Going into a new class/year group/school as a supply teacher can be daunting. You are in charge of 30 little strangers for the day, and you need to keep them safe and learning. They have a range of needs and worries that you will not know, their routines and safety blankets are not in place and to top it off some children will take this opportunity to test boundaries, whilst others lose all ability to function normally. But having a toolkit of strategies that you can use time and time again will help you survive and thrive- no matter what the situation.

1. Choose a persona

This might seem like a strange one, but teaching is 90% acting. We act cool, calm and collected even when there is chaos. Why? Because that is the energy we give out. When the children come in, assess the “mood.” Do they come in chatting? Do they have clear routines? Are they staring at you with huge, scared eyes? This will help you choose your personas. My personal favourites are:
• “Drill Sergeant”; a 6’ power-dressing army woman who takes no messing and a rare smile and praise is EVERYTHING to the receiver.
• “Miss Honey”; the sweet, fluffy, smiley teddy bear who sees the positives in everything
• “Wally”; the eccentric teacher who knows it’s ok to make mistakes because they make lots of them!

You can picture the type of classes that would suit each persona! Sometimes I switch between them or blend them together. But the importance of personas is to emit energy or presence to the children that says, “When I am your teacher, I am boss. I will keep you safe and help you learn.”

2. No one talks

This one is vital for gaining and maintaining the respect of 30 little strangers. When you are speaking to the class, it is silent. No one has permission to talk when you are talking, just as you would never talk over the children when they are answering a question. If it means waiting or taking time off their playtime- that’s their decision not to follow the simple rules of respect. Do not compromise on this rule EVER!

3. Positivity

Positivity is something that everyone forgets- but not by choice! When you are faced with high stress and high anxiety, you can become focused on the task at hand and forget that the 30 little strangers in front of you are children. They seek reassurance (sometimes in bizarre ways), especially when they are feeling insecure. Whatever the task or situation, remember to be positive. Say thank you when the children do what you ask them to do. Tell them they are geniuses when they get a question right. Tell them you really appreciate the fact it is a wonky day for them but they are coping with it so well. If you haven’t already, have a read about a Gloucestershire wide strategy called Restorative Practice. One of the key strands from RP is “RIP and PIP” which stands for Reprimand in Private and Praise in Public.” I try to do this as much as I can because it has a profound effect on the children.

4. Tuning in

Early on in my work as a supply teacher, I was really confused as to why I was repeating instructions so many times. In my old permanent class, I would say things a couple of times but even if I coughed suddenly, the class would fall silent and look at me. But then I realised that my old class were used to my voice. They heard it day in, day out for months and months. The children in supply classes had never heard my voice before, so they were not tuned into it. They could not process what I was saying in the same way they could for their regular staff. Once I realised this, it seemed so obvious and I completely changed how I approached instructions.
Short sentences, with lots of modelling what I mean. If the class had a shaker or a chime, I use that religiously instead of using my voice. Cueing into a teacher’s voice is something I definitely didn’t realise existed when I had my own class and it’s been fascinating playing with this concept throughout the first term at Thrive.

At the end of the day, one of the many wonderful reasons why we work for Thrive is that if the behaviour is SO bad (and this is rare!), there is no pressure to go back into that situation. Be open and honest so Ellis can help but know he always has our backs when it comes to tricky behaviour.

#TeamThrive.

Becky
Thrive Education- Primary Supply Teacher

It’s every supply teacher’s worse nightmare. You wake up in the morning feeling unwell. You have a full day of teaching ahead and all you want to do is curl up in a ball. You drag yourself out of bed; get yourself ready, feeling hideous (“but think of the children!”) and get yourself out of the house. As you drive to work, you feel worse and worse (“but please think of the children!”). You send a text to Ellis saying that you are feeling unwell just as a heads up.

“Mate, what are you doing going to work then?”

What was I doing?

I had woken up with awful hip pain, headache, and sore throat. I felt so tired. But I didn’t want to let Ellis, the school, or the children down. I could push through it. My morning lateral flow was negative after all.

I lasted 15 minutes.

As I rang Ellis, tearfully, to say that I was having to go home, I was very lightly scolded.

“Your health is more important”, he chided gently, “if you aren’t feeling well, it’s ok. It happens. You need to rest and recover, there’s no point pushing yourself because you’ll just get worse.”

5 hours later, I tested positive for Covid.

You may have been there too. The rush of guilt, worry, failure. Frantically thinking about writing supply notes even though YOU are the supply. Worrying about letting everyone down. How did this happen? How will Ellis be when I tell him? What will the school think of me?

“Mate, it happens. There’s nothing you can do. Just rest and focus on getting better”.
He’s totally right.

When working in schools (along with many other occupations too), sadly, Covid is an occupational hazard. We do all we can to avoid it, but it is around more than the media or Government would care to admit. And Covid is a unique virus- almost like a fingerprint. There are similar whorls and swirls, but each person has it uniquely. There is absolutely no point rushing it or comparing yourself with others. You must stay in your own lane, listen to your own body, and forget everything else.

This is reason #432057 why I am eternally grateful I work for Thrive. Since the minute I was unwell, Ellis has checked how I am; liaised with the school I’ve been on long term placement with and reminded me to concentrate on getting better. No pressure, no nagging. Just genuine concern for my welfare and wellbeing. Ellis reminded me that being ill doesn’t mean I don’t care about the children- quite the opposite.

Children deserve us at our best (or almost best- we aren’t robots!) but we can’t pour from empty cups. That is what makes Thrive such a special agency, and for the first time in my teaching career I feel genuinely at ease about being ill.
No worries. No stress. No sense of urgency. I will get back to work when my body gives me permission to do so.
And that’s ok.

Becky
Thrive Edu. Supply Teacher