Perhaps you feel well today. You're not expecting to be served a subpoena. You have no funerals to attend. And you've been careful not to walk under any ladders. But unexpected things happen from time to time when you least expect them. The smart thing is to be prepared for a substitute, and to stay prepared!

Here's how to keep your class running smoothly during your absence.

• Leave detailed information about the daily schedule, the names of your colleagues, specialists who work with your students, and any special procedures or concerns regarding individual students.
• Provide the name of a colleague the substitute can contact for information or assistance.
• When writing down assignments, include titles and authors of texts and laboratory manuals, as well as numbers of pages, problems and experiments. Also be sure to leave copies of texts, answer books, and lab manuals for the substitute. Don't just say, "The kids know where everything is."
• Try to include meaningful assignments in your plan book. Busywork often results in wasted time for both students and the substitute. Behavior problems can occur.
• Keep an up-to-date seating chart that gives the full name of each student. Insist that students always occupy their assigned seats.
• Prepare your students for a substitute by instilling good work habits and a code of conduct that is conducive to order and accomplishment.
• Post the names of students who assist you in the classroom, such as monitors and the clean-up crew.
• Leave working keys for your desk, doors and cabinets.
• Ask the substitute to leave you a note about how the day went. Also ask him or her for feedback on your preparation and how you might improve.
• Thank your substitute. Substitutes work hard and, in many cases, for inadequate compensation. They play a valuable role and deserve lots of appreciation. Strive to ensure a good experience so that your substitute will want to return to your classroom.