By Sharon Wood

Much of the stress for supply teachers begins before they reach the classroom.  In this series of articles looking at top tips for supply teaching, we look at practical ways to reduce this stress.

In an ideal world (for most supply teachers!) all assignments would be pre-booked, and in the schools where we actually want to work, and they would be bountiful!

It can take some time to build up a relationship with a school to the point where they ask for you by name on pre-booked assignments, but there are things you can do to ensure this happens.  Here are my top 4 ideas, but do you have others?  Let me know!

Don’t be a recluse, and don’t think that in a school, there is anyone not worth talking to in terms of helping to get you noticed.  Cleaners, caretakers, dinner staff often have a quite different relationship with the Head teacher than the teaching staff!  In many good schools I worked in, the cleaners would have a fantastic, informal relationship with the Head, as they would chat with them about the goings-on in school at the very end of the day, when everyone else had left the building.  Cleaners comment on the state of the classrooms!  ‘Who was in that classroom today?  It looked like a bomb dropped as the children left!’  Was that where you were working?  ‘I met that new supply teacher just now, she’s still here, marking books, such a lovely lady and the tables are clear!’  Thumbs up!

Yard duty.  Should you?  Shouldn’t you?  If you want to work there again, I think you know the answer to that one!

Not your turn to go out onto the playground?  Offer to take a hot drink to those on playground duty while you’re there making your own.  A little touch like this will go a long way.

Be professional in your handover note to the teacher.  Make it comprehensive, but remain professional.  Child X may have had you looking for a brandy by 9.05am, but don’t have a tantrum yourself about it in your note, be factual and honest.

Have you cracked it? Do you get the bookings you want? Let us know your top tips for supply teaching woes below, on Facebook, or on Twitter!

Where next? There’s a great quick read here on tips for supply teachers. Check out our resources area here too.