We've all been there. It's 5:30 AM, you're burning up with fever, and the thought of writing detailed sub plans makes you want to cry. But you want to provide your substitute with support that will engage 25 students with productive and meaningful work. Why not pass along the same ready-to-go, easy-to-use strategies that you rely on every day?
The Reading Strategies Book 2.0 and The Writing Strategies Book aren't just excellent teaching resources—they're absolute lifesavers for guest teacher situations. Here's 10 reasons why every teacher (and every sub!) needs these books in their emergency toolkit.
1. ZERO PREP, MAXIMUM IMPACT
When you're sick or dealing with a family emergency, the last thing you want is to spend precious time creating elaborate lesson plans. Or if you’re a substitute, you might get the call that morning and need something in your bag to use right away. These books are designed exactly for grab-and-go teaching. Each strategy is laid out in a simple, consistent format that any adult can follow.
2. FOOL-PROOF STRATEGY PAGES
Every strategy page includes:
- Clear "How to" instructions that you can read right off the page
- Visual examples (this gives substitutes ready-to-go anchor charts!)
- Prompts and language written out and ready to use
- When to use guidance for different situations anchored by skill progressions
No guesswork. No interpretation needed. Just open the book and teach.
3. COMPANION CHARTS = INSTANT VISUAL SUPPORT
Both books have Companion Charts in a ready-to-use trifold stand that includes every chart in the books enlarged on a separate page. Guest teachers now have instant anchor charts for whole class (slip under a document camera) or small group (set up the flip book on its trifold stand on a table) lessons.
4. KEEP KIDS INDEPENDENTLY WORKING
This is where it helps substitutes with independent work time. With printable Student Strategy Cards, subs can distribute helpful reminders during independent work time, giving students concrete, visual reminders of what to do while they're reading or writing. Kids stay on task, feel supported, and continue learning.
5. READY-TO-USE STRATEGIES FOR ANY CONTENT, ANY PROGRAM
These books work with ANY reading or writing content, and with every reading and writing curriculum or program. Guest teachers can just flip to the appropriate section and find age-appropriate, skill-building strategies that move student learning forward.
6. STANDARDS ALIGNMENT MADE SIMPLE
No time to cross-reference standards? The Standards and Program Correlations do the heavy lifting for you. These ready-to-use resources map strategies directly to state and common core standards and popular reading/writing programs, making lesson planning and documentation effortless.
7. FLEXIBLE FOR ANY TIME FRAME
Whether you’re setting up the guest teacher for one class period or an entire day, these strategies adapt beautifully. Quick mini lesson? Strategies work perfectly for that. Extended content studies time? Subs can use the strategies during students’ textbook and independent book reading.
8. BUILT-IN DIFFERENTIATION
The books are organized according to goals, and The Reading Strategies Book 2.0 has helpful skill progression included, to make it easy to give students the strategies they need in the moment — no need to script out everything for the guest teacher.
9. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN DISGUISE
Substitutes who regularly work with these books actually become better at literacy instruction. The clear explanations and research-based strategies help build their teaching capacity, which means better experiences for your students every time you are away.
10. PEACE OF MIND FOR TEACHERS
Knowing your students will engage in authentic, meaningful literacy work—not just worksheets or movies—provides incredible peace of mind when you're out. You can focus on getting better (or handling your emergency) without worrying about lost learning time.
The Bottom Line
Teaching is hard enough without having to reinvent the wheel every time you need a substitute. These books aren't just resources—they're your backup plan, your safety net, and your guest teacher’s best friend all rolled into one.
Keep them on your desk where you can reference them every day. And when you need a substitute, you can reference specific chapters, or even strategies, from your well-used copies, providing subs with all the direction they need. Rest easy knowing that learning will continue even when you can't be there.
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