“What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say.”
This quote is attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson, the great writer and philosopher. I am of the opinion that every teacher, whether substitute or permanent, should have this quote plastered on their bathroom mirrors: it’s that important. Any parent can also testify that the physical example you set for children is infinitely more significant than the words that exit your lips. It just doesn’t fly when I tell my kids to eat their healthy oatmeal breakfast while I’m polishing off some ice cream cake. (Trust me, I’ve tried.)
Teaching is no different. Repeating/demanding/yelling something fifty times will have less effect than if we are seen doing the desired action. You need your students to silent read? Let them see you do it. Are their voices out of control? Model the correct volume. Do they need to speak to you politely? Show them how.
Ron Clark, a veteran teacher, wrote a book several years ago for educators called, “The Essential 55.” In it he talks about his 55 important rules he would teach his students each year. There are etiquette rules, field-trip rules, classroom rules, and rules for life. This book’s intention is to illustrate how some expectations need to be directly taught; we cannot assume that students come in knowing some of the rules. In thinking about my beginning quote, however, I realized that there is no way Mr. Clark (or any other teacher) can get a lesson across to students without backing it with action. I’ve picked out a few of his rules that I believe are particularly applicable to substitute teachers (only four of the 55 rules…you’re welcome). Skim these over and assess yourself. Do you practice what you preach?
Rule 18: Be as organized as possible. I’m sure you have experienced mornings where the alarm doesn’t go off (or you’re a serial snooze-pusher like myself), and you’re rushed out the door. Your hair is disheveled, you got lost trying to find your school, and you forgot yourSubPack. Not a great start to the day. It’s likely that your students will sense your chaos as well. If you’re honest with yourself, you can’t expect any more out of them than the hectic example you have set. If, however, they can sense that you have arrived on time, prepared, and are somewhat in understanding of what the lesson plan is, they will pick up on that as well. Evaluate the organizational vibe you are emitting.
Rule 25: Greet visitors and make them feel welcome. Permanent teachers feel a certain amount of possessiveness over their classrooms. They have arranged the furniture, décor, and even the scent to suit their personalities. It’s basically a home away from home in which most teachers take pride. Since you are acting as the permanent teacher on the day you substitute, you should feel that same pride. It’s your home for the day (even if you didn’t pick out the window treatments). Permanent teachers often greet their students at the door, either with a handshake or eye contact, and substitutes should do the same. This simple gesture initiates the positive contacts that you’ll have throughout the day. Make students feel welcome in your temporary home.
Rule 33: When meeting new people, shake hands and repeat their names. I’ve heard so many people say, “I’m just not good with names.” All I hear when they say that is, “I don’t care enough about you to remember your name.” Students may feel the same way if you don’t make an effort to get to know them, at least on this surface level. Just imagine how much more positively a child will respond to, “Julie, can you come be my helper,” rather than, “Um…you…in the purple…want to be my helper?” No one wants to be a shirt or a hair color. This proves to be difficult in middle and high school, but at least attempt to learn their names. They will recognize the effort you are making and perhaps exert some effort in return.
Rule 52: Learn from your mistakes and move on. I love the story that Ron Clark tells in this section of “The Essential 55.” During his first year of teaching, Mr. Clark set up a partition where he would have students stand if they were misbehaving. One day he had unruly student, asked him to stand behind the partition, and continued on with his lesson. After all the students had taken their buses home, Mr. Clark returned to his classroom to correct papers. When he heard a “BOOM”, he was startled…but not as startled as the student who had fallen asleep against the partition and slept through his bus ride home. Oops! Even this award winning teacher readily admits his mistakes. If you goof up in front of the class, be honest about it and move on. Model for your students what it’s like to get stuck on a problem, work on it, and progress.
What you put into your day in the classroom is what you will get out of it. Although supporting your teaching with behavior is undeniably more difficult than flapping your gums about it, it is more effective. So save yourself a few precious breaths and show them how it’s done.