Your First 30 Days as a Substitute Teacher: A Survival Guide

Starting as a substitute teacher? Congratulations! You're about to enter one of the most flexible, rewarding, and occasionally chaotic careers in education.

Here's what I wish someone had told me before my first day.

Week 1: Just Survive

Your only goal this week: Don't panic.

What to expect:

• You will not know where anything is
• Students will test you
• The lesson plans will be vague or missing
• You'll feel like you're faking it

This is completely normal. Every sub has been there.

Survival tips:

• Arrive 15 minutes early to find the classroom
• Bring your own supplies (pens, paper, band-aids, patience)
• The teacher next door is your best friend - introduce yourself
• Write down everything: room number, school office location, bathroom code
• Lower your expectations for "perfect" lessons

Don't worry about: Being the best teacher ever

Do worry about: Student safety and basic classroom management

Week 2: Build Your System

By week two, you've survived a few days. Now build systems.

Create your sub bag:

• Emergency lesson plans (word searches, reading passages, math worksheets for different grades)
• Basic supplies
• Snacks (for you AND for students who "forgot" lunch)
• Phone charger
• School map (if large campus)

Start tracking:

• Which schools you enjoy
• Which grades you prefer
• Which subjects you're comfortable with
• Your daily rate at each district

Set up your Frontline preferences - This is crucial. The better your filters, the better your jobs.

Week 3: Get Strategic

You've got basics down. Now optimize.

Key insight: Not all sub jobs are created equal.

Best jobs for new subs:

• Elementary (usually easier classroom management)
• Full days (better pay, less transition)
• Schools near you (less commute stress)
• Friday assignments (students are in weekend mode, often easier)

Avoid at first:

• High school (if intimidated by teenagers)
• Half-days at multiple schools (exhausting)
• Schools with "reputation" (ask other subs)
• Monday mornings (roughest day of the week)

Build relationships:

• Introduce yourself to office staff (they control who gets called back)
• Leave detailed notes for teachers
• Go above and beyond once or twice - teachers remember

Week 4: Establish Routine

By week four, you should have a sustainable rhythm.

Set boundaries:

• How many days per week will you work?
• How early will you accept jobs?
• How far will you drive?
• Which subjects are deal-breakers?

Don't: Feel obligated to take every job

Do: Be selective about building your reputation

The secret: The best subs aren't available all the time. They're strategic about when and where they work.

Common First-Month Mistakes

Mistake 1: Taking Every Job

You'll burn out. Be selective from day one.

Mistake 2: Not Using Technology

Frontline's email notifications are too slow. You need faster alerts. Tools like Sub Hero send push notifications instantly - you get jobs other subs miss.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the Money Math

A $70 half-day job 40 minutes away might pay less per hour than a $110 full-day job 10 minutes away once you factor in drive time.

Mistake 4: Trying to Be Perfect

Your job is to keep students safe and on-task. That's it. Perfect lessons come with experience.

Mistake 5: Not Building Systems

Every time you accept a job manually, you're doing extra work. Automate what you can.

Tools That Actually Help

Essential:

• Comfortable shoes
• Your own classroom management techniques
• A reliable car
• Frontline account with good filters

Game-Changers:

• Sub Hero - Instant job alerts, smart filtering, auto-accept for perfect jobs
• Portable phone charger
• Classroom management book (we recommend "The First Days of School")

The 30-Day Goal

By day 30, you should:

• ✅ Know your preferred schools and grades
• ✅ Have a consistent income (even if modest)
• ✅ Feel comfortable walking into any classroom
• ✅ Have systems for job hunting that don't require constant manual work
• ✅ Enjoy teaching more than you dread job hunting

Set Yourself Up for Success

The first month is the hardest. But with the right systems, substitute teaching becomes sustainable, profitable, and even enjoyable.

Get the tools that help: Sub Hero monitors Frontline 24/7, alerts you instantly about matching jobs, and can even accept your favorite positions automatically.

Start with smart filtering and instant alerts ($6.99/month) or add auto-accept ($9.99/month).

Stop the constant Frontline refreshing. Start actually enjoying substitute teaching.