returning to teaching (supply) next week - tell me not to be so pathetic please!

[swedishmum]

That's it really. Not done much primary, though I'm trained. Used to teach sec and loved it. Returned before but then had dc4. Have done voluntary stuff and tutoring but have lost all my confidence.

What kind of stuff do you have on hand for just in case? Please? One of the 2 schools I'm at next week is Y4 for afternoons. I'm sure as soon as I start I'll be fine.

Take stickers. They will do anything for a sticker.

Supply is very different for primary than secondary. In primary, you have to mark their work and do some of the lesson planning.

As for generally returning to work, you soon remember what to do. As a supply teacher, if you don't like it or make a huge mistake, you never have to return to that school.

Forgot to say not to worry, you will be fine!

Take a folder of activities for every age group, then you are prepared for anything. A template for designing a book cover and blurb always worked well for me (the book you would most like to read).

And find out where the loo is when you get there, you WILL be on playground duty!

Take stickers and a coffee mug and you will be fine.

Thanks .
I remember - supply teachers always get playground duty AND assembly! Will spend some time tomorrow getting stuff together. I've talked about it for so long that I just had to do it.
To put it in perspective, dd is doing work experience next week (Y10) - if she can get on a train and go into a strange office, I can go out and do a bit of teaching.

Oh sweishmum I am so impressed. I used to teach at secondary too and have been toying with doing some primary supply but my lack of confidence has stopped me dead in my tracks. Can so relate to where you are coming from, but hope it goes well for you

If you know the dates and class in advance it will all be planned so don't worry.
It is a good idea to have a few ideas-two good sites are:
primary resources
teaching ideas

It will be fine, have a selection of short stories, poems etc in a bag, a few fun activities, stickers, and a few quickfire maths games for fillers. I always have some A4 paper too, you can never find paper!

I swear by the primary resources site too. Quite literally some mornings (not in front of the children lol).

Thank you - isn't it strange how after all that training, a few years of child-rearing turns you into jelly! As long as there's nothing too complicated on an interactive whiteboard I'll be fine. Obviously I want schools to like me so I can stick to the same ones! Will post tomorrow with details of how uplifting my day was - hopefully

I do lots of primary supply

Take stickers for them to write names on
Have a few games in hand that don't take much sorting - old fashioned parlour games like My Granny WEnt to Paris and she Bought... go down ever so well.Also 'round' /domino games in maths/science - have one made ready in your bag if need arises
Establish quickly how you will get them quiet andmake sure they know it
Get the TAs on side if there are any - be ever so grateful etc

Good luck - it is different to sec but IMO much nicer!

Hope it goes well Swedishmum

IMO primary schools expect more from supply teachers than secondary.

In secondary schools supply teachers generally just 'cover' the lessons. Departments generally organise the work and resources in advance, and there is no expectation to mark anything. (Except for longer-term supply contracts.)

But in primarys schools, apart from the odd day they usually expect supply teachers to plan and prep all their own lessons as well as doing all the marking as well. And - as you say - doing break and lunch duties too.

I'm a primary teacher and we always leave detailed lesson plans and resources for the supply teacher. If a teacher is away suddenly we usually rally round and find something for the supply teacher to do. We try to swap playground duties so that the supply teacher doesn't have to do it. We do appreciate it if the supply teacher marks the work, but most don't. I have a 'work done with supply teacher' stamp that I use.

The only supply teachers we expect to plan their own lessons are those on a longer term contract and covering a specific lesson every week in the same class.

I just appreciate my classroom being tidy when I return, you'd be amazed how often it isn't, and a quick note letting me know anything particularly good (or bad) that happened. I also leave an information sheet to let new supply teachers know any relevant information, timetable, medical needs etc.

I hope it goes well.

I've only ever had great lesson plans in primary. Though you do have to mark the work (allow all the lunch hour for the morning's work plus 45 mins for the afternoon's).

Also - take a whistle and trainers in case you are on PE!

I also keep my wellies in the car- more schools do Forest School/outdoor classroom activities now, and they really like you if you are the type to muck in.

You can download the smartboard software at home and go onto Primary Resources, open some smartboard files and have a play about. It isn't too hard as long as you reorient the white board (the kids will know how to do that).

I find that the most annoying thing is when the whiteboard is operated from a laptop and the teacher has taken it with them!
I always stick a full PE kit in the car with trainers that you can wear on a muddy field.
I find a stop watch quite handy for the tidying up and give them a target to beat-it gets them moving. Teachers like the room left tidy (unless they are really messy themselves-and some are).
I always mark and sign it with my initials at the end to show that it wasn't the teacher.
I leave a note at the end of the day saying what I did and how it went.
A book of short stories that you know will immediately catch their attention is a good resource. It is also a good idea to have a few games up your sleeve that can be played without anyone moving and without props in case you need to fill in the odd few minutes.
Someone always asks to do 'show and tell', which also fills in a few odd minutes.
I don't do name stickers-I use learning them as a brain exercise and do it at the start. I am very good as long as they don't move seats! I go around learning them and then use them when asking questions-it is my party piece and impresses TAs!
Having a TA is great-make a friend of them from the start.
It is very unusual to be asked to do your own thing, even if it is a sudden illness other staff will usually rally round and sort you out.(Doing your own thing is often easier than following someone else's plans).

Brilliant - thanks everyone. Think I'll need a big bag though....
Tomorrow morning is just literacy and numeracy but will get a PE kit and wellies ready for the future.
I used to be pretty good at names - often taught all of KS3 in 6 form entry schools so had to be - so I'll soon find out if I've lost the knack.
Dh is getting moany now - don't think men behave like this when they are off to do a new job.
The whiteboard thing bothers me because very few schools had them last time I taught, though I'm quite used to using my laptop (and not just for MN).
Thanks again for all the tips.

You can just ignore the interactive whiteboard-there should be an ordinary one. I tend to leave a lot of my kit in the car, it is just nice to know that you have resources if you need them.
Good luck-let us know how it goes.

How did it go?

Hi
Thank you - I have not yet attacked or sworn at a child, and have enjoyed my 2 half days. Have a whole day at a different school tomorrow - Y5. Will see how that goes. Have realised that I was always a star - leaving not only planning but the resources needed too!
Excuse the new name - I'm not remotely Swedish anyway (long story) - I had to re-install everything on my laptop.

I did primary supply for 4 years after a career mainly in 11-16.I loved it.If you can pick and choose your schools the small Church schools are usually lovely[any denomination].Most schools leave plenty of work but I used to take a lot of activity sheets as well as a selection of stories/poems.Michael Rosen's poetry goes down well and for the lower end you'd be amazed at what you can do with The Gruffalo!There's labelling,rhyming,imaginary animals as well as all the small v. big talks.I dont teach at all now but my primary supply years were soooooo happy.