Thoughts on supply teachers - prepare to get mad!

[Snobbyeddy]

The general view about supply teachers has been created by the large corporate agencies that are bothered only about their bottom line figure and not about the quality or the consideration of the teacher they place. Not all teachers suit all schools and vice versa. Teachers should conisder the agencies they register with and make sure they are being treated fairly. My agency pays supply teachers holiday pay during the breaks based on the work undertaken, they also pay PGCE post 16 teachers the same rate as a qualified teacher as long as they can show they have the teaching experience. There is a view from some schools that Supply teachers are a necessary eveil
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however it is down to the agency to prove to the schools that there are some great teachers out their who have
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e a life choice to undertake supply by placing well qualified and experienced teachers
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[NuttySupplier]

Hi Snobbyeddy!

I think a lot of the attitudes towards supply teachers is a general social thing at the moment! Respect for teachers from parents and children is lower than 30 year ago, and so follows for supply teachers too...

But the corporates don't help!

[Lou_83]

I'm a supply teacher who is currently trying to get a full-time teaching position in either a primary or secondary school (because I am trained in KS2/KS3) so I can do my NQT year. I actually
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e an active choice to do some supply work when I finished uni because I wanted to address weaker areas such as behaviour management (what better way to do it?). I have found myself getting invited back to schools time and time again (the school actively requests my agency to send me) so I must be doing something right!

I was worried that the fact that I did supply work was going to be held against me in teaching interviews, but it never has been. Although I am still trying to get a post I am happy to continue supply teaching as I do enjoy it and its nice to go into a class I've taught before and get a good reception from the kids because they remember me and see my being there as a bit of a 'treat'. And I feel I have a slight advantage over people fresh out of uni because of the wide range of experiences I have built up (I have taught everything from nursery to KS4). I have been told that my teaching standards are still excellent and on occasion I am required to plan my own lessons and I am more than happy to do so. A lot of schools who request this are always kind enough to give my agency notice the day before so I'm not left dangling.

I do spend a lot of my time going into 'difficult' and challenging schools with many disaffected kids but I enjoy the challenge. I've had very young children who are frightened by having a 'stranger' in the classroom and then had them come and give me a hug at lunchtime or the end of the day because I'm not as scary and horrible as they thought I'd be. This for me is very rewarding. I also spent eight weeks helping out at a primary school when they had Year 6 SATs booster classes on and the headteacher told me at the end that she'd be more than happy to act as a reference for me.

So I may not have completed my NQT year yet, but I know that I am a good teacher. Even if I am 'only a supply teacher'.

[NuttySupplier]

Hi!

Phew, can't believe how damned busy I am at the moment!

We've talked on here before about how some of us feel NQTs, and indeed any teacher who has not done supply before, should be '
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e' to do supply work for a term or two... what a fantastic experience! Sounds like you're getting on really well too... it really will stand you in good stead, like you said, you have an offer of a reference already, which is great - especially if you want to work in the area that that head is wor
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in... other heads will know her, and a verbal reference is worth it's weight in gold!


Bed time for me!