Staff Room!!!

[ScienceTeacher]

It was suggested on another thread that we should have a staff room, so I thought I'd bite the bullet and start one.

Shall we introduce ourselves?

I teach Science (Physics A-level and GCSE Chemistry plus the usual general science in KS3, and also KS3 Geography). I work in a small girls' independent school. I started this job in September having spent two years in contract and supply. This was a getting back to teaching after an 8-year maternity leave.

I am a mum to five children from 16 (gcse!) TO 5.

I thought there was meant to be a shortage of MFL teachers......

Scienceteacher, 5 kids and teaching, you must be brave or mad. Or do you only need 4 hours sleep a night? How on earth do you manage?

science share away....
ahev jus stumped up the £35 for the gtc number

i dont want to teahc long term( ro at all tbh) its just a means to an end while kids are young
i am BORED of it. i did 9 years

Hello! I'm a Secondary English and Drama teacher, Head of Key Stage Four and I wear various other whole-school "hats" as well (oh the joys of working in a small school!). I teach in a small, tough but lovely inner-city school and have two children; I've worked full-time since each of them was 11 weeks old but the youngest is in Year 6 now, so it's much, much easier nowadays.

The idea of supply teaching fills me with horror - hats off to those of you brave enough to do it!

oh go really?
i am thinking get in , make £143, piss off home

am only going to do schools i wnat to.

GTC What do they actually do, apart from take money out of my wages?

they send me a magazine that is a fantastic cure for insomnia

But apart from wasting the earth's resources, what else do they do????

GTC - bugger all as far as I can see!
Anyway, can someone please answer my SENCO question!! Need to know whether i should be bollocking SMT this week!!

I get one of those from the NASUWT mb - guaranteed to cure insomnia - and it always arrives in the school holidays! as if you want to read about the place when you're off.

No MFL jobs round here at all. Fewer and fewer students choosing it as an option.

Not much supply around here either, unless you have a particular contact with a school, are happy to be paid direct not through agency and come in at a moment's notice.

Alfiesbabe - our school has 1000 students. In each year group up to 45 on the SEN register, usually around 6 with statements. We have around 25 TAs I think (some part-time) plus two SEN teachers. The whole department/staff is managed by the SENCO. This year (as usually) she teaches 4 hrs per week.

She works her socks off: I think it's one of the most demanding jobs in the school.

[Sorry for all the 'arounds' and 'abouts', I didn't bring much home with me this w/e, so I haven't got my files.]

In my last school (very big sec) the senco got 1500 pounds and I think 1 or 2 extra non contact. Completely not enough.

Our Senco works hard as well. 1800 kids, with loads and loads on register. She has about 3 other SEN teachers and about 6 TA.s I thik she teaches about 4 lessons as well, but small of SEN kids(about 5)

I wasn't very productive in my last years of SAHMdom, so it was the right time for me to return to work. My teenagers sort themselves out, and I have a live-in aupair for my younger 3.

When I RTW, I started out with a teaching agency and they sorted out the CRB and references, etc. They also gave me tips and expectations for a secondary supply teacher.

The best way to do supply is to get on the books of a couple of schools rather than going through an agency. It is so much better to be a regular visitor to a school so that you get to know the children and they get to know you. Contract work is about the same level of pay but you have to do planning and assessment - the payback is that you can get a reference, so this is vital if your goal is permanent work.

Supply is an odd existence. You think you are doing it for the full flexibility to choose jobs etc, but in reality, you wait for the phone to ring at 7.45 everyday and are reluctant to turn down any work in case you get put to the bottom of the pile. OTOH, it is trememdous experience. You get exposure to a huge range of schools/pupils and can practice your different personas. If you burn your bridges, no one cares!

I think everyone would benefit from a bit of supply teaching

an do short notice tbh thats fine.

ah now sister did it and just said no to who she wanted to
said there was no pile to worry about as no one discussed ti
i.e the schools rang themsleves so didnt tlak abotu you together.

haev ,ade apporaches t a couple fo local shcools that i like

anythign in N wilts is a no go

I'm just going to lurk here cos I can't see there being a staff room for me as AFAIK there is only Christie in SN school!

I am STA (doing HLTA-Hi Roisin!) in Sixth form of SN school. Hoping to get a job in secondary in September though.

I am in an sen school too.

roisin and fizzbuzz that's really interesting. Get the feeling I'm probably do way more teaching than i should be. 25 TAs in your school roisin - I want to work there! My school is a small secondary (700 on roll). I do all the SEN teaching plus a day a week normal curriculum teaching. Works out about 55% teaching over the week, which I tend to think is on the high side, bearing in mind all the admin, chairing meetings, funding applications etc etc . I feel a meeting with SMT coming on...

Hercules-what age group are you?, what sort of school is it?

I'm about to do an hours online revision with the sixth form....they have an exam on Monday

Whats a good idea!

I teach MFL part-time in a large comp. MB good luck with Osted - they came to us last week.

Online revision - wow - how does that work then MB if you don't mind me asking?

I have an message board for my sixth formers.

they post questions, help each other and I step in if they get stuck

Great for formative assessment!