Last updated on November 15th, 2023 at 03:43 am
Psst! If you’re a teacher looking for advice on how to handle your class after a negative substitute report, this article may be helpful to you.
Student behavior is arguably one of the most challenging aspects of substitute teaching. I’ve been at subbing and regular classroom teaching for nearing a decade now, and there are still plenty of days I feel totally wallopped by the misbehaviors. Just like in classroom teaching, I needed a system of consequences, but with its own spin for subbing.
Why I prepare both positive and negative student consequences
Our education system has been chugging along on the so-called positive behavior train for quite some time now, and us teachers have been forced to be its riders.
It’s not all bad, but certain programs and practices are found wanting.
To clarify, I find it a requirement of my teaching practice to be respectful and pleasant, adding in bits of humor and fun at the occasional fitting moment. I aim to be clear and fair. As much as possible, I learn the students’ names. This firm-yet-friendly manner serves me well in the classroom, and sometimes that’s all it takes it facilitate a safe and orderly day.
Sometimes I’m in rooms where I need to use positive behavior management tools, like the system set up by the teacher or, in a pinch, my own reward methods. And still there are situations where sometimes I find it necessary to give students consequences for their negative behavior.
As a teacher, I had many resources at my disposal to help me cultivate relationships with my students that more effectively guided their behavior. It was important to me that I lay foundations and create systems in my classroom that set students up for success, behaviorally and academically. I spent those first few months each year with a focus on building our classroom community, working together, and postively interacting. We had daily morning meetings, open communication with families, and countless rapport-building moments in the classroom.
Substitute teachers don’t have these advantages of relationships, trust, or time. So we often need to utilize more external systems of behavior management in order to do our job.
Continue with the classroom teacher’s existing system if possible
The easiest and best-fitting method for guiding student behavior is to use the existing models. This works best if: 1. The system is clearly explained and understood by you, the substitute and 2. The system is well-understood by the students and runs well in the classroom.
I’ve been in lower grade classrooms (think Kindergarten or 1st grade) where the teacher uses a clip chart. This long poster features blocks of different colors. Each student has his or her name written on a clothespin and attached to a corresponding color block based on behavior. With an increase in good behavior, the teacher can move their names up the chart (often called “clipping up”) or down the chart with instances of negative behavior. Sometimes the student colors are recorded at the end of the day in notebooks or planner books to be sent home.
I’ve continued this system with success. It allows for both positive and negative consequences (clipping up or down).
But I’ve also been in rooms where one or two students melt down over this chart. The chart becomes a huge distraction or mountain of trouble. In such cases, I’ve relaxed the clip movements for these specific students or just ditched the chart system completely. Use existing tools if they’re working, but feel free to change course if they’re not.
Extreme behaviors: When to have a student removed from the room
Before I launch into my tips about consequences for elementary vs. secondary students, I’ll address an issue that can happen at any age.
From Pre-K all the way to 12th grade and beyond, if a student is acting physically unsafe, please call for reinforcement, and removal of the student if necessary.
If it’s truly an issue of safety, don’t worry about how it makes you look as a teacher. Your foremost goal should be the group’s well-being. And honestly, if you have to make that hard call, it doesn’t look like a sub that’s “lost control,” it looks like a sub that knows what to do in these situations.
Have a phone extension number ready before the kids come to class, if possible. When you’re studying the day’s lesson plans, check the staff extension list for admin or behavior specialist numbers and either copy them on a handy sticky note or highlight them on the list. That way, if a behavior has escalated to a dire point, you can call for help quickly.
This is a tough situation to be in, and I don’t wish it on any of my readers or their students. From someone who’s been there– it’s always better to call for help than not.
Depending on the situation, some other behaviors that admin should be informed of include: threats, possession of illicit items, and vandalism.
Elementary student consequences for negative, non-emergent behavior
Whole group consequences
Students love to chat, joke, sing, and pretty much anything else they can perform with their voices. This is great for recess, not for work time. If the whole class is getting too loud or rowdy, here are some things I have done:
You can flick the lights off for a few moments (for attention-getting and dramatic effect!) and remind students of the expectations. Be firm, authoritative, clear. Most likely they had chances to do the work, to collaborate. But after repeated reminders, they kept playing and escalating. I would institute an appropriate amount of Level 0, or Silent Time. Older students can do this longer than younger students. Perhaps you can tell scholars they can earn back the ability to confer with each other if they successfully complete this reset.
2. Loss of privilege
I believe students need to earn privileges like extra recess, free time, games, etc. I usually build extra privileges into the day as part of my reward system. The thing about these extra rewards is they can be taken away if necessary.
Taking away a class’ normal, scheduled recess time as a consequence may draw criticism. I wouldn’t recommend touching that. (Also, for your and their sanity, the kids need a break!)
But if you have the whole class working on earning five minutes of extra recess, and the whole class definitely has not earned that– I see no trouble with taking those extra minutes off the table.
Individual elementary student consequences
Punishing or withholding an earned reward from a whole class for the behavior of a few students doesn’t end well. The students will lose trust in you and your ability to enforce the rules. And it’s not fair to the kids who are doing what they’re supposed to. Here are my go-to consequences for individuals:
1. Teacher report
Elementary kiddos can still be motivated by a report to their classroom teacher. (I wouldn’t try this with high schoolers, for instance.)
This motivation works both for positive and negative behaviors. I tell students I want to write a good note about them.
If a student is struggling with a behavior in particular, I will remind that student of the expectations. I will let them know the point at which I will be detailing their misbehavior in my teacher report. You can tell the student that if he must be reminded to keep his hands to himself a third time for example, you will be letting his teacher know.
If the misbehavior has reached the point of this consequence, either in severity or quantity, stay away from the general “Sally was horrible today” and get specific. That way, the teacher can give appropriate consequences upon their return.
2. Loss of privilege
Let’s say the class has been working hard to earn ten minutes of free time at the end of the day, but one or two students completely disregarded the expectations and kept misbehaving after numerous reminders.
It should be clear to the misbehaving student that this will be the consequence. Cut down on melt down possibilities by eliminating surprises– remind him or her during the time in which you’re evaluating behavior that if they continue to _____, the consequence will be not earning the privilege with the rest of the group.
In the case of free time or group games, the misbehaving student can be directed to sit at a table in the room while the others enjoy the privilege. They can sit quietly and reflect or maybe you have some worksheets for them to do.
Again, when taking this from certain individuals who didn’t earn it, make sure it’s an extra privilege you have built into the day, not something like the already-scheduled recess time.
3. Change of location
Sometimes students need a break from their table group or particularly overstimulating environment.
If a student is repeatedly misbehaving during work time, I will give two reminders and a warning about the consequence. By a third infraction, I will ask the student to move to a separate table to sit alone and be able to better focus.
This break away from distracting groups can be anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the age of the student. I often will have the student sit at the “teacher table” and see if I can assist him or her on the assignment. I find that sometimes the misbehavior was a cry for help, the result of not having any idea how to do the work or ask for help.
Secondary student consequences
Whole group consequences
There’s not much in the way of whole group consequences that I would try with middle or high school students. Loss of a privilege, like games and free time may work.
I find the general strategy here is the firm reminder. Bark if you want. I don’t have the vocal heft to be a yelling teacher. But if the group as a whole is getting too loud, repeatedly, I’ll remind them they need to keep the volume down in the most authoritative decibel I can muster.
Individual consequences
Systems that include referrals, detentions and ISS (in-school suspension) only work with subs if the substitute has enough information to use them.
I was subbing in a high school classroom recently where I had no lesson plans, no paperwork, and not an ounce of information to guide me. I wasn’t going to be threatening to hand out referrals if I couldn’t.
But if you have the means, these consequences can be used.
The only remaining tools, if you’re rendered powerless like I was, are to remind students of consequences that could be given by the teacher. You could potentially include reports of student behavior in your substitute note. Secondary students tend to care more about grades, so if it’s a case of not completing work, though you can’t necessarily dock someone’s grade over it, you could tell the teacher about it and hope they do something.
I know that sounds like pretty weak options. If high school is your jam, pick one or two schools to get familiar with. Then you will better learn the consequences available to you and over time, garner more support.
Leading each classroom with fairness
Giving rewards doesn’t mean you have to be throwing around candy and prizes like a fervent game show host. On the other side, doling out consequences doesn’t have to mean taking the callous posture of a dictator.
Consequences can be given with politeness, with meaning. Not off-the-cuff or unbalanced, but fairly and after giving clear reminders first.
I like to have my stash of reward and consequence ideas every time I step foot in a new classroom. It’s up to me, the substitute to keep this class going for the day, to encourage the students in their learning, collaboration and skills. To maintain a safe and orderly room so they can smoothly continue their educational pursuit when their teacher returns. It’s a difficult task some days, and it stretches my abilities on most. But I feel much better and able to lead confidently with these strategies in my pocket.
Substitutes– is there anything I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments!
