Teachers for Supply

Most schools have no already or soon will be breaking up for the holidays meaning that finally teachers that have worked so hard again over the last 12 months can have a bit of a break. We are all hoping that further restrictions do not have to be bought in to place and that we can try and have more of a normal Christmas with our friends and families this year.

If you are a teacher, it is important hat you find time to totally switch off from work for a bit. Often teachers still have a bit of work to do when the schools close and they may have PD days before they go back but there is still plenty of time to switch off from work and enjoy spending time with your family. With many places still not at full capacity, you may not of been able to book to go out anywhere for a day but that doesn’t need to stop you form having fun. Sitting at home watching Christmas films or making festive bakes in the kitchen can be just as enjoyable and makes for great memories. Having time to recharge your batteries is essential to ensure that you can go back in to school after the holidays ready for the new year ahead.

Getting a full time teaching contract with a local authority is usually top of the list for many graduate teachers but for those with family commitments working as a supply teacher could be a much better option as it is easier to plan your working hours and days around your family.

The first thing you will need to decide is whether to seek work through one of the teaching agencies or whether you are going to source supply teaching posts independently. Most local authorities will only consider supply teachers who are signed up to an agency, but sometimes smaller schools are more flexible in their approach. Although the salary when working as a supply teacher for an agency is usually less you will be guaranteed regular work and can determine the days you are available for work.

For many teachers the plus side of supply teaching is two-fold firstly you are in control of the days that you are available for work so for instance you can fit in hobbies or holidays to suit you and your family, the second advantage is that you will not be responsible for much of the paperwork that many teachers find onerous and time consuming although some basic assessment at the end of a teaching day will usually be required.

With many teachers enjoying the first few weeks of the summer holiday, school is often not far from their mind. This is the time when a lot of teachers start to plan what they will be doing when they go back to school and think about how they are going to organise their classroom.

If you are going into a new classroom or teaching a new year group then you may need to make more changes that usual to the room layout and displays. Leaving all this until the last minute can cause you to panic and run out of time. If you can, try and split your work load up in to one or two days a week so that you still have plenty of time to relax and enjoy yourself.

Starting off the year feeling like you are prepared can really help you get back in to the swing of things and allow you to get a good head start. Preparation is key and if you are struggling then make sure you sort out any issues you have well in advance of starting back in September. Seating plans can help to get the new class settled quickly even if you need to change it later on down the line.

Teaching is a very rewarding job but it is by no means easy. If you want to be a teacher then you need to be willing to put the hours in studying and once you have qualified, the hard work doesn’t stop there.

There is so much demand for teachers that if you work hard and prove yourself you can very quickly move up the ladder taking on extra responsibilities such as becoming head of year, or coordinator of a specific topic etc. With the population increasing there is more demand than ever for schools which in turn means a higher demand for teachers. Teaching has changed quite a bit over the last few decades and some teachers have found these changes too stressful and feel that the job is not what it uses to be. Schools are put under a lot of pressure to ensure their students perform well and with Ofsted inspections becoming even tighter, teachers need to be at the top of their game.

There are huge incentives to attract new people into teaching for example you could get a £26,000 bursary or be awarded a prestigious scholarship – which provides additional support and benefits throughout your training year. Studying certain subjects also allows you to get more funding.

Tiredness is something that we all experience at times, but for some people, it’s a daily problem.

Everyone knows that sleep is essential for maintaining health and for maximising productivity. It is hard to concentrate when all you can think about is bedtime! However, getting to bed at a reasonable time is difficult for many people. For pupils and students, they may be too busy socialising online, playing games or catching up with homework. For teachers, there may be other commitments – young children who wake during the night or household chores that need to be done.

It is important to try and tackle the issue of tiredness. That may mean reassessing the weekly schedule and trying to maximise the amount of time spent in bed. Even one early night a week, or a lie-in if you can negotiate with a partner or change plans, will make a difference and is a positive start to build upon gradually.

It’s difficult to encourage the children in your class to have more rest if you aren’t setting a good example. So do what you need to do to be an excellent role model when it comes to getting enough sleep.