by Ryan Gray

Created on: March 14, 2010

Regardless of what it is called, there is no substitute for spending a day or even a few hours with a group of enthusiastic young people at school.

The wishes of every absent teacher are different, and the needs of each grade level elementary, middle school, high school, and even special education classes are as diverse as the students themselves.

But when it comes to having a good time, that is something everyone involved is interested in. After all, aren't kids (and teachers) always looking for something fun to do at school?

When students see that their "regular" teacher is gone, they automatically relax. That lightens the mood of the room and makes it easy for everyone to have fun. And if the substitute does what he is supposed to do, the students can still learn at the same time.

One ingredient that helps build on this positive atmosphere is the substitute's personality. If he enters the classroom with a bright smile and big "Hello" or "Good morning," it will give students the kind of first impression they need to help them decide that they want to work with the person standing in front of them.

It doesn't happen often in elementary classes, but the older kids like to tell jokes or tease the substitute to entertain themselves and "show off" a little bit. But if the teacher teases right back, that provides entertainment for the rest of the class. Once the smiles are showing, then the lesson can begin.

An unwritten rule of being a substitute teacher is that there will be free time to fill. The lesson plans, worksheets, etc., left behind by the "regular" teacher never fill the entire class period, so there will be time left with nothing to do.

If the students have been working hard and behaving well, the substitute can really make things fun and let them have some free time to do what they would like as long as they are quiet.

Another good option for times like this is a game where the entire class is involved. That is something the students would certainly not be used to, so there is a significant chance they would enjoy it.

Simple as it may sound, something that can be extremely fun for a substitute during free time is to just talk to the students. Ask about what they are doing in school, how they feel about things coming up, what they think of current events.

Time can pass pretty quickly during discussions of this type, and it is an excellent chance for substitutes to get to know the students. Since there is little or no chance of having a similar conversation downtown or at the grocery store, the classroom offers a unique setting.

When class is in session, there are plenty of opportunities for substitutes (and their students) to have fun. But when the bell rings to send everyone home, the teacher will discover that he is not ready for the day to end.

Eventually the room will empty, however. And that's when the anxious substitute looks ahead to the next time he will have a chance to come to class.

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