The Do's and Don'ts of Subbing: Part Two

• DON'T pack lunches that require a microwave. You're time to catch up, review the lesson plan for the day, and set up supplies for the rest of the day will be when you're students are at their special and at lunch. You do not want to be finding your way to the faculty lounge to heat up food and then make your way back to your classroom. That can easily kill half of your precious lunch period. I bought myself an insulated lunch bag and ice packs. I was able to keep my lunch with my in the classroom all day without having to find a fridge to put it in. 

• DO dress in layers. Room temperatures vary from building to building, even room to room. You don't want to be freezing or sweating. Have a universal cardigan or sweater you can bring with you. 
• DO pack a mini first aid kit. I make sure to have the following with me in my bag:

              -  band aids
              -  tums
              -  ibuprofen
              -  feminine essentials
              -  hand sanitizer and lotion
              -  cough drops/throat lozenges

 You just NEVER know what situation will arise. You want to make every day in a new place as comfortable as possible. Remember: do not give your students any medicine you may have. Send them to the nurse for that. You can give them band aids. This will help stop the constant flow of nurse goers. When you're a little kid, band aids fix everything, right?

• DO stay healthy. Get flu shots, take your vitamins, whatever you need to do to stay healthy during flu season. Teachers will be calling out left and right. They will be sick and/or their children will be sick. You need to be on your a-game ready to work. Substitute teachers get paid by the day, if you don't work, you don't get paid. You do not want to miss job opportunities because you were sick. 

• DON'T yell. You will have classes that put you on the edge of a breakdown. The calmer you stay the better. Nothing will get a classes' attention more than silence. If you stand in front of the class and refuse to go on until you get quiet, you will get the quiet you demand. Children will tune you out the louder you become.