Keep It Real

One of the sentiments I have heard echoed often by teachers is they want subs to be honest about how the day went. I think many subs may be afraid that if they report a bad day, they might not be hired again. But a teacher has to know what went on during the day. I guarantee the teacher will find out... from other teachers, specialists, even the students themselves... if things went awry. You are more likely to be hired back if you were honest than if you lied about having a fantastic day.

A must-have tool for every teacher and sub is a Daily Summary form. Yes, you can jot notes on a piece of paper or even the lesson plans themselves. But the best way to get all the pertinent information in one place is a Daily Summary Form. Here is one that I use:

Daily Summary

The sections of the form are fairly straightforward and open-ended. I did this on purpose. I hate forms that have very specific sections that don't fit what I have to say. And then there is not a place for the things I do need to say. Just remember, like I said earlier, be honest about any problems you had. And I always leave my contact information if the teacher has any questions.

So subs, feel free to download and use the form freely. And teachers, you are also welcome to download the form and leave it as part of your sub packet.