How can a cover supervisor ensure progress?

[DrSeuss]

This was a question at my failed interview yesterday. I said:-
Set goals with extension eg you should all complete x, y and z. To achieve the best possible result, you should also do this work.
Set times for completion eg I want this section done in this time.
Circulate and check what they are doing.

I can't really judge levels in all subjects off the top of my head, just my own specialism. Maybe if asked again, say that I would ask them to check their work against their target using the level descriptors that are generally on displays or in their books? Maybe talk about pace? They seemed to want an ideal, not what is realistic with a strange class and a subject you don't know that well.

Any ideas, please?

[noblegiraffe]

Cover supervisors aren't supposed to be teaching but merely supervising the cover work set by the teacher (as the name suggests). Any school that asked you that at interview would be expecting more than they are paying you for!

[DrSeuss]

I currently do supply. I try to actively teach, never just sit about or leave the kids to it. Maybe I am not obliged to do that when it's just a day placement with a class I will probably never work with again but I find that it aids discipline and avoids people just opting out or claiming they did nothing as they didn't know what to do. Gets me rebooked and so paid, feels more natural after a lot of years running a classroom.

[rollonthesummer]

I clicked on this thread expecting it to be written by a cross parent, angry that their child is being 'taught' by a cover supervisor rather than a teacher. I was going to reply saying that of course CS shouldn't be ensuring progression as that's the teacher's job. My answer still stands.

[DrSeuss]

You know teachers, ask and we will do it. Don't ask and we will do it anyway. That's why we have such high rates of dropping dead early! Forget off hand the stats about how many die shortly after retirement or just lose the plot a bit, like me, hence no longer a classroom teacher!

[noblegiraffe]

Supply teachers should teach, they are paid a teacher's wages. Cover supervisors should supervise, they are paid buttons and should only be used for short term and emergency cover.

If you take a job as a cover supervisor and actually teach, you are devaluing your skills and taking away a job from a supply teacher.

[DrSeuss]

The job I didn't get paid about 20k while most CS jobs round here pay 14-16 K, so it was obvious they wanted more. Yes, supply teachers should teach, most do. A few don't, for example, the bloke who did my maternity cover a few years ago. The kids' books were nearly empty after a term or so.