Learn Connect Sub Repeat
"There's no time like the present. Let's start a SubClub!" - JIll
Starting a club will require 8-10 hours of work in the first month and 5-6 hours each month after that. Once the club is up and running, you can choose the frequency of meetings. You'll need to meet as a SubClub a minimum of 4 times during the duration of this project as well as complete SubSchool course work (1-2 hours a course) between meetings.
Invite 3-5 people to join you in exploring substitute teaching and read our SubClub Guide!
SubClubs create opportunities for people to connect with others to develop new skills while contributing meaningfully to their community, and getting paid for flexible, purposeful work.
The first task you have is to find your SubClub group. We recommend recruiting 3-5 people. We suggest you find at least one person who is a working sub and at least one person of a different generation. This will bring the diversity and experience to the group that you need to maximize learning from different perspectives.
Reaching out to a community you belong to - as a college student, a military spouse, other parents at your children's school, people you know who are retired, or who worked as AmeriCorps members - can be a great place to start and provide a great point of entry.
As your first step in launching a SubClub, we invite you to read the SubClub Toolkit that you can find in the resources section.
SubClub Announcement link: Make it your own! Here, you can find SubClub announcement templates ready for you to edit with your name and location!
Attend the SubClub Facilitator Workshop
The next step is to attend a 2-hour workshop with other SubClub leaders. The workshop will be a place to discuss best practices for facilitators and tips for organizing and leading SubClub meetings. The workshop will be led by a SubSchool coach who will share additional insight on the sub certification process and SubSchool learning platform. You’ll get to meet and connect with other SubClub leaders and begin to plan your SubClub journey.
Get organized for your first meeting
Working with the 3-5 people you've recruited and the information you've gathered, schedule your first SubClub meeting. Identify a place to meet - it can be a local coffee shop, someone's kitchen, or even a space at a local school if there is support there. Coordinate times and schedules and make sure that all members complete SubSchool’s Welcome to Substitute Teaching course before the meeting and that someone is bringing food to share.
Hold your first SubClub meeting!
This first meeting is a chance to meet one another, share experiences, information, goals, and concerns, and make some decisions about how your club is going to operate including meeting frequency. We also recommend deciding on a group name, starting a group chat (f you don’t have one already!), sharing some sub experiences, and using your discussion guide to review the SubSchool course material you’ve completed.
Keep the momentum going
Your SubClub will meet at least 3 more times throughout the project. You’ll want to keep the momentum going through communication, validation of subbing experiences, and of course always having food at the meetings. In this final step of the project, you’ll meet again with members of the other SubClub groups to review your experience and discuss ways to keep your group connected and engaged in substitute teaching.
