As a relief teacher, I’ve come across many tough and extremely challenging classes, taught by graduate and experienced teachers alike. Walking into, and taking control of the ‘hard class’ is one of the greatest challenges of my job, and I have learnt that there is no “one size fits all” approach. These classes are hard […]
Continue reading →Today marked the end of my first year of teaching. I have awaited this day for a very long time, and it has come about through my work in 23 schools across the Government, Catholic and Independent school sectors. To commemorate this day, I thought I would share excerpts from my very first reflective journal […]
Continue reading →One: Watching my students learn & grow up Over the past 20 months, I have had the wonderful opportunity to watch hundreds of my students grow up; forming into the young people & young adults they are destined to become. Watching the transformation, learning & growth of my students over time has been one of […]
Continue reading →Starting out as a relief teacher in early 2009, I was surprised to receive a student’s invitation to visit the morning Breakfast Club. What I found even more surprising was that this particular student was a member of the infamous “Room 15”, a troubled Year 6/7 class about which I had heard no end of […]
Continue reading →Becoming an Effective Relief Teacher In my first year of teaching, I have learnt that effective relief teachers: Work to develop positive relationships with students and staff Demonstrate sound classroom management skills, and Have a repertoire of instructional strategies and relief fill-in activities In my experience, the development of strong relationships has underpinned my survival […]
Continue reading →When formulating my “Jigsaw Approach to Classroom Management” back in 2008, I made the following observations: A safe learning environment relies on positive teacher-student relationships and positive peer relationships. Teachers can develop such relationships by taking a meaningful interest in their students’ lives, and promoting an anti-bullying ethos through their words and actions. Make an […]
Continue reading →I have had a very busy few weeks, working close to full-time relief and visiting two new schools, bringing my total up to 23. I’ve also started writing my first proper merit-select applications for full-time/part-time employment in 2011, a very slow and painful process. I recently received some wonderful feedback on A Relief Teacher’s Journey, […]
Continue reading →This is a summary of the key ideas & strategies I learnt to employ while applying the ‘Theory of Bumps’ framework in my relief (substitute) teaching practice. For detailed explanations and descriptions of the framework and management strategies, I recommend obtaining a copy of Classroom Management: A Thinking & Caring Approach (Bennett, B. & Smilanich, […]
Continue reading →Stage 1: Moving from Blissful Ignorance to Recognising Stark Reality When I started teaching, I thought that my experiences in my final year practicum had prepared me for managing student behaviour as a qualified teacher. My first week of relief teaching proved that I was wrong. I attended my first Graduate Teacher Module with literally […]
Continue reading →I have found classroom management a very complex topic to learn about, let alone write about, so I have divided it up under four major headings: Classroom Management – Creating a Learning Environment which Works Behaviour Management – Strategies for Dealing with Student Misbehaviour Complex Behaviour Situations – Dealing with Aggressive/Violent/At-Risk Children/the “Class from Hell” […]
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