Substitutes in the Classroom

On Thursday, my dog will see the neurologist at UC Davis. The appointment is for 10 in the morning, which will require that I call in for a sub. Last Monday when I was out, about twelve of my students were absolutely horrid to the substitute. Simply put, my students know better and they also know that there will be consequences when I get back.

My classroom is set up on the premise that we absolutely must treat everybody with dignity and respect. At the beginning of the school year, we discuss how a guest is treated when they visit our home. The kids will often state that they use their best manners, are polite, and respectful. I ask them what would happen if they were rude to a guest or treated them disrespectfully. They often tell me that their parents would be very upset with them and they would expect some type of punishment.

I then tell them that when there is a substitute in our classroom, they are to treat the sub the way they would treat a guest in their home. I tell them that if they are disrespectful, then just like at home, they will get in to trouble when I get back. Usually that's a couple of days of lunch detention or for those who continue to act up, perhaps a few days of campus clean-up. Too often, however, their parents are not aware of this acting up when a sub is in the classroom.

So, last week, I developed a letter for my students to write to their parents/guardians. This letter covers the fact that they misbehaved for the sub and acted in a way that they would not have acted had I been in the classroom. The letter wraps up by them stating that they did not treat the sub with dignity and respect, which is the way they want others' to treat them. Students are then required to have the letter signed and returned the next day. (There are consequences if they do not return the letter with a parents signature.)

I was very pleasantly surprised with the comments parents wrote on some of the letters. More than a few thanked me for letting them know about their child's misbehavior. Students too often think that when there is a sub in the room, this is an open invitation to throw all self-control out of the window.

Edited to add: I am attaching the letter that I used in my classroom. Modify to your needs. I will not be in class tomorrow, so I spent a lot of time today reminding my students of my expectations and the consequence if they don't do their part!