Canvas as a substitute teacher

[katrinam_maurer]

Many teachers don't know who their substitute is and what they know. Some substitutes follow teachers plans exactly, others tell stories and some do the work they decided on. This makes it difficult to plan for a day of absence. That is until Canvas appeared! The novel way that I used Canvas is to relay the expectations I had for students when I wasn't able to be at school. I would write an announcement with their directions and tasks for the day. I let students comment and respond to other's comments- this way they could answer each other's questions. My students would check in there each time I was not at school for their directions. My students would just log in and do their assignments. If the substitute didn't like what they were doing they would show them the computer and say Ms. Maurer says this has to be done today. This past year the tasks that I left were done even with substitutes that are known to not follow plans. 

[MrsLovejoy]

As a Substitute Teacher, I really appreciate it when the teacher I'm filling in for uses Canvas!    

Having the assignments provided directly by the teacher for the students (along with class expectations) helps eliminate a lot of the questions that students tend to have.  (Examples:  Where is our teacher? Didn't we already cover this? Can we work together? What may I do once I've finished the assignment?)  

It also allows the teacher to see in real time how the students are progressing vs. having to wait until they return to the office.    

The issue I run into is when middle school students have technology issues (missing computer, no battery, being distracted by other things on their computers, etc.)

I'd recommend always providing a hard copy of a basic lesson plan for the substitute teacher just in case they don't have computer access. It's also extremely helpful if you leave a seating chart (with student photos).   

[GideonWilliams]

We have a Canvas course called Cover. All teachers are added to it with a modified student account that allows them access to the course calendar and add entries but has none of the usual teacher editing features.

Here is the navigation menu!

If you are absent for a lesson then you add your cover as an entry to the Calendar (in a standard format). All work for the lesson is still in your course, but it allows the covering teacher to be able to see what has been set.

The course is quite popular as it gives more flexibility for setting cover (you don't have to 'send it in' and you can make alterations as and when). It also reduces what was a very burdensome process before involving lots of emailing!

[JeffCampbell]

I do something a bit similar. I have a giant yellow box (single cell table) right underneath the course title on the home page. I go over this with every class several times early in the class. The sub receives instructions that tell them that I have put that box with instructions on my Canvas Home page. Usually, the rest of my instructions are notes to help them manage whatever is left.

Similar to you, I inform students that my instructions are on that home page so if the sub says otherwise, they should try to point those out to the sub. Rarely have I ever had problems with this. 

NOT-Amazingly, some still try to claim they could not find the instructions. It's fun when that comes up during Parent Teacher Conferences when I get to show the parents how hard it is to find. 🙂