom of my own, I will be able to come up with a system that meets My students, and my needs.

So, how do you manage behavior in your classroom? Does a student's age matter(would your plan be different if you taught K5 or 5th grade)? Do you pull cards? Move names/clothespins/ spoons? Write rules? Write names? Do you manage it all yourselves or do the children take part in it? Tell us how your system works, what you like most and any problems that have occurred.

I hope you have a GREAT WEDNESDAY! I'll be subbing tomorrow and Friday so I'm sure I'll have some more inspiration by the end of the week :)

-JoAnne