Computer Science Substitute Teacher Guide
Practical classroom strategies, lesson plan tips, and emergency lesson ideas for substitute teaching computer science.
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Strategies
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Lesson Tips
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Emergency Ideas
Substitute Teaching Computer Science
Substitute teaching computer science can feel intimidating, especially if it's not your area of expertise. The good news is that most computer science classes will have lesson plans left by the regular teacher, and your primary job is to facilitate — not to be the expert. Here's how to succeed.
Key Classroom Strategies
Encourage students to debug their own code before asking for help by reading error messages carefully
Use pair programming so students can learn from each other and stay on task
Walk around the room frequently to monitor screens and keep students on approved sites
Break coding tasks into small, testable chunks so students feel progress along the way
If you're not familiar with the programming language, focus on logic and problem-solving rather than syntax
Lesson Plan Tips
Check which platform or language the class uses (Scratch, Python, Java, etc.) before they arrive
Make sure you know the login procedures and can troubleshoot basic access issues
Have students save work frequently and in the correct location
If students finish early, challenge them to extend or improve their project
Review the school's acceptable use policy so you can enforce internet rules
Common Challenges
Students going off-task on computers (games, social media, YouTube)
Technical issues with logins, software, or hardware you can't troubleshoot
Your own unfamiliarity with the programming language or platform being used
Students at wildly different skill levels from complete beginners to advanced coders
Emergency Lesson Ideas for Computer Science
No lesson plan? No problem. Keep these ideas in your substitute teacher toolkit:
Unplugged coding activity: students write step-by-step instructions for making a sandwich and test them literally
Hour of Code tutorials from code.org that are self-guided and available for all levels
Flowchart challenge: students design a flowchart for a process they know well (getting ready for school, playing a game)
Binary number activity: students convert their name or birthday into binary
Design challenge: students sketch and describe an app they wish existed, including screens and features
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Resources
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