Substitute Teaching Teaches the Substitute?

So my morning began very interesting today. I was woken up by my boss at 5:45 am! Not the usual way most people like to begin their day, however i happen to like my boss. She is not only the one that is my superior but also my mentor. She has helped me get through so many difficult situations and challenges that I have encountered on my way to obtaing my B.A degree. Anyway, I have been working at this school for almost 6 years now and have slowly built my way up to a substitute teacher,(hopefully one day I can actually be a full time teacher....however that is a whole other story). So I was called in this morning because one of the teachers had contracted the flu.
Let me just say it has been a few months since I have substituted and in fact I have never substituted for this teacher before so I was a little nervous. But I wanted to prove that I was the type of employee you could call in jam, so I jumped out of bed and got ready as quickly as possible (I know what some of you must be thinking, why the heck am I in a rush at 5:45 am, if school doesn't start til 8:00 am, however I live about an hour away and I can never tell what traffic will be like). I made it to work with time to spare! I would liked to say I was woman of the hour, unfortunately I was given the lesson plan and pointed in the direction of the classroom. My hard work will one day pay off was all I could think, I have to believe that or else everything I am working for may become less desireable.
Let me just say I had many educational moments today! I learned about classroom management and methods I would have never thought would actually work. I mean kids are so unpredicatable I am never quite sure what to expect, but I followed through on some tips left behind by the teacher and I was amazed how great and smooth the day went along.

Tip #1: Praise really does work! I can not tell you how many times I have seen teacher after teacher repeat themselves "John sit down...Megan stop talking...Joey please find something to do quietly!" Psstt...teachers out there who find yourself saying similar phrases like this over and over...you will continue to say it until you are blue in the face because that stuff doesn't work! Turn your negative "do's and don'ts" into positives, when you see a child doing what they are suppose to or follwing your directions beautifully, point it out to the rest of the class, for example, "Oh I like what Justin is doing, he is reading a book so nice and quietly while he is waiting for me to give the next directions! Wow look, Kate is doing it too! Very good!" It takes some getting use to but I must say I used it today with my students and it worked! Before I knew it the other ones who were not on track were quickly getting on track so they would be recognized too!