KIT days

[MissBPotter]

Anyone done a KIT day and been expected to do a full day of teaching? I’ve just been sent a list of five one hour lessons I apparently need to teach. It’s the day after Easter hols do I do have some time to prepare but I will be looking after three small kids mostly on my own as dp is working. So I’m not overly keen to teach a full day! I thought it might be a couple of lessons at most. Also I don’t think I’ll get to see anyone for a ‘keeping in touch’ session as I’ll be in the classroom all day and there are at least two new people in my dept. Think this is because my maternity replacement has left so some of these classes don’t have a proper teacher. Does this seem ok to you? Don’t want to kick up a fuss but equally don’t feel keen to prepare all this at home in return for a few hours pay.

KIT days are by mutual agreement, and to enable you to keep in touch. You don't have to do them (and the school doesn't have to offer them). If what they are offering is a day's supply teaching, then just say no.

Good use of KIT days is things like being there for the departmental inset on the new scheme of work, or the GCSE coursework moderation, or the day in primaries where everyone meets their new teacher.

I don't know how it works if you've already agreed that you'll do a KIT day on that date. However you've got a better chance of getting out of it if you tell them today that you're no longer able to do it.

@lanthanum thanks for your reply. Yes it seems I’m being treated as a supply teacher, which isn’t really what I expected. When we discussed it before it was teaching two lessons, maybe doing some observations and meeting the new staff, discussing the current issues and plans for sept. Was only going to be a morning and now it’s turned in to a full day.

I just feel if I pull out I’m going to be seen as ‘difficult’ which I don’t really want. They’re obviously struggling to recruit someone for my mat leave but I’ve now got to teach brand new classes, no idea how many/who is in these groups and not taught some of this stuff for three years. I need to clarify with he what I’m getting paid, i hope it’s a decent sum!

Perhaps say that if it isn't going to be possible to do things like meeting new staff and planning for September, as originally planned, you'd rather save the KIT day (and your partner's day off work for childcare) for a later date when this might be possible. If you'd agreed an agenda and they've changed it, I think that's a good enough reason for changing your mind.

After both maternity leaves at different schools I was used as supply on KIT days (primary). I've been teaching for 10 years and knew the children so it was no help in terms of easing me back in. I also found it quite heavy in terms of planning (which isn't accounted for in your hours) because one random day takes longer to plan than a fifth of your weekly planning iyswim. I'm not sure my KIT days were worth it really.

@WlNDMlLL yes that’s exactly how I feel, to plan and resource a one off lesson is going to take a lot more than usual, especially as I’m at home with a baby who wants to be on me at all times!!
I wish I hadn’t bothered now, but we need the money and I’ve been guilted a bit by them telling me these classes don’t have a proper teacher, which is obviously really unfair for those students.

It's not your problem that they don't have a proper teacher, and you going and doing one lesson with each class is not exactly going to solve the problem anyway.