Substitute teachers have super powers! Being a substitute teacher is a lot of work, but the pay offs are amazing. I am new to being a substitute teacher, but I am not new to teaching. Being prepared is the number 1 attribute for being a wonderful substitute teacher. It’s all about how ready you are mentally and what tricks you have in the bag.
What is a substitute bag?
I never thought of a sub bag being so important, but it is! Think of it like this – you don’t have a classroom. Everyday you’re in a different room that has various supplies that you may or may not be able to find immediately.
With a sub bag, you can carry your very own personal classroom with you. My daughter was thoughtful enough to buy me a nice big bag for Christmas. It has many pockets for various supplies. You can get this bag for under $50 and it’ll hold everything you could need.
What do I need in the sub bag?
Believe it or not, you might want to keep a fully stocked bag. Think of it as having a baby, but you need it in the classroom. You can keep personal belongings that are important to you such as a brush, mirror etc. But you also need essentials for the classroom. Here is a list of what I carry, but every bag is unique. These are my suggestions! If you have any thing to add, please let me know!
- Clipboard – A clipboard can be invaluable when teaching. You can keep notes on it throughout the day, hold seating charts, attendance and reminders for yourself throughout the day.
- Pencils – We all know that students often forget or lose their pencils. I know my daughter often didn’t have any because she would lend them out to others. So, instead of being upset that they don’t have one, just thoughtfully hand them one. A kind gesture can go a long way.
- Three ring binder – A binder helps you with your important papers, teacher ideas, extra worksheets, jokes and any plans that you might need. It keeps your papers organized and ready.
- Tissues for you and a student if you cannot find any.
- Tape and glue
- Scissors – One day I was teaching, and a student needed scissors so I was able to help them out by having my own.
- Loose leaf paper – Paper is especially important when you don’t know where it is. Always keep a pack handy and ready.
- Mini stapler – A mini stapler is easy to carry and ready to use whenever the situation arises.
- Stickers, joke books, erasers etc.
- Book holder – A book holder is important when you’re a teacher with a disability especially. It’ll hold your papers and books so you can comfortably read without worry.
