Tips for Supply Teachers – Getting You There

Much of the stress for supply teachers begins before they reach the classroom.  In a series of articles looking at top tips for supply teaching, we look at practical ways to reduce this stress.

Last minute bookings are often feared right from the start.  Indeed, it is often a good idea for those new to supply, and nervous, to avoid early morning calls altogether.  Talk to your recruitment consultant about only accepting pre-booked work until you have your increased your confidence.

There are ways in which you can help yourself however.

Take a road trip: get to know your area.  You may know the location of shops, friends’ houses and bars, but take a look around from the perspective of a supply teacher.   Find the schools! Learn where the schools are.  Learn the routes, think of alternative routes in black spot areas.  Work out how long it will take you to get there – in rush hour!  Make notes on the school, what parking is available, what bus route it is on, how long it will take you.   You’ll feel better informed when taking an early morning call, and be able to give your consultant and school a good estimated time of arrival.

Are you using your SatNav? Don’t rely on it completely.  If you are unsure of the whereabouts of a school, or the best route to get there during rush hour, do everything you can to double check.  Check the address and postcode online, i.e.  Google Maps before leaving.  Sites like Google Maps will show you the estimated journey time for different routes, any known road works, check AA Route Planner for live traffic information.

Keep an A-Z of your area in your supply bag, not only to beat the SatNav blues, but also to use as a teaching tool! You can spend an easy five minutes trying to locate the school with the children.

Missed the bus?  It may be worth checking another route, there could be a shortcut you can take on foot from a different stop.

Build in extra time. If you have calculated half an hour for travelling time, add some more on… just in case!

Supply teachers - allow extra time for your journey!

You will be calmer travelling, not clock-watching so much, especially if you come across the unexpected, such as a road traffic accident.  If you reach your destination early, then you can take time to go through the day in your head before entering the school, or arrive in school early taking the opportunity to better familiarise yourself with children’s name, the layout of the school, and the planning left for you.

Have you cracked it? Do you no longer fear early morning calls? Let us know your top tips for supply teaching woes below, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

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About Sharon Wood

Sharon Wood, aka NuttySupplier, launched the forum at SupplyBag.co.uk in 2005 whilst on supply. Having worked as a primary teacher for too many years, I chose supply teaching as a career, in order to achieve a good work / life balance.