4 Reasons Your Sub Plans are Taking Way Too Long

Raise your hand if you’re a teacher that has had to prepare for a substitute teacher on the fly. I like to believe we’re superheroes that are capable of living on improvisation and coffee alone! Being sick or having to deal with a family emergency should be your only focus when you have to call out unexpectedly. Say goodbye to the hectic rush of getting sub plans on your desk and ready to go. 

There are four reasons that your sub plans are taking too long and causing you stress. I had to learn to push past these by a lot of trial and error. The good news is that these four mistakes can easily be changed with careful and efficient planning! 

Say goodbye to sneaking into your classroom before the sun is up with a nasty cold, wearing your comfy black leggings, and sporting a messy bun.

As we teachers buckle in for another school year, we can create sub plans that leave minimal stress for you and your sub. Here are the four mistakes to avoid when making your sub plans.

Mistake #1 Not Having a Sub Plans Template Ready to Go

Don’t wait until you need a sub to have a sub plan on hand! A sub plan template is the best tool you can have in an unexpected situation.

Trust me when I say that a template is going to transform your life! Imagine with me for a moment that you need to take a sick day and all you have to do to prepare your substitute teacher is edit an existing template in Google Docs. No rising-sun-messy-bun moments. That would be amazing, right?

Having a template for subs ready to go in Google Docs won’t just save you time, but will create a smooth transition for your substitute teacher and students. A great template will include a list of students, important notes section, behavior plans, allergies, schedule changes, etc. 

Pro Teacher Tip: Have no-prep worksheets copied and ready to go. I always keep Number Searches in a sub pile because they super fun and easy! You can grab a free sample of Number Searches here.

Mistake #2- Templates Should be in Google Docs for Easy Edits

An efficient sub plan template isn’t so great if you can’t edit it easily.

Storing your template in Google Docs allows you to:

• Make edits directly from your phone, tablet, desktop, or laptop.
• Collaborate with your team. Multiple people can review and edit the document.
• Store several templates for different days of the week, seasonal plans, etc.

OneDrive is an alternative to Google Doc. that would also work for a team collaborative experience. If teams have access to your doc then they can make changes in an emergency situation.

You want your template to be two pages max! Don’t labor over 20+ pages that may not be read or implemented by the substitute teacher.

Pro Teacher Tip: Print sub plans on bright neon paper to help subs keep track of your plans.

Mistake #3- Thinking You Don’t Need to Adapt Your Template

Templates need to be made for every day of the week. Every. Single. Day.

Your students have a daily schedule like generalized morning and afternoon routines. However, those rotating specials or rotating interventions need to be taken into consideration if your sub plan is supposed to cover several days. Thankfully, templates can be changed with a simple copy and paste.

My 20 Minute Sub Plan Template offers several options for daily templates (i.e. Monday schedule, Tuesday schedule, Day 1, Day 2, etc.).

Mistake #4- Being Too Detailed with your Sub Plans

You do not need 20-page sub plans.

It’s hard to not write every detail, but your kids know their routine and can help the substitute teacher stay on track (or pretty close!).

Give subs something that is easy to follow with concrete instructions.

Throw in tips for some extra help, but there’s no need to provide a play-by-play. Providing subs with printed activities and key points are enough to get your classroom through the day. 

Subs normally won’t teach new content so don’t focus your energy on having unrealistic expectations. 

What you can do to set your substitute teachers for success is having enough activities in your sub plan in the event that unexpected free time pops up. 

Quick Recap

The fast track to peace and reassurance while you’re out of the classroom is creating sub plans that work for you and not against you. 

Substitute teachers only need a sub plan that is about 2-3 pages long. A great template will include the class list, behavior log, important notes, and specific schedule changes for each day.

Follow these tips from the four reasons your sub plans are taking way too long and you’ll be off to a great start this school year. The unexpected happens, but prepping your sub shouldn’t bring you unnecessary anxiety. 

Here’s to a happy school year with stress-free systems in place!

Take a sneak peek at my 20 Minute Sub Plan Template here. 

Have a sec? I’d love for you to share your funny sub story. We all have one (or a dozen!).