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