Building Presence Without Intimidation.

A substitute recently asked a great question: How do you get students to follow classroom expectations when you're only there for a day and don't have an established relationship with them? It's a question many substitutes wonder about, especially when stepping into a classroom for the first time. You're not their regular teacher. You don't know their names, their routines, or what usually works to keep them focused. And they're testing the waters to see what they can get away with. The good news? You don't need to be intimidating to be effective. What you need is presence, structure, and a few reliable techniques that work from the moment you walk in.

Presence Isn't About Being Scary

When people talk about "classroom management," it can sound like you need to command a room through sheer force of personality. But that's not what actually works, especially as a substitute. Effective presence is about being calm, consistent, and clear. It's the difference between reacting to every disruption and setting a tone from the start that helps prevent them. Students respond to adults who seem like they know what they're doing, even if it's their first time in that particular classroom. And the truth is, you can create that feeling through your actions, not your volume or your sternness.

What You Can Control From the Start

What You Can Control From the Start

As a substitute, you're walking into a room where routines are already established. You may not know them yet. Here's what you can control immediately:

Your positioning in the room. Stand near the door and greet students as they enter. This sets the tone before instruction even begins. It signals that you're present, paying attention, and ready.

Your voice and pacing. Speak clearly and at a measured pace. Avoid rushing through instructions or raising your voice to compete with noise. If students are talking, pause and wait. Most will notice and quiet down. It's a simple technique, but it works.

The structure you bring. Even if lesson plans are loose or unclear, you can create structure. Start with a clear opener: "Good morning, here's what we're doing today." Post the agenda on the board if possible. Give students a roadmap so they know what to expect.

Your response to testing. Students will test boundaries, and it's normal. When it happens, address it calmly and privately when possible. A quiet redirection is almost always more effective than a public callout. Save your energy for the behaviors that actually disrupt learning.

A Few Techniques That Work Immediately

You don't need weeks of training to use these strategies. They're practical, respectful, and effective for day-to-day coverage: Use proximity. If a student is off-task, move closer to them while you're teaching. Often, that's all it takes. Your physical presence is a gentle reminder to refocus. Give clear, specific directions. Instead of "Get to work," try "Open your math book to page 42 and start with problem one." The more specific you are, the less room there is for confusion or avoidance. Acknowledge positive behavior. Notice when students are doing what they're supposed to do. A simple "I appreciate how quickly this table got started" reinforces expectations without lecturing. Set a timer for transitions. If students need to pack up, switch activities, or line up, give them a time frame. "You have two minutes to put materials away." It creates urgency and reduces downtime, which is when disruptions happen. Follow the classroom's existing rules. If there's a behavior chart, a clip system, or a set of posted expectations, use them. Students already know those systems, and it shows you're respecting the structure their teacher has built.

What If Students Still Push Back?

Sometimes, despite your best efforts, a student will push boundaries. Maybe they refuse to follow directions, talk back, or try to derail the lesson. Here's what helps: Stay calm. Your tone matters more than your words. If you escalate emotionally, the situation will too. Keep your voice steady and your instructions clear. Offer choices when possible. "You can work on this at your desk, or you can move to the back table. Which would you prefer?" Giving a student a choice within boundaries often de-escalates resistance. Know when to involve support. If a student's behavior is unsafe or persistently disruptive, don't hesitate to use the school's system, whether calling the front office, sending a student to a buddy teacher, or asking for admin support. That's not a failure on your part. It's using the resources available to you. Document what happened. Leave a note for the regular teacher about any major incidents. Keep it factual: what happened, what you did, and how it was resolved. This helps the teacher follow up and shows you handled things professionally.

What If Students Still Push Back?

Why Classroom Management Feels Harder for Substitutes

Here's the reality: students have spent weeks or months building a relationship with their regular teacher. They are familiar with the teacher's expectations, routines, and consequences. You're walking in cold. That doesn't mean you can't manage the classroom. It just means you're working with different tools. You're relying more on structure, clarity, and consistency than on personal rapport. And that's okay. Many substitutes lack formal training in classroom management, which is not unusual. But the skills you need can be learned. They're about reading the room, staying composed, and using a few key techniques that create order without conflict.

You Don't Have to Be Perfect

No substitute walks into every classroom and has a flawless day. Sometimes students are difficult. Sometimes the lesson plans don't make sense. Sometimes you're covering a subject or grade level that's outside your comfort zone.

What matters is that you show up with a plan, stay calm under pressure, and do your best to keep students safe and engaged. That's the job.

If a day doesn't go well, reflect on what you might do differently next time, and then let it go. You're not building a year-long relationship with these students. You're providing coverage and consistency for one day. That's valuable work, even when it's messy.

Building Confidence Over Time

The more assignments you take, the more you'll develop your own style and instincts. You'll figure out which techniques work best for you, which grade levels feel easiest, and how to read a room within the first five minutes.

Classroom management isn't about intimidation. It's about presence, preparation, and calm consistency. And those are skills you can develop one assignment at a time.

Busybee Teachers connects schools with on-demand independent substitute teachers for last-minute classroom coverage.

Do you have a classroom management tip that is working for you? We'd love to hear it, anonymously, of course. Your experience might help another substitute walk into their next assignment with a little more confidence.