Sub•sume def. -to consider or include as part of a bigger picture.

Sub⋅ver⋅sive

“Tending to subvert or advocating subversion, esp. in an attempt to overthrow or cause the destruction of an established or legally constituted [authority] …traitorous, treacherous, seditious, destructive.” – dictionary.com

While this definition might sound “heavy”, if we were all honest and the truth were known, I’m certain that some of us could come up with more colorful words to describe mischievous behavior in the classroom while just trying to survive another day as a sub.  And though it might be hard to believe, I might have been (on more than one occasion) one of those rebels who probably caused more than his share of panic attacks to unsuspecting teachers (and no doubt, a few subsJ).

We all know how such people-intensive roles require so much emotional energy –particularly if we’re unfamiliar with surroundings, students and expectations.  But the next time you’re tempted to just acquiesce to a classroom coups d'état, try doing what I sometimes do to help me focus on advancing a lesson plan.  Quickly look for students who are behaving (usually the majority) and begin to praise/affirm them out loud.  Sometimes this doesn’t work for a host of reasons – perhaps the subversives are too far gone in their takeover or the actions are just too serious to ignore.  But most of the time, if you can detect an uprising early, by concentrating on students who are doing well – it can often provide a great utility to redirect the trouble students – not to mention help reinforce the value of positive affirmation.

Sub•sys•tem

When putting together your supply or resource pack --think "light". I have a secondary resource layout in the trunk of my car that serves as a good secondary stock or subsystem Here are some items in my “subsystem” resource: Small oscillating fan (I’m in AZ, where temps are 110+), extra video connection cables, double and triple A batteries, tissues, hand sanitizer, assortment of screws and bolts (I have fixed at least a dozen teacher’s chairs over the past two years), DVD player, quickstudy™ laminents (can be obtained on almost any academic subject www.quickstudy.com ).

Sub·sist·ence

-noun  The providing of sustenance or support -a means of supporting a living or livelihood.

Sub·struc·ture Go Put Your Strengths To Work - Marcus Buckingham

Sub•sist (verb) To remain or continue

Sub•par (adj) Not measuring up to traditional standards of performance

Sub•fus•cous

adj slightly dark, dusky, or somber, unclear.  When a sub arrives in a classroom to serve students for the day he or she doesn’t need “easy”.  We don't need a “movie” or plans typed on stationary. Plans need not be written in complete sentences (perish the thought!). Correct grammar or spelling is optional.   We don’t need “simple” or clean (I do appreciate that one).  We arrive ready to work, but what we need above all else from a teacher we’re subbing for is CLARITY.  Be clear.  What do you want students to know? What do you want them to do?  How do you want them to do it?  Period.  

Sub•ter•ra•ne•ous

adj. existing, situated, or operating below the surface of the earth; hidden or secret underground.  I’ve witnessed some crazy behavior in the 5+ years I’ve subbed (3yrs inner city, 10yrs ago & past 2 yrs in AZ). As in most vocations, some activities go undetected beneath the surface of what can be seen which may directly or indirectly impact a substitute teacher.  Though the ethics of such “off-radar” practices may be questioned,  the actual legal threshold may not necessarily be breached.  Here are just a few of my firsthand brushes with the “strange-but-true” in the world of subbing:  

Nanny state surveillance –you may be secretly recorded via electronic devices. Over the past year I’ve had at least three sub assignments (that I’m certain of ….possibly more), at three different schools where the teacher I was subbing for primed a few students to secretly video tape/record me with their cell phones as clandestine, in-class moles. While this eerily resembles a real “nanny state”, it may just be the bizarre technological reality in the era of the millennial student.  What I find most troublesome about this practice is how students are manipulated by teachers to deal in the realm of deception and then they wonder why students may embrace the ubiquitous practice of cheating.  See related story: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/02/19/pa-school-laptops-used-spy-students-home/

Cyber stalking –if you use a social network (i.e. facebook, twitter, etc.) you might assume a reasonable expectation of privacy that may not really exist and can easily be compromised.  I’m aware a few public school administrators who actively gathered internet “reconnaissance” on subs.  Be very careful of not only how you set filters on websites you use, but be sure to exercise prudence on what you disclose about yourself on those sites.  

Lest the power of suggestion lead you down a dark path of paranoia, let me encourage you to  stick with it.  Don't look (or worry) about something that "might" impact you as a sub -none of us can afford the luxury of expending such valuable energy.  Just be aware that your duties as a sub may be more closely monitored than you  may realize.  

Sub·stance (noun) substantial or solid character or quality

Sub⋅lin⋅gual

adj -situated under the tongue, or on the underside of the tongue. With the gravitas of timeless wisdom, an ancient proverb offers "The Teacher" a rubric for life: “Where words are many, sin is not absent, but the person who holds their tongue is wise”. The student of master-teaching soon discovers that the best teachers teach by everything they do and are careful to use words only when necessary. Sociological research consistently reveals that approximately 85% of communication is nonverbal.

Unfortunately there are teachers (and more than a few subs) who equate education with excessive verbiage (my propensity ....in case you couldn't tell). I suspect that some of us may stumble into this pitfall more out of our own insecurities (lack of prep, disruptions, interruptions, etc., etc.). It's easier to "appear" prepared by simply adding more words rather than owning our lack of preparation that would have helped avoid this occupational pitfall. I was recently reminded of how clarity trumps babble when effective communication is the goal. Most probably know

that President Lincoln's famed "Gettysburg Address" (arguably the greatest Presidential speech ever delivered) was only 272 words in length. But did you know that Edward Everett (speaker just before Lincoln) spoke for over two hours and did so totally from memory? Thirteen thousand words in length! Ancient rhetoricians referred to these marathon orations as "the grand style". I'm convinced that many of us (perhaps unknowingly) are guilty of employing this counterproductive style still today (in the era of "text messaging" & "sound bytes"!) The only thing "grand" about unnecessary gab is the irreplaceable enormity of time that is wasted with students.

Not long ago I attended a sizable (over 4K in attendance) education conference where the guest speaker, John Maxwell said, “Educators tend to take things that are simple and make them complex while communicators take things that are complex and make them simple.” The laughs across the five thousand seat auditorium was only validation of just how true that statement was -though I must admit not all in attendance were laughing. We've all had teachers who couldn't communicate to save their lives and yet, some of us have also known competent communicators who couldn't teach others a lesson with any lasting substance. The best teachers know what high-octane learning looks like when it's driven with the combination of studious preparation and the art of communication.

We might be able to impress people an abundance of words, but real impact takes place when educators authentically commit to being communicators. Teachers who master the art of “economizing words” (saying more with less rather than less with more) will not only see the compounding fruits of their labor but will also enjoy the much more satisfying, savory sweetness that only such fruit can offer.

Sub•poe•na

verb (used with object). Summoning of witnesses or the submission of evidence (records/documents), before a court or other deliberative body. All teachers are issued a subpoena (of sorts) by administrators each day when they submit attendance. Submitting attendance is not just a “good idea” or simply a “guideline” –it’s the law! The law applies to substitute teachers as well. School districts have an added financial incentive because it affects the amount of funding they receive based on their “ADM” (or “average daily membership”). see www.ed.gov/

By law a substitute teacher needs to be conscience of two irreducible imperatives: 1) Taking attendance and 2) Maintain order/safety in the classroom (which includes being able to give account for the whereabouts of all students marked present in your room). Realistically, there are few substitutes (or human beings for that matter) who can do this without fumbling a few balls every once in a while (schools have contingency systems which operate on that assumption). Here are a few ideas that have helped me improve my own accuracy more consistently:
1) First, if your at the same site or even the same school district work at learning first names (don’t allow yourself the luxury of engaging in the “stink think” of leaning on the crutch of an excuse that “you’re just bad with names”). In the words of the great philosopher “Oscar Mayer” – baloney! You can do it. Believing you “can” and, at the very least, you will increase your ability to do so dramatically.
2) Wait till halfway through class to take attendance. Hang on! Before changing the channel (I can hear administrators crying “foul” at this point) let me explain how this can help not only in submitting more accurate attendance records but also as a strategy in classroom management (keep in mind that most administrators have spent little if any time in a real classroom and those who do have actual classroom experience haven't been in a classroom since the 20th century):
A. First, taking attendance later in the period affords you more time to engage in “heads-up”, civic skills (eye contact, greeting, observing, etc.). While greeting students I will actually begin to utilize a little behavioral profiling and observe things like, volume, posturing, high-energy, verbiage, etc. But for this to really work, you need to listen carefully for names (try “first” names initially). If you suspect a student might be a problem later, circle their name on your attendance sheet. Later if that individual doesn’t settle down and becomes a behavioral challenge you can say their name with personal authority ---adding a little more edge to your attempt to redirect. I have found that 90% of the time it will catch the student off guard and they will comply –because you’ve got their name. *I employ this utility more often with well behaved students employing my own shorthand to indicate “awesome students” (i.e. help with attendance, fetched a text book for another student, picked up trash). Give the good kids more ink then the mischievous ones.
B. Allows you to direct students to assigned work quicker and most of us know that getting (and keeping) students on task quickly may be the most important step in preventing behavioral challenges.
C. Often students who may be absent at the beginning of class end up coming in late and if you had already taken attendance you may have to interrupt the flow of teaching to correct. If you wait, you’ll probably not have to make any adjustments.
D. Document, document, document. If possible record electronically (be creative) in how you do this. But waiting until you can focus on recording may be better then trying to do when the rush of transition traffic will be at its peak. Remember in most school districts subs are “at will” employees -meaning that employers can let you go or block you from a school for no reason whatsoever. The flip side of that coin is that a sub can also choose to end employment "at will" -anytime for any reason.

Caution: Regardless of how you do it, you must remember to take attendance --that's not negotiable. In the schools I serve in I will usually take attendance at the top of the hour (marks the approximate halfway point) during a regular bell schedule.

Sub⋅lime "Treat others the way you want to be treated" -The Platinum Rule

(verb) -to make higher, nobler, or better. Impressing the mind with a sense of grandeur or inspiring excellence, veneration, etc. German poet Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote “Treat a man as he appears to be, and you make him worse. But treat a man as if he were what he potentially could be, and you make him what he should be.”
There are few professions that are as noble and praiseworthy as that of “teacher”. Yet, if your like me, we need periodic reminders that excellence in students is more often “caught than taught”. It helps me to envision parent’s of students sitting in the classroom with their child or to sometimes I tap into the “dad” part of me (I have four kids of my own) and ask myself, “how do I want other adults to treat my son or daughter?”

Not long ago I was sharing a duty assignment with a teacher who began to rant about “how kids today are no longer polite or courteous”. To escape the deluge of verbal toxicity spewing from this teacher’s mouth, I diverted my focus to other tasks. Later that same hour I watched how this same teacher verbally interacted with students. I was not surprised to hear harsh, terse language from “the adult” toward students. I finally reached my “Popeye” moment, when “I had all I can stanz and I couldn’t stanz no more”! I walked over to the teacher, locked-eyes and said (discreetly yet clear), “hey, Ebenezer, you better be careful or you might get visited by three spirit’s tonight.” I knew it was risky, but fortunately the teacher got my lame attempt at a bit of poignant, but long-overdue sarcasm. We both broke out laughing at the painfully obvious contradiction between the earlier rant about impolite students followed by an onset of constant discourteous barking from the teacher. We can’t blame students for behavior we ourselves are not willing to model.

Su•bi•tize verb -“ to perceive at a glance the number of items presented, the limit for humans being about seven.

How many responsibilities can you track at once?  And of that number, honestly, how many do you think you can track well?  Coming from the private sector, I’ve always had a value of doing a few things well rather than many things in mediocrity.  Far too often I’ve seen quality sacrificed on the altar of quantity and working in public schools is not exception to that rule.  No one multi-tasks well.  That’s a sociological fact.  We can get better at routines of sequences that make it appear that we’re good at multitasking, but when anyone is thrown into an unfamiliar situation (like most substitute teachers are) there will be a few fumbles while the ropes are being learned.  I don’t know a person on the planet who can possibly track all gauges imposed upon public school teachers (and Subs) these days. To "meet or exceed" expectations requires an attribute ascribed to deity – omniscience!  And I do think I’ve met a few public school administrators who are diluted into thinking they are all-knowing.  One of the common laments I often hear even from teachers –even veteran teachers (more and more), is the sad-but true reality of “paperwork” replacing “people-work” in their respective roles at school.  

My 15 year old son recently got his driving permit.  I've been warning him about the greatest driving hazard in AZ -SNOWBIRDS!   I'm also trying to train him about the importance of reading interpreting certain gauges on the dashboard –especially when he is driving.  Gauges are meant to be glanced to gain data that will not only to help us arrive at a destination safely, but also (as I often remind my son) as important indicators that something serious may need our attention  - like …. “SLOWING DOWN!” or “FUELING-UP!”
Of all the gauges we might choose to pay attention to in our lives, there are few gauges that are more important and vital to sustained excellence in the classroom (or life in general) then these three time-honored realities:                      

          NUTRITION                EXERCISE                SLEEP  

Conservative estimates in many solid studies reveal we can expect to experience at least a 30% increase in energy if we would simply honor these three pillars of good health with discipline and consistency.  Could you use that kind of boost in your energy levels in the classroom?  Flip that number around, imagine if you were to have your current energy depleted by 30% -- how would you perform as a teacher?  It’s a sobering reminder that establishing priorities in our lifestyle, outside and inside the classroom can have a dramatic impact on our effectiveness in making an impact in a student’s education.

Bear Grylls (of “Man vs. Wild” fame on The Discovery Channel) told Men’s Journal (April, ’09) about a discussion he had with Olympic athletes about preparation for world-games.  Grylls writes, “15 years ago, they used to think competitive performance was 80% training, 20% nutrition.  Now most world-class athletes will tell you that sustained excellence requires a commitment of 75% nutrition and 25% training. 

I’m not sure what gauges are prominent or illuminated on the dashboard of your life, but if you’re like me, too often I sacrifice the “good” on the altar of the “excellent” by tracking the wrong gauges for too long while at the same time, becoming indifferent to areas of my life that should be more attended to. We can fill our lives with lots of busy activity, but at the end of the day, all of that activity may amount to nothing more than a hill of beans if it hasn’t accomplished the “big-picture” vision we have in making a positive difference in a student’s life.  When my son is in the driver’s seat, I can’t do the driving for him –I can only guide him in learning the good habits that will enable him to be a good driver.  In the same way, this kind of self-leadership must be done by each one of us individually –no one is going to do it for you.   Let these gauges remained clear, fixed and illuminated on the dashboard of our lives.  None of us can afford the luxury of ignoring them.