Sophomore Sub - what worked and what didn't

After establishing a reputation from my first year, I found myself getting 50% of my jobs via pre-arrange assignments and 50% from the system.  My unscientific gut feel tells me half the jobs from the system is from me being on a preferred sub list at certain schools.

Most effective practices:

• Visiting schools the week before school started to pass out business cards and introducing myself.  I booked September this way. 
• Freely distributing my business card and writing my notes to teachers I subbed for on my matching stationery.  I came back to some classrooms and found they kept my notes.  I also found other subs would write notes on post its, scratch paper, etc.  I believe mine is more memorable.
• Sending an e-mail beginning and mid year to all the teachers I subbed for + secretaries listing my recent professional development with the notice I'm improving myself to serve them better.  It worked as a reminder and a way to differentiate myself.  I received several calls for jobs in response to that note.
• Introducing myself to my neighboring teachers and asking for help as needed, especially when it shows flexibility and initiative.
• Being flexible in the classroom and adapting the lessons as needed.  I always try to include some independant work.

Not so effective practices:

• Coming into a classroom tired and not mentally prepared for what may go wrong.  Those were the days when I was weakest as a teacher which makes for a worse experience for me and the kids.  Even when it is a class I know and have subbed for regularly, I need to be alert as losing my temper benefits no one.
• Working all five days, including two half days on the same day.  I get too tired and the grades/names/schools mixed up.  It was not fair to the kids when I can't focus on them in the moment.
• Not having a separate classroom management plan for the last hour of class, especially near the end of the school year.  The kids would be tired and I would be out of intermediate + powerful incentives like giving/taking minutes away from recess that day or sending them to the office.  I'm still trying to figure this one out. 
• Being too much in love with the written lesson plan to flex.
• Not offering independant work time during the day.

Developing a thicker skin...

I scored some job interviews last month, Yay!  I didn't get offers for either positions, sigh.  But, I tried my best and although I had my usual "Why did I say that?" moments, I know I said some impressive things as well.

I did not fall into a deep depression this time.   Moving on, moving forward.  On the other hand, my substitute career is zipping along.  I'm developing a thicker skin to rejection.  Of course, it helps to have kids and teachers affirming  my work as a sub.

How To Get Sub Jobs - 1st year

It's late August and time to dust off the old brain cells, gird the loins, and start drumming up business for the coming school year. What strategies did I use last year that worked (after I submitted my application of course)?

I. Prioritize what's important - I thought about where I wanted to work and where I could make it to work on time. After all, I won't make a good impression if I can't make it to a job site after dropping off my son at childcare. In my case, Shoreline School District and the north end of Seattle School District. I thought about what I want to do. I want to teach at elementary level and middle school, but not high school. I also prioritize what I want to teach. I like grade school and specialist jobs but I'm so surpremely intimidated by PE that I know I won't check that off on the subsitute interest sheet.

With all that, I was prepared to fill out the hours of paperwork at a sub orientation.

II. After getting a substitute number - That's right, it's not the millitary but you get a number by which the system will know you. When a teacher wants you, they will most likely request you by your sub number. In my case, I made some business cards and stationery that has my name, sub number, phone, and e-mail address. I dropped off my cards with the secretary in all the schools I want to work in. I would introduce myself and try to include something that would distinguish myself from other substitutes. I got several calls back this way. I keep the stationery to write notes after subbing in a classroom as another way to differentiate myself from other subs.

I also e-mailed all my friends, cohort, contacts, etc. who work in the schools I want to work in letting them know I'm available with my sub number. A few of them wrote notes to their colleagues at their school and brought me quite a few jobs that way as well.

Note: What didn't work - I made mini posters with my vital stats and business cards in an envelope and posted them in building cafeterias. I received no calls from this strategy nor did anyone I talked to who tried this method.

I'm curious about what worked and what didn't work for other fellow subs. Please comment.