TEACHERS - LEAVE EXTRA CLASS LISTS FOR YOUR SUB!!!

Yes, I am shouting - because teachers neglect to do this so often and I am tired of it.  If the office is supposed to give the sub the attendance lists, the sub STILL needs a copy to keep when they are sent to the office.  If you want me to tell you how your students did while you are gone, I need a list to make notes on, so I can write that up in my note to you at the end of the day.  I can see dozens, if not hundreds, of students in a week.  I can't remember them all, but I can make notes on a class list so you can congratulate the great ones and deal with the not so great ones.

And, don't forget, if you switch classes for a subject, say social studies or math, give me a class list for the other class, too.  This isn't just for the above reasons, but also in case of an emergency.  The emergency folder by the door won't help, if the class I currently am taking is a different one.  And, if kids mysteriously disappear to a special class, I need to know that.  Who goes where and when?  When do they get back? 

Yes, I do know that I can ask the office to print extra copies of some of the above mentioned lists, but that takes precious time away from trying to figure out how to do my best with your lesson plans.  In order for me to prepare well, I need time to read through the lesson plans, locate all of the appropriate materials, check the classroom rules and disciplinary procedures, figure out the school layout and where various rooms are - library, nurse, restrooms, lunch room, where I pick the kids up from lunch, etc. Typically, subs have 30 minutes or less to get ready for the day.  If I am walking back and forth to the office to get class lists, this can take a good deal of this time, especially if I have to wait for the secretaries to help others and then print my lists.  [And subs are frequently NOT allowed to use copiers, even if they could find them.]

I need to know what the plan is for special education students in your class.  What do I do if Student X can't hold it together and needs to have someone come help her?  How do I use your telephone?  [No, they aren't all alike and all of the front offices in the various buildings I go to aren't called in the same manner.]  How about printing up and laminating directions and common phone numbers and leaving it in the sub folder? or PROMINENTLY near the phone?

Finally, please keep these lists updated.  Usually the kids can tell me if a certain student has moved away, but this ISN'T always true.  Don't leave this information for the kids to supply.

Sigh.