Supply Work What a Pain!!!

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Same here, Soutra.
Have you been watching the Teach First teachers programme?
I feel really sorry for them with so little help. They do not seem to have had anything like enough training to go into a classroom.
What experience have you had, Eliza? There are so many schemes these days, and so many ways to train.

I am, not for the first time, confused. Are we talking about supply teaching by a qualified teacher or the desire to become a teacher in which case a course (PGCE, PG Dip Ed orsomething like Teach First seems the obvious course of action) ? Reading volunteer schemes operate as well for someone wishing to gain experience with primary school children. The OP has confused me.

Do not know where you live, Eliza, but Durham free school seems to have lots of teachers with small classes, and a head and his wife are setting up a free school in Consett. Get in at the ground floor there?

Gove went to Sweden and looked at free schools, came back and started them here. Now Sweden has stopped free schools as their education is getting worse. Do you think Gove should go back there again?

Jess is pointing out a route to use your keenness to teach Eliza
Perhaps look on line for local free schools that are developing in your area an see if they would like you on board. Not sure if they pay the full teacher rates or more..might be a way in for you.
keep us posted!

Gove has been off to the States, looked at a couple of exceptional "charter schools" and decided that this is the way education will be improved - let anyone who fancies it open a school and he'll give hem lots of money.

That's so helpful thank you so much--no did not have same tutor but the tutor from USA stood out for me, she was soo passionate about literature and all her lecture's were brilliant

Really really need this help thank you all will stay glued to this thread

Thank you

The same premise which used to ( and still does) drive me apoplectic - namely that everyone has been to school so everyone is an expert. I wonder if brain surgeons suffer in the same way?

Maybe they work by the premise that all these people went to school so know how to teach!

It appears that free schools do not require teachers to have teaching qualifications, though goodness knows what that tells us about their quality of education.

Do let us know how you get on Eliza, it looks as if there is good advice available and guidance towards getting that foot on the teaching career ladder.

It took my DD 2 years after getting PGCE to get a permanent position.
But the experience she gained doing supply teaching was invaluable. She learned how to identify a good/happy school and also the opposite.
The last term of supply work she did was in a pupil referral unit and she then realised that she enjoyed special needs, and loves the job she has now.
Eliza every cloud has a silver lining - use this time to widen your experience and just take what opportunities arise.

I meant QTS. Time for bed.

My neighbour's daughter, with a 2:1 BEd with NQT status, took almost two years to get a permanent full time post, after a series of supply jobs.

durhamjen I think eliza said that her tutor was from the USA. Presumably there were lots of specialist lecturers in the department. Even so, I think it is unusual to have the same tutor all the way through just for a basic BA; you don't usually get continuity with a supervisor until your doctorate.

Eliza are you hoping to do some further training that will lead to a teaching qualification or are you hoping for a long term position as Teaching Assistant?

There are lots of places in London where you can gain QTS: e.g. Unis, training schools, GTP etc.

As a former headteacher and currently a school improvement adviser with a greater London local authority I am happy to give you any helpful hints if you want to pm me.

eliza I will pm you tomorrow to talk about TAs - I also trained them for their qualifications. Happy to help, but off to bed now!

I can remember once making a series of excuses to a school with a "certain" reputation aand the conversation went a bit like this:
Me: I've got to get my little girl to school
Them: That's OK you can come in for second period
Me: And then I have to collect her as I have no child care
Them: That's OK you can leave early
Me: And the car's playing up
Them: That's OK we'll pay for a taxi
Me: (faintly) Lovely see you tomorrow then!!
It was a very rough school and while I never went there again, knowing the local school "Mafia" I made sure I acquitted myself well enough - just wasn't free the next time!!

When I did supply, which was usually when we moved to a different LEA, it was a good idea to always take the first opportunity offered in any school. Then you would find out whether you liked the school or not. If not, and they rang you again, you could always say sorry but you were working that day, in order not to burn any boats, or bridges.

Dragonfly has a point, or do you also have your PGCE Eliza? Often your teaching practice placement schools will bear students in mind when vacancies occur.

I studied Literature as well, Eliza. I can't believe you only had one lecturer. We had about half a dozen.

I think you're very lucky to have got a toe in the door, so to speak, eliza, many with recently-gained degrees aren't so fortunate. Give it time!

There are a great deal of women seeking TA jobs because it fits well with their own childcare needs. Nothing wrong with that but it has meant a lot of people chasing the jobs! Volunteers need managing and organising so there really is a limit to how many one school can cope with.

My DD2 who has 4 yrs teaching experience following her M.Teach QTS and 8 years parenting is currently working her way back to regular teaching by working as a supply,some days as a TA sometimes as a teacher. She has decided to take any work she can so the supply agency offers her as much work as possible. Looks good on the CV.