Charlotte- ESP Teacher |
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I have only just begun teaching as I am an NQT. I began supply teaching in September 2019.
My training and teaching experience background is…
Before I became a teacher, I was at Sixth Form studying my A-Levels from which I went straight to university which I did a three-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) course at Marjon University. My experience before becoming a teacher was very minimal. I went to cadets as a teenager and was trained to teach younger cadets, however I had not had any experience in a school. As part of my training I had experience teaching in surrounding areas of Exeter in some deprived schools. After completing my degree, I began supply teaching.
I chose to become a supply teacher because….
I became a supply teacher as I did not want to go straight into teaching after being in full-time education my whole life. I thought that supply teaching would give me a great opportunity to be able to have a stress-free lifestyle as I would be able to be involved with the children but not have to take home planning and assessment. I also knew it would give me a chance to gain valuable experience and knowledge of different schools and their policies.
My experience of supply teaching has been…
I am really enjoying being a supply teacher as I am able to meet new people each day and for when I do get my own classroom I can pick up ideas I really like about different classes. Supply teaching is what I expected but surprisingly, I think it is a bit easier then I imagined as I did not think I would have the confidence to be the children’s one-off supply teacher but I proved myself wrong!
To begin with I was very nervous when going to school’s because I dreaded having no planning or not being able to deliver the lesson the class teacher wanted (especially because I am a NQT). However, all the teachers I have come across have been very inviting and made it very clear of what is expected of the children. There have been some occasions where there has not been any planning and this is mainly due to the teacher being ill, this is normally overcome by talking with another class teacher or someone who is normally in the classroom and they are able to give you a greater understanding of what you could teach or even give you planning that they know the teacher would be doing. Overall, I have not been to a school where there has been no planning and they have not given me time to quickly plan what I am going to be doing for the period that I am at the school.
I chose to work with ESP because…
ESP came to my University when I was a trainee teacher and explained to the cohort the opportunities supply teaching could give to a teacher. I was not sure if I wanted to become a full-time teacher straight away and therefore ESP gave me the chance to do what I love but in my own way. ESP are a lovely team and although I haven’t been there long they have given me opportunities that have allowed me to expand my CPD. For example, as I am an NQT we have been going to some sessions to help us develop as NQT’s and support us as a supply teacher. These have been great, especially as you were able to meet other people in the exact same boat as you.
My go to back-up resources if there is no planning available are….
I remember being really worried about the factor of teachers not leaving planning because you do not know the class and it may be that you do not have a great knowledge of the National Curriculum within that year group. Therefore, I always carry the NC with me! You can never rely on technology so I have the NC book.
I also have pre-planned activities that are aimed at KS1 and KS2. These activities are quite simple and I ensured they will fit the needs of all the children in the class – if not then I quickly adapt.
There are some websites I do use such as Twinkl (if you have an account), Hamilton Trust and TeachIt Primary. They all have lesson plans that you can follow so that if you are stuck with no planning then you can quickly get these online rather than creating your own.
Finally, I think it is really important to understand that things do go wrong in the classroom and more often as a supply teacher as you are new to the environment with those children. However, there are always staff around who will be able to support you in either getting what you need or giving you a better understanding of the school’s policies, children or routine – use them! They are your best tool!
3 benefits I think there are to supply teaching/ working with ESP are …
Tips/ advice I would you give to someone thinking about supply teaching or just starting out…
Firstly, always be at least 30 minutes early to a booking. This is so that you can ensure you know what you are doing with the children and look at anything you need to before the children arrive. Also, sometimes it can be tricky to park, find schools or traffic can be bad in areas you do not know and therefore gives you that extra time you may need.
Secondly, always ask what the behaviour policy is. You need to understand what the procedures are if children are misbehaving because if they know that you understand what happens when they are it often prevents from their behaviour escalating.
Thirdly, ask if there are any children with SEN or behaviour difficulties that may need support, reassurance or specific attention. You need to know this so that the children feel comfortable in your presence and are able to approach you.
Finally, make sure you have all the resources you need before starting the lesson(s), especially if you do not have a TA with you. For example, a paper register, the dinner options, timings of assemblies/breaks/lunch, correct number of sheets or resources for the lesson and that the interactive whiteboard is working if you are using a laptop
My training and teaching experience background is…
Before I became a teacher, I was at Sixth Form studying my A-Levels from which I went straight to university which I did a three-year Bachelor of Education (BEd) course at Marjon University. My experience before becoming a teacher was very minimal. I went to cadets as a teenager and was trained to teach younger cadets, however I had not had any experience in a school. As part of my training I had experience teaching in surrounding areas of Exeter in some deprived schools. After completing my degree, I began supply teaching.
I chose to become a supply teacher because….
I became a supply teacher as I did not want to go straight into teaching after being in full-time education my whole life. I thought that supply teaching would give me a great opportunity to be able to have a stress-free lifestyle as I would be able to be involved with the children but not have to take home planning and assessment. I also knew it would give me a chance to gain valuable experience and knowledge of different schools and their policies.
My experience of supply teaching has been…
I am really enjoying being a supply teacher as I am able to meet new people each day and for when I do get my own classroom I can pick up ideas I really like about different classes. Supply teaching is what I expected but surprisingly, I think it is a bit easier then I imagined as I did not think I would have the confidence to be the children’s one-off supply teacher but I proved myself wrong!
To begin with I was very nervous when going to school’s because I dreaded having no planning or not being able to deliver the lesson the class teacher wanted (especially because I am a NQT). However, all the teachers I have come across have been very inviting and made it very clear of what is expected of the children. There have been some occasions where there has not been any planning and this is mainly due to the teacher being ill, this is normally overcome by talking with another class teacher or someone who is normally in the classroom and they are able to give you a greater understanding of what you could teach or even give you planning that they know the teacher would be doing. Overall, I have not been to a school where there has been no planning and they have not given me time to quickly plan what I am going to be doing for the period that I am at the school.
I chose to work with ESP because…
ESP came to my University when I was a trainee teacher and explained to the cohort the opportunities supply teaching could give to a teacher. I was not sure if I wanted to become a full-time teacher straight away and therefore ESP gave me the chance to do what I love but in my own way. ESP are a lovely team and although I haven’t been there long they have given me opportunities that have allowed me to expand my CPD. For example, as I am an NQT we have been going to some sessions to help us develop as NQT’s and support us as a supply teacher. These have been great, especially as you were able to meet other people in the exact same boat as you.
My go to back-up resources if there is no planning available are….
I remember being really worried about the factor of teachers not leaving planning because you do not know the class and it may be that you do not have a great knowledge of the National Curriculum within that year group. Therefore, I always carry the NC with me! You can never rely on technology so I have the NC book.
I also have pre-planned activities that are aimed at KS1 and KS2. These activities are quite simple and I ensured they will fit the needs of all the children in the class – if not then I quickly adapt.
There are some websites I do use such as Twinkl (if you have an account), Hamilton Trust and TeachIt Primary. They all have lesson plans that you can follow so that if you are stuck with no planning then you can quickly get these online rather than creating your own.
Finally, I think it is really important to understand that things do go wrong in the classroom and more often as a supply teacher as you are new to the environment with those children. However, there are always staff around who will be able to support you in either getting what you need or giving you a better understanding of the school’s policies, children or routine – use them! They are your best tool!
3 benefits I think there are to supply teaching/ working with ESP are …
- Being able to gain experience and confidence within the classroom and school environment
- Having the opportunity to see a variety of schools and be able to use the different policies and schemes they use
- Having the chance to be completely involved with the children and teaching them but being able to not be stressed and overwhelmed with the teacher lifestyle
Tips/ advice I would you give to someone thinking about supply teaching or just starting out…
Firstly, always be at least 30 minutes early to a booking. This is so that you can ensure you know what you are doing with the children and look at anything you need to before the children arrive. Also, sometimes it can be tricky to park, find schools or traffic can be bad in areas you do not know and therefore gives you that extra time you may need.
Secondly, always ask what the behaviour policy is. You need to understand what the procedures are if children are misbehaving because if they know that you understand what happens when they are it often prevents from their behaviour escalating.
Thirdly, ask if there are any children with SEN or behaviour difficulties that may need support, reassurance or specific attention. You need to know this so that the children feel comfortable in your presence and are able to approach you.
Finally, make sure you have all the resources you need before starting the lesson(s), especially if you do not have a TA with you. For example, a paper register, the dinner options, timings of assemblies/breaks/lunch, correct number of sheets or resources for the lesson and that the interactive whiteboard is working if you are using a laptop
