>Recently, my coworker was suddenly taken ill and sent me an email with lesson plans for the day. The plans were basic, and a bit sketchy, so I dipped into my bag of tricks. My own contingency plans.
A few years ago (it feels like it was just last month), we lost a teaching colleague to bacterial meningitis. It was sudden and heartbreaking. It was also a wake-up call to the rest of us.
All teachers keep a Sub Folder. It has basic information such as attendance routines, a class list, schedule, other teachers who can provide support, and where to find the coffeepot. With our friend’s death, many of us started a new emergency sub folder. We thought, what if we had a car accident on the way to work? What if there was a family emergency? A tornado or fire? How about the possibility of getting stuck with a cancelled flight or being on the other side of a storm front, unable to drive? A sudden unpredictable illness?The possibilities were endless, even frightening, given what we’d just experienced.
Well, a kindred spirit (and companion in grief) suggested we come up with a set of alternate plans that a sub could teach on short notice. I saw the value in her suggestion and grabbed the bull by the horns. Hence was born my Emergency Sub Folder, subtitled “Activities with value for filling time.” One folder has 30 copies of several activities: word searches, spelling practice games, and basic math facts. The other has a collection of master copies; the sub would have to make copies, but there is enough to do that he or she could fill a day and keep the kids busy.
The last part of my plan is this: these folders are on top of my file cabinet, next to my desk, labelled in large letters “Mrs. Flowers’ Sub folder.” An substitute worth his/her salt could walk into my room, find the folders, and teach the day.
I’ve had these folders for four years (out of thirteen years teaching). It’s a little like carrying an umbrella, snow brush, or ice scraper; I hope no one needs to use them, but they’re ready.

>Score: attendance 21, tardy 1, ill 3. And those 3 — well, I’m beginning to wonder if I remember what they look like.

One missed most of last week and might be out the rest of this week as well.
One missed three days so far, and may miss more.
The child who was coughing yesterday was out today.
Two more were coughing today. Tomorrow? I’ll wait and see.

Last time I worked with a student teacher, she didn’t see the entire class as a whole entity for the firts five of her eight weeks. She learned how to handle make-up work, preparing it and then correcting and recording vast amounts of it later. It’s a useful skill; I can vouch for that right now. I had no prep time today other than recess, and I gave up one recess to keep a batch of kids in to finish their homework. Then I used the other recess (15 minutes, mind you) to prepare and copy the make-up work for three, leave one packet in the office to be picked up, gave one to a younger brother to take home, and then zoomed upstairs for a speedy bathroom break.
I keep hand sanitizer in my classroom and asked the housekeeper to refill the anti-bacterial soap dispenser. I’ll keep encouraging students to wash their hands and throw their used tissues in the wastebasket. Most parents have been reasonable about recognizing whether their children should be in school or not. That’s something teachers can never take for granted, so I’m very grateful for the families with whom I work.
And as for Christmas? Note to self: add a personal pack of tissues to each student’s gift pack. Hopefully, they won’t need it, and neither will I.