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thoughts on relief teachers

by Merrilyn
(Sunshine Coast, QLD)

I have been teaching for 26 years and having moved from one state to another, have had to do some relief work to get my foot in the door.

When I was doing relief work, I had prepared folders for each year level that I could walk into the classroom with.

The folders contained lots of ideas and activities that always worked in a wide range of classrooms and year levels. The important thing was that these activities were fun and engaging as well as educational, not just "busy work".If the class teacher had left a program I would follow it but often they would leave a note to say " do whatever you like", which was what I preferred.

As a class teacher, I expect that a relief teacher knows her stuff and is getting paid a LOT of money per day to take my class. My weekly program is available of course and I might leave a note about what I would like done but I'm not too worried if it's not.

Some teachers are a bit focussed about "their" class when it comes to supply teachers but if the supply teacher is armed with an arsenal of great teaching ideas, etc, everyone should be happy.

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thoughts on relief teachers

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Aug 03, 2010
 re pay and work left
by: Anonymous

The amount of pay isn't and shouldn't be an issue. We are all part of the same system - and all qualified professionals. It is a myth to think that casual teachers are well paid - afterall there is considerable competition, there is no pay for sickness or the likes of compulsory jury duty, the rapport you can build up with a school can be completely undermined after staff changes or due to increasingly tight budget cut-backs. There is no security in casual work - people only do the job because it offers part-time employment.

So the emphasis should be well and truly based on what is best for the students and expected by their parents - our clients.

Continuity is absolutely fundamental and a well organised caring classroom teacher would enable this. At the same time, a good casual should be able to provide additional work as changes often occur.

I think that it is wonderful to read that some of the schools have a proper system in place for teacher absences. I am sure most parents would think that would be the norm. That sort of system should be rolled out to every school IMO.
Jan 21, 2010
 I prefer my own program
by: Anonymous

I must be different because as much as I like continuity of routine and program, I find that I prefer to continue with my own program than have someone else do it.

I have planned and prepared my own program to achieve specific outcomes and for someone else to do it, I wouldn't be aware of how much help or support the students have had and many of our lessons are supported by the Smartboard or other technological equipment that some casual teachers are not used to.

Instead, I prepare work for the casual or relief teacher, so that if it is not done it doesn't matter, but I have fulfilled my responsibility to provide work. This work, like someone has mentioned previously, is left with the office or Senior Teacher in case of an unexpected absence.
Nov 15, 2009
 Someone different
by: Anonymous2

Sure, I love my program to be followed if I leave work to be done especially for more than two days. But, I find if the casual is prepared and armed ready with interesting activities a change is as good as a holiday and the children will talk and talk and want to discuss what they did (learned) with the casual.
I take my hat off to most casual teachers.
Sep 02, 2009
 casual teaching
by: Sue

Hi
In the school I teach in and the past two, each class teacher provides two days of lessons for those days we are absent without notice (sick!). These are kept in the office and used as needed. Of course we update them as the year progresses. For any other day (PD, sport, camp etc), we are expected to leave work and the expectation in my current school is that the casual teacher will teach this work. This is because it allows for the continuity of the class programme. I have found it so frustrating to spend a lot of time preparing for a casual, only to find they did their own thing, which was not relevant for my students. As all teachers know, the the time taken to prepare a day for someone else is very time consuming.
Every school has their own procedure, but I always leave work, and appreciate that it is marked when I return. Also, a note on how the day went is also useful.
Aug 31, 2009
 relief teachers
by: Anonymous

As a classroom teacher, I always make sure I have the day planned for a relief teacher. Having done relief work for several years, I know how much smoother a day will flow if there is routine and CONSISTENCY FOR CHILDREN. Whilst I do leave a fairly detailed plan for the relief teacher, I always ensure that they know that it is just a plan, and it doesn't matter if everything or nothing from the plan gets done. As a relief teacher, I always made sure that there was a fairly detailed note (where applicable) for the classroom teacher - highlighting what was covered, ch'ns behaviour. etc.
Aug 29, 2009
 Relief Teaching
by: Sandra

Hi! This is my fifth year as a casual teacher in NSW and there are very few teachers in my area that actually leave work prepared for a casual teacher.

Last week I was booked on a Kindergarten class for a day but actually ended up teaching the class for five days.

I tried to follow the teacher's program but I couldn't find it! There wasn't even anything written in her day book. I realise casual teachers get paid very handsomely and I don't do 'busy work' but as term 3 is the time that there is a lot of sickness around it would be good to be able to have something to follow for some consistency for the class.

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