“Our supply teacher, Mrs Wickstead, was actually an author. We were not expecting that!”

Once again, a slow start to the autumn Term. Waiting for the teaching door to open and the journey to begin.

Note to self! Must remember to go away on holiday in September as there is very little supply work about at the beginning of term.

Teaching is always a challenge; each day is different as well as each class you teach. We are all individuals and teaching is individual. Lessons that go well with one class may not work so well with another group. Factors such as the weather (rain; snow; wind; sunshine), or circumstances in your day or that of the pupils will alter how it goes.

Rockets and star ships that can zoom you through space, time and beyond. 

As a cover teacher I am able to visit different primary schools across Sussex and Surrey. Each day can be a different location with a different age range, from reception to Year 6; I have to be adaptable and flexible.

What could possibly go wrong?

As I sat drinking my coffee, in the café in the park, I watched as groups of children passed by with their teachers and I smiled.

During a recent weeks visit to a school with Year 6, I was able to fill a few gaps with snippets of information about buses, books and rain-sticks. This got the children’s attention and they asked questions and listen to my tales.

I was recently booked for a day in a local school where I was asked to work with year 1 on their transport topic. The day was a mix of author booking as well as supply cover.

Sometimes when you are visiting a school the work is clearly set and easy to follow, but sometimes you just have to be prepared for the unexpected and think of another plan!

So, when the lesson was ICT and we found the laptops had not been charged it was time to think of an alternative plan.

Tell them about your book suggested the another teacher.

As a supply cover teacher, the one thing you might miss out on is being involved in events such as any charity school events; these include Children in Need; Comic Relief/Red Nose Day; Christmas Productions; Non-uniform days; School Fairs.

I always leave a free book in every school I visit as a Supply Teacher.

The task in school today was to write a letter as a character in a book to another character.

With a supply teacher visit to a school that I had not been to for a few of years, I wondered how the day would go.

A Spooky Tale now ready to print I wondered if the original walk was still there and whether it had changed.

How Spooky was that? An exciting and Spooky turn of events indeed!

One of my pet hates on supply is Art. Why?

It can be tricky. You never know where the art materials are kept? If there are enough materials? Where and how do the children clean up the paint pots etc?

Also, Art can potentially lead to mess and chaos especially as there are children who you do not know (And sometimes the children know this and act on it too).

Where would you go if you were feeling sad?

Sometimes the supply teacher journey can be a bit isolating and lonely.

Two days of supply with Year 5 in a school. While collecting the children from the playground I overheard the whispers from the parents.

‘Not another supply!’ I understand the disruption a change can bring but it left me a little uncertain. Fortunately, the children here were great.