Anybody been on a Return to Teaching course?

[norfolkdumpling]

I haven't worked in a school since 2001. I've got a pack of information for a course starting next January. Is it going to be worthwhile? Am I mad for even considering going back to teaching after the media coverage of recent union conferences?

There was never a course that suited me, so I returned to teaching via the supply and short-term contract route.

Thanks ScienceTeacher.

Has a lot changed in the last seven years? I went on maternity leave before my department (Geography) had the NOF training. I'm really nervous about going back to interactive whiteboards; not having used one before. Also, I've heard that a lot of schools where I live no longer have a great need for supply teachers because they use classroom assistants to supervise classes.

Anybody else got anything to add to help me make the right decision?

I think interactive whiteboards are used properly in primary schools, but less so in secondary.

I have interactive whiteboards in all the rooms I teach in but I just use them as good projection surfaces. I definitely missed the training for getting the full use of them in my very long maternity leave. When I have seen others use them, it is just to annotate already prepared material, which has not been a great deal of added value. I am a very techy person, so definitely feel neglectful towards interactive whiteboards.

Not knowing how to use whiteboards is not an impediment to teaching.

I'm also a Geography teacher and returned to work in Sept after 7 years away.

To get yourself acquainted with how things are going have a look at the SLN website and the new KS3 for Sept 2008 - try some supply?

Thank you both for replying (especially for the suggestion about the SLN site - I'd forgotten it existed).

I suppose I've just got to overcome my anxiety that I've forgotten how to teach. I hope it's just like getting back on a bike!