Supply teacher responsibilities

[millionsofpeaches]

I have recently started on supply at a school where I used to teach. It seems everyone has forgotten that I am not a permanent member of staff. I have been given responsibility for a number of classes, I.e. planning the work, preparing resources and doing all the associated gubbins of seating plans data entry and setting cover work for other teachers on days I am not in.

I am feeling very awkward about it. I know that if I don't do it someone else will have to in an already stretched to breaking point dept. But I am also not paid nearly enough to work in the evenings and at weekends which is what I was avoiding by doing supply.

I felt awkward bringing it up with the staff at the school, so I phoned my agency today and they are going to call the school tomorrow cowardly

Now I feel crap. Like I'm being difficult or a jobsworth or something. But it hasn't even been discussed with me, just assumed that i will do it all. Nobody has even given me a scheme of work or resources to plan from, it's all make it up as I go along! I have been going in early and doing some prep then and staying until 4 to email round with cover work. I have one week with no non contact and lunchtime is 35 minutes so no time in the day to plan. It's stressing me out and I feel bad for not wanting to do it, but this is not what I signed up for.

I know this isn't aibu, but aibu to a) not want to do all the extras and b) to have called the agency? It's actually pathetic really that I haven't spoken to someone at school about it isn't it?!

Sounds normal to me if you are long-term or regular supply. When I work for more than a couple of days somewhere I expect to have to do all the planning, admin, etc. Although I'm primary so I usually get 50 mins lunch planning time. I did a week in the same school earlier this term. In for just before 8.30am and not away before 5.30pm.

I mainly just refuse to do long-term supply.

I only do day to day for that reason. No planning or marking (don't do primary - only secondary because primary really tries to take the p*ss with marking, duties etc.)
Agencies constantly trying to sell long term placement - no way! Is just all the workload with piddling pay and no benefits.
I work five days a week, go home at 3.15 and have lovely free evenings and weekends. All the fun of being in the classroom without the dross.

YANBU, yes they are taking the piss. Yes, it was a good idea to phone your agency. They can have that conversation and underline the fact that the school now has a completely different relationship with you and needs to understand that supply is a very different gig.

Yanbu. Did they ring them?

I would have thought you would plan and prepare resources on long term supply though?

Depends on how long you are on supply peaches

Long term supply we would expect planning and marking, and would give you PPA. Short term no, but then we would use cover supervisors in preference.

I am only in two days a week. It's a two week timetable, one week I have ppa time the next I have none. I cannot plan long-term, even two weeks away, as all my classes are shared and its planning on an ad hoc basis rather than "you do this topic, I'll do that" kind of thing, so I have to wait until the other teachers tell me where they are up to. So I am ending up having to plan and prep in the evenings and weekends. I also haven't been told how long term the placement is. Nobody seems to know what's going on!

Anyway, the agency have contacted the school and hopefully something is being sorted more money hopefully

There is some cases a passive-aggressive attitude towards supply teachers.
Unless in primary is a one-form entry, why not use the planning of the parallel teacher/ Or in secondary the planning of another teacher of that subject. Or last year's planning?
In any case, is the school's responsibility, however they manage it.
There was someone recently on Facbook who had an advance day at a primary - so known absence, but was told there would be no planning and not only did she have to plan, but the school printer 'wasn't working' so she would need to bring all the worksheets etc in herself.
If people are prepared to put up with level of exploitation, they can hardly bleat about being hard done by.

I go into primaries with a pack of stuff that I can do if there's no planning.
I thought that was standard? I just go off-piste and we have a fun day based around a theme or a book.
I like being a supply teacher.
Surely there's a reasonable balance between slave and autocrat?

It's secondary, so there isn't an option for going off piste. It's a new curriculum and a new gcse, so, although I obviously know the subject, I don't automatically know what needs to be covered when and don't have previously prepared resources. I will try not to bleat about it!!

if you're sharing a glass with another teacher, why aren't they doing the planning for your lessons?

sigh - sharing a class!