UK Supply Teaching Stories

Teaching RE in London: Secondary Teacher Gareth

2012-02-14T13:00:00.000Z

This is a debut blog from Gareth, a Secondary Teacher from Australia who is currently working in West London through Protocol Education.

Teaching RE

“Excuse me sir, my mother says I’m not allowed to write about Islam.”

Another opportunity for students to avoid work has reared its ugly head. The main issue with this statement is simply the students’ (or perhaps even parents’) inability to distinguish between learning about religions and practising religions.

Teaching religion in a mixed school, which does not follow one religion in preference to another is surely a difficult task. On the one hand, students who are not religious will feel compromised by having to discuss or learn such subject matter, whilst on the other hand the religious will be equally strong in their view that they be taught only their own.

A Year 5 class I taught last week were taking notes on Islamic artefacts. One of the tasks was to write Allah’s name on their page in Arabic. A few students brought it to my attention that it was disrespectful to have anything else underneath Allah’s name on the page. So we all turned the page, wasting the remaining three quarters of the page and continuing on the following side.

The next issue came when we had to copy down symbols from other religions. Some students were reluctant to include these because their parents had told them that writing anything about another religion would promote that religion, when they should only be promoting their own.

Perhaps these are all simply work avoidance tactics by the students. But equally, it is fair concern to not tread too harshly on the toes of each person’s set of beliefs and morals.

At no point were the students asked to pray to a God. The students were not asked to fast over Lent. They were not told that the meat between their sandwich must be Kosher. No one was taken outside for a good stoning because they cheated on their wife.

Simply we were having a lesson. Perhaps it would be better if the content of the lessons was just included in History or Citizenship classes. Then it could be presented in a matter of fact way without including the students’ emotional and subjective attachments to a particular religion.

A slightly more encompassing approach in one school was to teach on a theme, where students comment on the theme based upon what their belief system was. However this too can be limiting if the students don’t know terribly much about their religion; or alternatively if they have no religion at all.

Back in Australia’s New South Wales, part of this problem was dealt with by introducing ethics classes for students not wanting to sit in on religious classes. The introduction of the classes last year was met with a mix of support and backlash, with one politician claiming ethics classes were similar to Nazi and communist philosophies. Whether they are right or wrong with such a forthright claim is by the by. The concern is the complex arguments and conflicts students, parents, teachers and politicians continue to have over teaching religion in a secular classroom.

Perhaps as the old adage goes, “don’t speak about politics or religion”, is the best policy. In the meantime, we as teachers must approach these classes in the most diplomatic way, especially when the classroom is filled with a cohort of differing belief structures.

~ by Gareth, a Secondary Teacher working in London schools through Protocol Education. This is Gareth's first blog, so why not comment below?

Related Blogs and Pages

Supply Teaching in East London: The Schools
London Secondary Teachers: Try SEN!
Secondary Teaching Jobs in London

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Desperately Seeking... Teachers! The Latest Vacancies

2012-02-10T15:34:00.000Z

These are the latest vacancies from Protocol Education. To apply for any of these roles please email your CV to cro@protocol-education.com quoting the reference for the vacancy.

We are looking for the following...

Teachers and Teaching Assistants of all levels for supply work in Colchester and Clacton. Ref: Colchester

A Year Two Teacher for a part-time role in Southall, Ealing, West London. The days would be all-day Monday, all-day Wednesday and half days on Tuesday and Thursday. The focus for this role is on improving attainment, and is quite a demanding position. QTS preferred. Ref: Southall Year Two

A Year One Teacher for a part-time role in Southall, Ealing. The days would be Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. British trained or QTS preferred. Ref: Southall Year One

Teachers and Teaching Assistants of all levels for supply work in Norfolk, Suffolk and Peterborough. Ref: Norfolk

To find teaching and other school-based roles in your area please use our Teaching Jobs Search.

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Teaching in Manchester: The Game Cloud

2012-02-08T13:07:00.000Z

Here is a post by supply teacher Megan, who works in Manchester schools through Protocol Education.

The Game Cloud

Well, I've been away from it since last July... teaching that is, and with work likely for this week, it's got me thinking about my "start of the day" routine that I begin each supply day with. I began supply teaching through Protocol two years ago, and after reading a fun article before I started about various ways to engage the children and gain their interest right away I decided to utilize "The Game Cloud" as my fun little "game" for the day, also known as my sneaky classroom management technique!

Quiet Down, Class!

I start off by drawing a big cloud on the board and ask the kids if they know what that might be, and unless they've had me before, they usually don't know. I say that this is no ordinary cloud, and explain that I want to have a great day with them and one of my favourite things to do is share with my new classes the best game in the world... BUT we can only play it at the end of the day, and only if they earn it. I ask the children what sort of things I would be looking for to earn the game, and kids are usually great at saying things like "putting your hand up before speaking," and "doing your work." If they're putting their hands up and not shouting out at this point, I usually go to the Game Cloud and put the number 10 in right away and say "look, that's how easy it is! You're all listening really well, you're raising your hand and giving me your full attention, so I've put 10 minutes in the game cloud for your game at the end of the day!" And they're all chuffed to bits at this point. Then I explain how you can also lose minutes that you earn as well, and then hear their thoughts on what sort of things might cause this to happen.

Give Them an Incentive

I then end on a happy note and give them a bit of a challenge; I usually say something like "I had one class earn 30 minutes for a game at the end of the day! That's the most any other class has ever earned! Do you think you all can beat that record?" And usually the class erupts in unison that yes of course they can! I refer back to the game cloud constantly, and often I don't even have to use my words to express disappointment with behaviour, all I would have to do is change the minutes and they get themselves and their peers back in line when they see this.

Plan a Great Game

I also never tell them what game they'll be playing, which keeps up the excitement and mystery throughout the day, I just assure them it's "the best game ever" and that it's very unlikely they've ever played it before! Feel free to use the Game Cloud for your supply teaching, and I'd be happy to hear if anyone has a different idea they use to start off the day! Perhaps in my next blog I'll tell you all about my "best games ever" that I use, depending on the age level.

~by Megan, a primary teacher working in Manchester schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Megan.

Register for Teaching Jobs here.
Teaching Jobs in Manchester.
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Teaching in East London Schools: The Classes

2012-02-04T13:30:00.000Z

Bev is a Primary and Secondary Trained Canadian Teacher, who has made the move to East London UK through Protocol Education. This is her second blog entry, her first was about East London Schools!

I have been supply teaching in London for the past 4 months so I think it’s safe to say that I’ve had a range of experiences when it comes to schools, classes, hectic mornings, smooth mornings and overall good days and bad days- thankfully majority have been good! I started with Schools, now let's move on to Classes...

Classes

First things first, I was told that I would cry on my first day of supply teaching in London…..well guess what I didn’t!! And to this day I still haven’t cried! People kept telling me that the kids over here are so poorly behaved and that they would drive me to tears. I think supply teaching anywhere (whether in Canada or the UK) requires a different kind of behaviour management than if you were the regular teacher.

Kids will be kids and most times they will try to take advantage of a supply teacher and they are obviously going to misbehave a bit. Yes, you will need to be quite strict at times and obviously utilize your behaviour management techniques some days more than others, but supply teaching in the UK is definitely not as bad as people made it out to be. I find most classrooms I enter have a behaviour policy set in place so my advice is to find out what that behaviour policy is and use it.

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Finding A Place To Stay... in London!

2012-01-31T15:04:00.005Z

The Big Move

Your bags are packed, and you have left Mum and Dad at the airport and you’re on your way. London is waiting for you in just a few …. hours.

London is a fantastic place to visit for a week or two, to take in the sights, sounds, and odd smells of the oldest food markets or the history that awaits you around every corner.

London is even better if you’re looking to stay for longer to get the most out of Europe using London as a hub to visits all the places you have dreamed and read about.

For any adventure you need a good base to start from, somewhere that is well located that offers you the flexibility to explore. Short term affordable dorms, private rooms or studios are always a great place to start; paying weekly gives you flexibility and the ability to really get a feel for London and find your feet while you explore or look for UK teaching work.

If you are looking for more of a permanent base for getting started, a long term room or studio will allow you to form great relationships, develop new friends and still explore all that London and Europe has to offer and return to your own place, to plan your next exciting trip.

Accommodation London offers a wide selection of accommodation options for both Short term and Long term to suit a wide range of budgets. So if you’re in London or looking to be in London soon or even just looking for a place between trips. Look us up and we will be happy to go over any of our accommodation options in more depth and help you hit the ground running for your next big adventure.

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Teaching in East London Schools: Part One

2012-01-28T13:00:00.000Z

This blog is by Bev, a Primary and Secondary Trained Canadian Teacher working in East London schools through Protocol Education. This is her first blog!

I have been supply teaching in London for the past 4 months so I think it’s safe to say that I’ve had a range of experiences when it comes to schools, classes, hectic mornings, smooth mornings and overall good days and bad days- thankfully majority have been good! Let’s start with schools.

Part One: The Schools

I live and work in East London and I would say I’ve supplied at about 15-20 different schools in my surrounding area. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, each school is different and offers a different experience for teaching. There’s that old saying- don’t judge a book by it’s cover. I think this saying applies well to my supply teaching thus far. I have learned that you can’t walk into a school and judge how the students will be based on the area the school is located or whether the school has funding or not. I have walked into some beautiful schools in some well-off neighbourhoods and have actually found some of those kids to pose more behavioural challenges than at schools that are located in rougher neighbourhoods.

I’ve learned to enter each school with no presumptions. I really had no expectations of what the schools would be like in East London when I first arrived and overall I’m very pleased with the schools I’ve supplied at. I can sum up the 15-20 schools I’ve supplied at in the following very boring but honest way: students-great, staff- great, overall experience- great. There is not one school that I’ve supplied at that I wouldn’t go back to.

~ by Bev, a Canadian Trained Teacher working in East London schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more about working in East London schools.

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Working in SEN: A Secondary Teacher in London

2012-01-24T12:30:00.000Z

Krissy is a Secondary-Trained Canadian Teacher currently working through Protocol Education, and this is her first entry to the Protocol Blog!

Have You Tried Working in SEN?

I spent Saturday night at home with my two flatmates (who also happen to be teachers) sharing a bottle of wine and catching up on each other’s lives (read: we’re broke like teachers normally are at the start of the year!). As we were talking about how the past week had been, it was my turn to share a few stories about my experience at the secondary school at which I am currently doing cover as a Year 3 Special Needs teacher. Before I could really say anything though, one flatmate said, “I could never do what you do!” The other quickly agreed, adding, “It takes a really special person to do that job.”

I beg to differ. I mean, yes, I agree that I’m pretty darn special (ha ha), but being a Special Needs teacher requires the same qualities that any mainstream teacher has. You have to be a patient person to deal with the various issues that are bound to come up throughout the day. You have to like working with children. You have to implement behavioural management strategies on a daily basis. You have to facilitate student learning through planned lessons and then track that learning through completed work and student progress. After school clubs, lunch time duty and other school events that arise will require your support. You have to be organized and as efficient as possible. I could go on, but hopefully you get where I am going with this.

If you are a mainstream teacher, don’t allow yourself to think that you cannot work in a special needs school. Why not call up your agency and ask them to give you an opportunity to work in a special needs school for a week? I say one week because this will allow you the chance to not only develop a relationship with the children but also give you time to see the advantages and disadvantages of the entire experience. Some of you may leave with the knowledge that at least you tried it and it just wasn’t for you. But the ones who are left surprised by how great the experience was will hopefully endeavour to seek special needs qualifications (like I am currently working towards) and enter into this very rewarding career that is crying out for more trained teachers! So please, give special needs schools a try! What have you got to lose?

~ by Krissy, a Canadian Teacher working in London Secondary Schools through Protocol Education.

Related Blogs and Pages

A Canadian Teacher's Guide to Teaching in the UK

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Meeting the Ofsted Inspector: Supply Teaching

2012-01-20T12:30:00.000Z

Steve is a Primary Teacher working in Manchester schools through Protocol Education. Here is his latest entry to the ProtoBlog!

Manchester Teacher Steve

Supply Meets Ofsted

Now that I'm doing a PhD in Ofsted, I expect to read about it in books and interview people about it. What I didn't expect was to get Ofsteded whilst doing a day's supply.

It is a highly surreal experience having an Ofsted inspector in your classroom as a daily supply. On the one hand, all the old memories come back of previous inspections; the Ghost of Inspectors Past, whose arrival (generally in the least well-prepared class of the inspection week) was met with fatigue-soaked dread. I had normally been up till the wee hours filling in massive lesson plans in minute detail, and cutting out bits of card which I hoped would produce fantastically productive pair work. Predictably enough, on the day, I would be too stressed and tired to remember the plan, or use the cards well.
As I worked my way up the ladder, there would be the additional stress of 'the interview', in which I would be expected to show that I had the correct systems in place (it's always about systems with Ofsted, isn't it?).

Here, though, none of that applied. I didn't know the pupils, and couldn't be expected to know them. I hadn't set the work, and in fact, if the inspector had come in a few minutes earlier, he would have seen the head of faculty and I working out what to do as the class came in the room.

And yet, pupils have the right to expect that they will learn something even when their regular teacher is away and the work is a bit ad hoc. And I agree with that. That's why I try to make sure that happens in all my supply lessons. It's also why the inspector was in my class in the first place; because Ofsted thinks so too.

In the event, it was a year 7 class reading their novel together for English; I allocated roles and we treated it like a read-through for a play. Not my idea; it's what their usual teacher had been doing. But it was fun and engaging for most of them, though I'm sure the inspector managed to pounce on the two or three who were staring out of the window.

I must admit though; I was dying to grab him and quiz him on why he thought his judgments were valid and reliable. (That's one for the sociologists out there!)

~ by Steve, a Primary Teacher working in Manchester schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Steve.

Related Blogs and Pages

Supply Teaching: Studying Ofsted
Teaching Techniques: No More Mr Nice Guy
Creative Teaching: Lesson Planning

Teaching Jobs in Manchester
Register for UK Teaching Jobs

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Math, Maths, Mathematics or Numeracy? A Primary Blog.

2012-01-14T14:00:00.000Z

Inge is a Primary Teacher working in Cambridge schools through Protocol Education, and here is her latest entry to the ProtoBlog.

Maths, mathematics or numeracy?

Well, all I know is that by the time the children leave our care in the primary school; they need to have numerous methods for calculating just about anything thrown at them at secondary school. So if this is our target how do we get there?

It is amazing how many man hours are spent putting together exciting lesson plans with WOW moments, open ended questions and room for investigative work. However, just occasionally it is nice to be able to use someone else’s effort as our own. After all there is no point in reinventing the wheel as they say.

I frequently use the resources found on the BEAM (Be A Mathematician) website for those occasions where opportunities for APP observations are badly needed in order to identify gaps in the children’s learning. The website offers free resources to download as well as opportunities for purchasing complete sets of tasks. Every month resources from their database are made available covering just about every learning area and age group from 3 to 13.

I use many of the games they offer as I find the children verbalise their calculations and strategies more when playing a game with a friend. It cuts out the leading questions in place of fun filled games which the children enjoy immensely.

The resources, which include work sheets, puzzles, games and more, are also excellent to use as homework tasks, tasks for early finishers as well as support/extension work. I always have a set of laminated tasks ready for those occasions when I do short notice supply cover, as the equipment needed for the games are often just a couple of dice and counters. If there are no plans made available to follow I know the children will be doing something meaningful and beneficial.

So, following the theory that it is not just about achieving the target but just as much about the road taken, enjoy and Be A Mathematician!

~ by Inge, a Primary Teacher with QTS working in Cambridge schools as a supply teacher through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Inge.

Related Blogs and Pages

Group Work in the Classroom (Blog)
Supply Teaching Survival Guide (Blog)
Teaching Jobs in Cambridge

Protocol Education on Facebook
Protocol Education on Twitter

My First Day Supply Teaching in the UK: Part Two

2012-01-13T13:00:00.000Z

In A Canadian Teacher's Guide to UK Teaching: Part One, Jenna wrote about looking forward to 30 smiling faces sitting patiently and expectantly in the classroom as she arrives...

You Expect a Perfect Class...

However it doesn’t always work out that sweetly. Some days the plans are a sticky note on top of a pile of strewn papers of unit plans from previous weeks. You can’t find the math and literacy group lists. There isn’t an obvious behaviour management strategy posted. Your questions are unanswerable by the staff member that you asked. And the registration is ALIEN to you. When this happens… I take a deep breath, close my eyes and picture myself in my happy place! - In actuality I jump in headfirst and take on the day with a fury I didn’t know I had in me!

Canadian Teacher Jenna

Yes! It's a Supply Teacher!

In the beginning these days drag you down. You sometimes feel you can’t even think because you’re so busy trying to manage the group of students who walked in with the “YES! It’s a Supply Teacher” sparkle in their eyes, and if feels like “teaching” is not actually a part of your job description. Then the next day you have a wonderful class, an amazing TA and you manage to shine as Teacher, leader, and manager. The kids ask for you back and the TA does the same. It is in this moment that you begin to realize that the day before was not nearly as bad as you thought, and that you learned so much from that experience.

Good Days and Bad Days

Bottom line is that you have your good days and bad days, and despite the bad your confidence grows every week because you learn. You learn strategies. You begin to understand the different vocabulary. You end up with little gem lesson plans that you can pull from your pocket when you have extra time to kill. You learn to use your differences (being from Canada) as hooks to get the students attention. You start returning to schools and you learn the transit systems. You learn, and like we tell our students all the time… you can’t learn without first making mistakes.

Inspiring Confidence

The best part about being a teacher is that no two days are the same and every day you learn something new or are faced with a different challenge. And although the challenge can sometimes fill you with panic, or fear… when you meet that challenge you can’t be more elated and proud. Each day as a supply teacher in Essex, is a mini version of the larger adventure I have decided to partake in. Each day starts as me getting on that plane and ends as me sitting in my “flat” writing this with the confidence of a new teacher getting better every day. It is a challenge that makes me a little nervous, excited, horrified and eventually proud. I can’t tell you how amazing this adventure is; you just have to have it yourself.

~ by Jenna, a Canadian Teacher working in Essex schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Jenna.

Related Blogs and Pages

A Canadian Teacher's Guide to UK Teaching: Part One (Blog)
Canadian Teacher? See our new Protocol Canada site.

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Canadian Teacher Blog: Teaching in England, Part One

2012-01-12T13:00:00.001Z

A Day in the Life...

Where do I start except to say it’s been an adventure! I got on a plane from Canada and flew across the ocean to work in a career I had not even started yet… let’s just say I was a little nervous, excited, horrified… proud.

Canadian Teacher Jenna

And I would be lying if I sat here and told you that was the last time I felt all those feelings at once, because I certainly feel them almost daily!

It starts just after 7 am with the first moment of excitement, when I get a call back from one of the amazing ladies at Protocol Education. This quickly changes to the dread of figuring out my morning commute in less then 30 seconds. The faster you get yourself orientated the faster you can run to the train station and either clique with the regular commuters to “London Liverpool St.”, or (my preferred route) quietly sip my coffee and watch the cliquing of the regular commuters to “London Liverpool St.” from the almost empty Platform 2, EASTBOUND.

Arriving at School

After the short break on the train the panic begins to do what it does best and slowly creeps along, rising in your chest as you get off the train and orient yourself for a second time. It's time to decide what direction to head while praying your Blackberry Google Maps is right; every three steps checking your phone to make sure the little blue dot is still moving in the right direction along your mapped route.

Yes… sometimes I might 'over panic', because the school then appears through the residential streets and that blast of excitement, relief and pride overwhelm the panic once more. IF, for whatever reason (bad service or your own idiocy), the school does NOT appear, the panic begins to flood your chest and its time to call Protocol Education! Trying to keep your voice from bouncing the sweet voice on the other side of the phone says “You al’ite? Oh don’t worry, let me jus ‘ave a look ‘ere” and your once again relieved and on your merry way! (Thank you ladies for getting me out of a few tight spots! You're there every step of the way!)

Meeting the Class

Now its time to walk in the school and find your classroom. Most days this is the best part. The staff greet you with warm smiles, offers of tea and coffee and help in any way they can. You’re shown around the school (the toilets, staffroom and cafeteria/hall) and taken to your room where the plans are out and ready to go and the room is ready to greet the children.

You get a few minutes quiet to yourself to map out your day, find the math and literacy group lists, discover their behaviour management strategies and pad around checking everything out. If all goes right and you’ve asked the right questions, such as:

“Do I pick up the students and if so where?”

“Is there a bell or must I just go out and be ready for them?” (some schools don’t use bells)

“Are there any IEP’s or behaviour students to look out for and help with the change of a supply?”

If this all goes smoothly, then your students come in, you get through the register (as long as your accent doesn’t miss pronounce H-ARE-ry as H-AIR-ry) and your day begins with 24 lovely faces staring expectantly at you.

More to come in Part Two...

~by Jenna, a Canadian Primary Teacher working in London and Essex schools through Protocol Education.

Related Blogs and Pages

Canadian Teacher? Visit our new Protocol Canada site.
London Primary Schools: Teaching Handwriting (Blog)
Preparing for Supply Teaching (Blog)

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The Winter Term: Teacher Mentality

2012-01-12T12:30:00.000Z

Grey skys; happy days

Home time

It’s 4:30pm and you’re making way home or at least thinking about it. The day has been long and hard and without a doubt you are craving a little down time. The kids were pretty good for the first session and were a lot better in the second. At lunch you sat back letting the school dinner slowly melt the protective lining on your stomach, normally reserved for alcohol abuse and chemical toxins, and you think you might even be ale to leave saying you had a great day with the kids. After lunch things went a slightly different to the plan. They went nuts, you lost your voice, your blood pressure needed stabilising and your nerves were shot. It’s ok you are not the only one. Today I had such an experience. I really thought I nailed it at lunch. Finally I’ve got through to these guys. No? spoke too soon? I move from my point. Its 4:30pm you’ve marked the books and you look out the window and see the light or lack there of. Its cold dark and you think that perhaps you lost the last couple of hours somewhere in the abyss. You haven’t, its your standard London winter day; cold and dark by the early afternoon.

Positive Perspective

Now, I don’t mean to be negative. In fact the point of this blog is to tell you to chin up. I need that sometimes. All it takes for me is for someone to put things into perspective. A bad day or in some cases just a bad lesson is not the be all and end all neither is the fact that the gloom strikes early here. Its at times like this you need to remind yourself of why you came to work overseas in the first place. For most of my friends who teach in London they came over to work not just to become a better teacher but to travel, to live is a city that doesn’t sleep (even if its transport does, you know what I’m talking about, the damn night bus), to be out amongst the music and art scene. So if you are feeling like the day is getting on top of you, stop and take some time out. Go travelling, see that gig (even if its mid-week), enjoy London for what it offers.

Take control!

So a little quote I heard in the other day ‘if you don’t run your day, your day runs you’. So take each day as it comes, get some sun in southern Portugal or snow in France and I’ll see you on the flip side happy as Larry.

~ by Mike, an Australian Supply Teacher working through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Mike.

Are you an Australian Teacher thinking of coming to the UK? See our Website for Australian Teachers.

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My UK Teaching Journey: by Australian Teacher Cassie

2012-01-11T10:19:00.000Z

The Beginning of my UK Teaching Journey

It’s been a rough start – I’m not going to lie. And it’s that time of year where all of my (new) Australian-in-London friends start migrating to Convent Garden to pick up Barbeque or Pizza shapes, $5 cherry ripes (you think I’m kidding?) and suddenly become so much more Aussie than they were before. Even I’ve noticed my usually soft Australian accent has become quite hard and “Outback Jackie”.

Arriving in the UK!

It’s not an easy thing to do, pick up and start your life all over again in a brand new country. Even though we speak the same language, the vernacular is so different, that just going shopping for bedding is tricky – please note, a Doona is called a “duvet”, and do not, I repeat DO NOT ask for a pair of thongs at a shoe shop. It won’t end well.

The Right Attitude

I’m known among my friends at home for my “just do it” attitude, but even that was tested here. I came expecting the streets to be lined with proverbial gold, and to be honest, some of them are. But it’s going to take you a lot longer to get settled than you thought, and a lot more money than you thought. I wish I had saved at least $10,000 to come over with, because then it would have been a lot easier. I also wish I had been mentally prepared for the two weeks when there just wasn’t any work going, anywhere. I was lucky – I have a friend who works in publishing who has been here six months, and is about to go home because she still hasn’t found anything.
Having said that, the right attitude is everything here – have the right attitude, the right outlook, and the “can-do” spirit that we’re known for, and the tube is your oyster.

So here are my suggestions for coming over and getting settled in record time (note: I was settled in 8 weeks, which is considered very quick!).

1. Be prepared. Be prepared financially, physically and emotionally.

Financially - Have a lot of money saved up, and have at least two weeks’ worth of accommodation lined up in a hostel or similar. If you want a really comfy landing, get a private room for a week to sleep off the jet lag.
Physically - You’re going to do more walking than you’ve probably ever done in your life – get good, flat shoes with a decent sole, and get blister prepared. Even those shoes you’ve worn every day for the last year are going to give you blisters.
Emotionally – You will miss home. Especially when you haven’t worked for two weeks and the money situation is looking scary, and you’ve only got friends around you that you’ve known for a millisecond. Skype will be your new best friend. Make sure EVERYWHERE you stay has internet access – preferably free.

2.   Be willing to travel and be persistent

Yes, every Australian in London is willing to travel – but what I mean is, be prepared to travel outside of zones 2 or 3. And be prepared to travel outside of your realm of specialisation – I’m a secondary trained English teacher with no real training in special needs, but my best Protocol Education placement so far has been at a school that’s literally on the border of London and Surrey, teaching special needs kids six different subjects. It took me an hour and a half to get to school, and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Call your Protocol consultant every morning, and every afternoon. They’ll hate me for saying that, but you won’t! And call any other branches you’d be prepared to work in – for example, if you’re secondary based north, but would go south and teach primary, call the southern branch and primary. Be annoying. It’ll get you everywhere with your consultants.

3.   Swallow your pride

Sometimes, pride is a good thing – pride in yourself, and your abilities. But unfortunately, pride won’t pay the bills. If you’re really struggling, get a weekend or evening job. Yes, it’s minimum wage, and you’ll have to work twenty hours to get what one day of teaching pays, but it helps. Make sure it doesn’t interfere with your ability to teach – i.e. finish by ten on a School night at the latest, work mostly Friday through Sunday, etc. Even if it’s just until you land a long term placement (if that’s what your goal is) – it’s better than going home, right? I worked in a pub as well until I got my current long term placement. It was fun, dirty work, but Aussies get tipped well because they’re willing to chat, smile a lot and pull a better beer!

4.   Look everywhere for a room and be open to buddy ups

I met my current housemate on Spareroom.co.uk. It’s a wicked website, and has heaps of places. Something that a lot of people are (rightly) wary of are buddy ups. A Buddy Up is when people who are looking for rooms come together to find a place. The downside is, you’re tied together for at least 12 months (which can suck if you don’t get on). The upside is, you can often find better people if you’re more patient. My housemate is like the English version of my best friend at home – and I never would have met her if not for buddy ups. If you do go for this option, meet up and get to know each other first. Be flexible on your budget – we wanted 100 a week, but we’ve had to go up to 125 a week, but the place is perfect. UK Accommodation Options.

In Summary

Of course, my four tips are hardly “the bible” of moving to London. In fact, some of my friends might disagree! But these four things are what got me through my first two months here. It got me a house, friends, and a long term placement within 8 weeks, which is a pretty decent turn around I think. And if it really is getting too hard – think like Nina Simone… “It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life”… and that’s gotta feel good.

~ Written by Cassie, an Australian Teacher currently working in Essex schools through Protocol Education.

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Teaching SEN Primary: Some Advice!

2011-12-15T10:39:00.000Z

Prior to taking the plunge to become a qualified teacher in the UK, I spent years working with children with SEN. Perhaps by accident rather than design, I ended up specialising in children with ASD statements. Yet during a five-year period in a complex needs school, I ended up being something of an SEN all-rounder (master of none...). The one thing any SEN setting teaches you quickly is that good SEN practice is good practice regardless of your setting. There are some tips so obvious that they can sometimes be missed, so just in case…

1)    A whole school approach works wonders
In supply teaching, you aren’t going to be able to bring about a change in a school’s behaviour management policy (however much you might want to). What you can do is implement effectively what is already in place. However, if it’s not working in your classroom, don’t be afraid to abandon it provided your alternatives are safe, fair and consistent. Share issues with colleagues and use that support network to augment strategies. You have a right to expect support from fellow professionals.

2)    Use language concisely and precisely
I’ve been there many times as a student teacher, and a few as a supply, when instructions for the lesson aren’t clear or you simply can’t interpret (often at short notice) what the teacher means. You keep adding words as you speak and trying to explain; the children meanwhile are lost trying to pick out the important information. At this point, try to have them focus on something simple and straightforward even if its just reading any instructions, or adding dates and titles to work.

Once you know what is to be done or what wasn’t clear, clarify with each group, or the class as a whole. Take hands for anyone who doesn’t understand. This applies equally to any instructions for transitions: “Clear your tables of all unnecessary clutter ensuring extraneous items are removed forthwith to their appropriate location, followed immediately by yourself in the position you have been hitherto occupying” is less helpful than “Books in a pile, equipment away and back in your seats.”

3)    Timing
Changeovers/ transitions/ moving/ splitting. Whatever you call them, the bits where the children stop doing one thing and do a different thing are the flashpoints in any school. Following from 2, let the class know how much time they have to swap, and remind them of expectations and consequences. If possible, have a visual aid e.g. the minute hand on a clock or a sand timer so they can tangibly see how long is left. Reward the quickest as appropriate and carry out sanctions for those who try to get away with things everyone knows are inappropriate. I’ve seen some teachers use a ‘1 – Stand up 2 – Move to the new place 3 – Sit down’ method and having scoffed at first, I’m now quite a fan…

4)    Be visual
Ok, so you can’t set up an entire pictorial timetable in a classroom or begin to add PECS symbols around a school if you visit for a single day. However, what you can do is use boards for instructions at the beginning of lessons e.g. ‘Sit down and get our your guided reading books’, or to write out the day’s timetable (if you know it!) so the children know what is coming. This may in itself be different to what the class teacher normally does, but for any children anywhere near the Autism spectrum it will be priceless: there is change with a supply teacher that suggests everything might be different. Take time to explain what is expected as visually as possible – this doesn’t need to be with pictures but depending on your skills and time there’s no reason why you shouldn’t.

5)    Say and sign
Seriously, this works wonders. You don’t need to be Makaton trained to reinforce direct commands with clear gestures. This works particularly well in EYFS settings, where children are still developing their language skills and can also support an children with EAL to understand. Counter-intuitively, it can also work for a boisterous KS2 class. You don’t need to use whole class say-and-sign methods for lessons, but for those pupils around the edges who may be thinking of following a ring leader, a subtle, low-level gesture to sit down or start writing can divert them.

6)    Physical noise is aural noise
When children are agitated – particularly those known to be aggressive - an adult’s tendency is to reflect that behaviour. Indeed, handling TA’s who respond unsettlingly loudly to a child who needs an initial prompt can require careful diplomacy. In this situation, or when a class has come in after lunch on a Friday, or if noise levels are increasing, stand still and keep movements small and precise. It reduces the children’s need to follow unnecessary stimuli, slows things down momentarily and keeps any communication uncluttered and has the added bonus of helping you retain your professional demeanour. (Additionally, gain attention by writing instructions in a clear place; see 4.)

~ written by Steve N., a Primary Teacher working in London Schools through Protocol Education.

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Impressing Schools as a Supply Teacher: Some Tips!

2011-12-02T12:30:00.000Z

Here are some great tips from one of Protocol's supply teachers, sharing her advice about getting asked back to a school!

Arrive Early...

I’ve had some lovely positive comments from schools recently, and it got me thinking about what schools see in a teacher that makes them ask that teacher back again. In my experience, one of the best ways to make a good first impression has been to arrive at a school early, between 8 and 8.15am. When you show up later it implies that you were either disorganised or lazy. Sometimes, of course, you couldn’t help it because your train was cancelled, your bus was late, your bike had a flat tyre, or you got a last minute call. If you couldn’t help it, an apology and an explanation help, but it still feels like you have to work harder to overcome this first impression after a late arrival.

Conduct Yourself Professionally...

The next thing is to conduct yourself professionally. Introducing yourself to office staff/head teachers/teachers in the room next door gives you a support system for the day. Asking sensible questions about break times, registers, behaviour management systems, assembly etc shows that you’re thinking about keeping the routines for the students. Interacting with the students respectfully, listening to them and being willing to help them, as well as reporting any problems to the year level coordinator/deputy head/teacher next door/TA are all ways of showing your professionalism.

There are lots of other ways to get yourself asked back, such as being willing to teach lots of subjects, teaching more than one key stage, chatting with other staff at break times, and cleaning the classroom at the end of the day. However, the thing that I’ve found that impresses schools the most is…*drumroll*

And Get Marking!

MARKING! Taking some time at lunchtime/after school to mark and comment on the work that the students have completed raises you above being ‘just a supply teacher’ and shows that you’re a contributing member of the teaching team. I sign each book at the end of the marked piece of work with “Miss Myname, XX/XX/2011 (supply)” to make it clear for the teacher and students.

If you leave some supply teaching handover notes with a run-down of what happened during the day, teachers like having the information – they can follow up on incidents, give any due rewards, and know what was taught. Also, when students realise that their teacher is aware of what happened while they were absent, they learn that you as a supply teacher follow through with consequences/rewards. This will make your next day there easier when the school asks you back after making such a great impression!

~ by Renata, an Australian teacher working in Cambridge Primary Schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Renata.

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Primary PE Teacher Blog: Encouraging Healthy Living

2011-11-24T12:00:00.000Z

As a teacher who initially trained in secondary Physical Education (before switching to primary) I look forward to the sessions of primary PE that I get to take. PE in primary schools is so important for improving life-long motor skills like throwing, running and catching, and also for building team-work skills.

Promoting Healthy Schools

PE is especially important at the moment because of the government’s initiative for promoting healthy schools and reducing childhood obesity. It can also give children a taste of many different sports, maybe finding one that they are good at or enjoy and want to continue outside of school. I got my first taste of tennis, badminton and football at primary school and am still playing these sports 20 years on!

In my opinion, the key to a successful PE session in primary schools is enjoyment, alongside very clear instructions. If you can make PE activities fun then the children will have a great time....if you can also make them run smoothly by providing clear rules then you will enjoy them too!

Introducing Mini Tennis!

One of my favourite games to play (especially with KS2) is Mini-Tennis. For many years children struggled to enjoy tennis at a young age because the racquets were too big/heavy, the net was too high, the balls were too heavy/hard (and would fly off everywhere) and the court was just too big. A lot of effort was put in by the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to make tennis more accessible to children and Mini-Tennis was born. Mini-Tennis equipment is owned by most schools and features mini racquets, portable nets, soft balls and moveable lines (older children use larger court dimensions and vice versa).

I would strongly recommend giving Mini-Tennis a go with your classes. It allows children to improve their basic movement and hitting skills, get the chance to learn how to score a game and how to play well together. Ask your colleagues if you own Mini-Tennis equipment and give it a go, good luck!

~ by James, a PE Teacher working in Sheffield primary schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by James.

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Creative Writing: Encouraging School Children

2011-11-19T12:46:00.000Z

What's Your Favourite Word?

Faced as we often are with uninterested children and possibly uninspiring cover work, it helps to have a few tricks for getting things going. Something that has worked many times for me (and in full-time teaching as well) has been the “favourite word” gambit.

Encouraging Creative Writing

In it’s simplest form it acts as a spark for creative writing. Ask a child to tell you his or her favourite word and then ask him/her to construct a sentence using that word. Then - “Can you make another sentence with it in? Which sentence do you prefer? Can you add a sentence or two to make a paragraph?” And so on. Children do usually get on better with something over which they feel they have control, and in which they have ownership, and they usually do have plenty of ideas.

Use Your Imagination

If imagination is really lacking with an individual, ask the whole class individually to write their favourite words on scraps of paper and then blu-tac to a wall or whiteboard to create an ideas bank from which the less imaginative can choose. I’m sure from here you can already start to appreciate the possibilities. As well as stories, the children can use the words to create games, puzzles, plays, posters, poetry ........

I’ve used this technique throughout secondary from Y7 to Y13, in various subjects (History, Geography, RE, PSHE, Art etc.) and with all abilities. I’m pretty sure it would work in Primary/Junior as well.

Teaching Spanish

My speciality is MFL and it can work there as well. Last Summer, given a Y11 Spanish top set during a one-day cover, a group of able girls, who had been told that their written coursework needed more variety, were struggling and short of inspiration. I asked them each to choose a favourite Spanish word. When I checked, not one of them had used their chosen words in their coursework so far. That was all the help they needed, and they were up and running, full of ideas, for the rest of the lesson.

So what’s my favourite word? It changes often, but at the moment I quite like “colloquy” – purely for the sound of it.

~ by Jim, a Secondary Teacher working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Jim.

Related Blogs and Pages

Teaching English as a Foreign Language
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Education PhD: Learning About Ofsted

2011-11-18T12:19:00.000Z

The Freedom of Supply
One of the great things about supply teaching work is that you can pursue all those other things you always said you were going to do with your life. My latest such is a PhD in Education. I am not quite sure how this has happened to me, except that I kept saying 'yes' when people asked me first if I would like to apply, then try for funding and finally fight it out for an office (no-one else stood a chance against me on this last point- years spent in positions of responsibility in schools have honed my skills of office-grabbing).

Ofsted Expert

The upshot of this is that in four years time, I will be a world expert on Ofsted. In fact, no-one will know more than me on the specific point of what happens when Ofsted and school leaders mix. Right now, I know rather less about this than almost any Head Teacher in the country whose school has been inspected recently, so it's going to be a steep learning curve.

The Human Element
My initial hunch is that headteachers, to a greater or lesser degree, can become so fixated on doing well in inspections that they end up talking and acting like Ofsted manuals; teachers are labelled as 'ones' or, terrifyingly, 'fours' and concepts as nebulous as 'progress' are reduced to attainment outcomes and tracked to within an inch of their lives. This, obviously, is a caricature; real leaders, like all humans are wonderfully messy and complex creatures, yet if even a hint of this exists in our leaders should we not ask searching questions about what kind of leader brings out the best in teachers and other school staff, and through them in children? And whether it is even possible to bang on about distributed leadership on the one hand when the accountability structure Ofsted encourages creates 'strong' (i.e. control-freak) headteachers?

Hunches, it goes without saying, are often wrong. I would love to hear your experiences on this one.

~ by Steve, a secondary teacher working in Manchester schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Steve.

Related Blogs and Pages
The Perils of Supply Teaching: The Staff Room
Supply Teaching Survival Guide
Teaching Techniques: No More Mr Nice Guy

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Teaching SEN: Learning Breakthroughs

2011-11-16T10:14:00.001Z

Working with Year One
Working in a Year one class just after summer holidays can be quite a task. The switch from Reception to Year one is definitely a big change for the children. Bigger chairs. More books to write in. More writing. Less play in class. Fewer toys. It’s all quite a lot to take in. Attention spans are limited and you can spend half a lesson trying to keep them sat at their tables. Plus, after summer holidays most of what they learnt in Reception appears to have drifted away and it can feel like they haven’t retained anything.

Repetition
This is especially true when working primarily with the children who need more support. It can be a long process before results in their learning start to show. Subjects are still quite basic, there’s a lot of repetition and sometimes it seems like it really is ‘in one ear and out the other’ after the same thing has been taught on 3 different days and still you get blank expressions and shrugs of shoulders. Suddenly a breakthrough with a child’s learning occurs, and it makes all the hard work finally feel like it was doing some good after all.

Breakthrough
Mine came with one of the children in the lower ability group in my class. Up until recently she struggled to work independently, had difficulty recalling letters and numbers, and occasionally brought her herself to tears when she was didn’t know what she was doing. This is no longer the case when for the first time she was able to work out a sentence she wanted to write, sound out the letters, and have a go at spelling the words. This was done on her own as I worked with another child. She was so proud that she was able to write something herself, and the realisation that she knew how to do something was a massive confidence boost for her. There was the added payoff of her choice of sticker, a shining medal to show other children that she had achieved something of merit.
These are the times that you realise everything you are doing is making a difference. Even if you can’t see it straight away (or even after a whole term), when they eventually take a step forward it is great to know you had a hand in making it happen.
~ by Tom, a Teaching Assistant working in London classrooms through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Tom.

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Primary Teaching: The Power of Music

2011-11-12T12:05:00.000Z

Individual music love

The other day I had a girl in my class break into hysterical tears. Through her nonsensical blabbering I was able to (somewhat) determine that she was stressed. Just like me, the noise in the room was becoming too much for her. The boys next to her were making ‘funny’ noises with there hand under the armpits and the girl next to her were clicking their tongues. I couldn’t understand why this brought her to tears but I understood that after a while the noise in a classroom can become one huge orchestra of disabling fuzz. It’s worse than tinnitus, you know that ringing in your ears that you get after a heavy night at a club or when you spend too much time at the front of the mosh-pit at the gig of you favourite band.

This noise was personified and it had pushed her to the ledge and forced her to jump off. I wasn’t sure what to do. The thinking and reasoning of girls can sometimes be beyond me, even outside of school. I’m sure most guys can sympathise. So I suggested to her a way I tune in overwhelming situations, to listen to some quite music. So I lent her my mp3 player and giant school reading headphones and let her chill out at the back of the room. After 5 minutes of some ‘chill out’ music she was ready to come back and was a completely new person.

The Class: Relaxation time

The same class, a week earlier. I had an ‘interesting’ boy in my class. At his most ‘interesting’ point he was throwing a chair across the room because he wasn’t allowed to use permanent maker on an interactive whiteboard. Standard request, I thought. The whole class were about to erupt. I imagined an uprising, the sort you see in prisons, where flaming rolls of toilet paper flew across the room, fights in each corner of the room with shivs being pulled out. I had to act quickly and appropriately. My saviour came in the form of youtube.

What is it with videos that kids love so much? Is it that they don’t normally watch them during school? Surely they get enough at home? I have to admit these questions were definitely not going through my head at the time. I put of a piano piece and had it up on the whiteboard. The video was simply single images of nature accompanied by a peaceful piano piece by Einuadi. They sat mesmerised while I caught the bits and pieces the ‘interesting’ kid was trying to hurl at the class. Eventually the noise had attracted the head teacher and was removed. All in a days work really. As I turned to the class and told them I was impressed they managed to ignore the disruption I noticed the blank faces which said ‘What are you talking about? We were just listening to music’

Assembly smiles

I ran the school assembly today. It went down a treat. Sure we did the same yawn inducing scripted plays where all the kids needed to use the toilet about 2 minutes before curtains due to nerves, where they all but forgot their lines and giggled as soon as they finished their part. The teachers half impressed almost let out a sigh of relief when it was over, but we hadn’t finished there.

I stood centre stage, with the class and we sang and danced until we had the whole school in fits of giggles. I cant claim credit for the students laughs, my class and there ‘dance’ moves were responsible for that. I can, however, claim responsibility for the teachers’ smiles. The first time I have seen a smile on some of the old warhorses’ faces (you know the ones I’m talking about) since starting here.

Music has both saved me in times of need and given me the strength of patience that has come in so valuable teaching in London.

~ by Mike, an Australian teacher working in London primary schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Mike.

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London Primary: Learning to Write

2011-11-09T12:30:00.000Z

This blog is by Canadian teacher Kathryn, currently teaching in London primary schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Kathryn.

Learning to Write

Canadian Teacher Kathryn

There is a highly practical and very unique aspect of teaching in the UK that long escaped this Canadian teacher. This problem has been trailing me around since I started teaching out here. Every so often I'll get a class of Key Stage 2 students, and I'll write something on the board in my very best primary school handwriting, only to have a keen hand fly up and a child ask, "Miss, is that an R or an N?" Or something like that.

The problem is that a few cursive letters of the alphabet as a Canadian or American (I presume) is taught them, genuinely do look different from what is taught in England.

Here, penmanship is taught all at one - there is no starting with printing and then graduating to cursive writing in Grade 3, like in Canada. Rather, children are taught all the letters in reception (kindergarten) and Year 1, and are subsequently encouraged to "join the letters up", thereby turning their letters into a form of cursive writing.

The marriage of these two skills means that in the UK, people don't have the two separate skills of printing and cursive writing. Instead, they have one set of letters and those may or may not be joined together.

I was caught off guard a few times when I noticed (to my eyes) some truly bizarre formations of the letter “f” in student work. It looks different here. The small “s” and “r” are different too.

Being a primary school teacher, I’ve decided to bite the bullet and learn my letters afresh for the UK. It’s tricky. For those of you who have felt caught out the same way, here are some writing samples that may help!

Writing Samples:

Teachers: Create Your Own Worksheets!

2011-11-03T15:05:00.001Z

There are vast amount of worksheets and resources available online for us to use. However I think that taking the time to create a worksheet of your own can make all the difference. Worksheets are essential for us supply teachers, they can be prepared well in advance and are great for any situation; however there are some criteria that I always use when I am preparing worksheets to make sure that children get the most possible out of them.

Think about the year group that you are aiming your worksheet at. Will they be able to read it? Can they understand it? This may seem like such a simple point but often this is the most overlooked point.
Make sure it closely matches up with your lesson and lesson objectives; if it’s going off on a tangent then it is of no use as it won’t be applicable to the lesson.
Ensure you have enough for all children. As obvious as this sounds having to have children share can cause such a fuss depending on the age, it’s much easier to get enough for everyone, most schools don’t mind as it’s to help the children. Do check with them though.
Don’t give all of the answers away. Make sure that learning occurs otherwise there is no point in having it.
Don’t just repeat what you have said during the input, it’s such a common mistake, make it interesting and new, you can reword it and change it to make sure it differs. It will keep attention.

These are just my ideas but they have never steered me wrong so far. I understand not everyone will have time to create their own worksheet but I hope this helps!

~ by Faye, a primary teacher working in schools through Protocol Education Newcastle. Click here to read more by Faye.

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Learning Their Names, by Teaching Assistant Audrey

2011-10-22T12:30:00.000+01:00

One of the things I find tricky when doing short term supply is quickly learning the children's names. The key to settling in quickly and being accepted by the children is to know their names so they feel comfortable with you, and accept you as part of their world within school. Knowing names is also obviously useful if you need to step in to stop a conflict

There will always be those children who for one reason or another be it good or bad, you will learn very quickly! Then there are those you learn because another child is constantly running to tell you that child “A” has done this , that or the other In-between there are the children that are quietly getting on with their day and unless you devise a way to quickly learn their names can slip under the radar. As a TA or Nursery Nurse there are always times during the day when the teacher is sat with a group of children and I am sat with them keeping a general eye on the group. I take this time to listen for when the teacher asks a child a question or directs a comment at them , and mentally make a note and try remember it at that time.

Teaching Assistant Audrey

Sometimes with a class of over 30 there is no easy way to quickly remember all the names and I have found a quick and easy way when working one to one or in a small group is to deliberately call the child a random name, for example saying “shall I put your name on your work Fred” usually gets a response of giggles and I'm not Fred I'm.......The children seem to enjoy this and it breaks the ice and they soon come to accept you.

At a recent placement there was one little girl whose name I found particularly difficult to remember, after a few hours of using the “Fred” ploy I remembered her name and called her by it, to which her reply was “I'm not (Polly) I'm Fred! Touché!

~ by Audrey, a nursery nurse and teaching assistant working in schools and nurseries in Sheffield through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Audrey.

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School Assembly: Get Involved!

2011-10-21T13:00:00.000+01:00

School Assemblies

You’ve been there, right on the side of the assembly hall watching over your class like a hawk. It’s enough to induce at least a yawn but you cover it as a cough so the kids don’t see. They are not a perceptive as people give them credit for. In fact I think it’s just that you have a pair of eyes on you at all times and what they see spreads like wild fire. ‘Look, look, Mr F is yawning, he must be bored. Hey Mr F, are you tired? Didn’t you have your morning coffee again?’ Woops, I got off the point.

So there you are sitting in assembly bored. Not another boring ‘rap’ about particles and a play about the chicken and the hen. It ends, you clap (half) heartedly and then move out to break. All part and parcel as a daily supply teacher.

Your turn

As you start to impress a school and pick up more days, those ‘more’ days become a week, then two then before you know it you are the official assembly teacher. The other teachers have picked up on your history with music or dance and they are more than happy to have you do all the hard work, yelling, organising, yelling again and finally putting on the show. What a mess. A fun mess though.

The first show is coming up, your big plans have all but fallen apart or some kid has stolen them, put them in a school bin and lit it on fire (just kidding). It's when you are at the back of the assembly, watching all your hard work, watching it look a little messy when you look around and notice that all the other teachers are ‘coughing’ and a kid next them is asking, not so subtly, it they got enough sleep the night before.

Another Perspective

Oh geez, I’ve done it to them now! It’s unavoidable, so don’t fight it. Teachers need a time to switch off, a fact you are, by now, far too well aware of. So the tip, the little tidbit of advice is just to have fun with your class, don’t stress, get up there with them and make a fool of yourself - that’ll stop the other teachers from yawning, even if the yawn is replaces by a stifled giggle or just a flat out laugh.

Have fun with it - I do!

~ by Mike, an Australian teacher working in London schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Mike.

Related Blogs and Pages

UK Supply Teaching: The First Call
Teaching Primary PE: Swimming Lessons
Reception Teaching: Story Time

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Early Years Teaching: Story Time

2011-10-20T12:30:00.000+01:00

Get Reading

Some people say that babies only learn to talk so they can tell adults to stop being so silly. When faced with a new born, or a toddler, or a child, we do have a tendency to adopt that cutesy tone, speak a couple of octaves higher than we usually would and get very overexcited by anything the infants tell us.

Get Expressive

But it’s easy to get carried away. Especially at story time. A key time of day in the Early Years is that point where we all settle down to hear about Elmer’s latest trysts or to find out if ‘The Gruffalo’ ends any differently on the 45th read through. And we all know that it’s no good to just tell the tale. We need expression, we need to demonstrate the pleasure that we get from stories and we need to be excited so we can pass our love of and enthusiasm for reading on to the little ones. And a great way to bring all this together is by building the tension and creating that atmosphere of suspense.

Get Enthusiastic

So I sat down to read the latest class favourite to my charges, and although I could recite the text word-for-word, backwards, I still got a bit caught up in the moment. ‘But who do you think is hiding in the bush?!’ I asked, all wide-eyed and squeaky voiced. ‘An elephant!’ The class cried, giggling as I turned the page to reveal all. ‘And who do you think is stuck up in the tree?!’ I jiggled a bit in my seat as I waited for the cry of ‘snaaaaaake!’ followed by screeches of delight. But on that particular day I may have gone a little too far ...

‘And, last of all, who do you think is hiding in the hole?!’ I drew out my vowels and slowly moved my gaze around the room, watching as a few of the more imaginative children screwed up their noses and hugged themselves in excitement. But one of them wasn’t quite so taken.

‘Uuhhhh…’ came a sigh from the back corner of the room. ‘Teacher, can’t we just see? If you turn the page, then you’ll find out!’

~ written by Elizabeth, an Early Years Educator working in London schools and nurseries through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Elizabeth.

Related Blogs and Pages

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Swimming Lessons: Primary Teaching in Sheffield

2011-10-18T13:00:00.000+01:00

A Trip to the Swimming Pool...

Having originally trained in secondary PE, before turning the majority of my attention to primary, I was pleasantly surprised when I was asked to accompany a new primary class of mine to the swimming baths.

I am glad that swimming trips still occur every week in schools – swimming provides fantastic life experiences for children, not simply in the obvious ways. Swimming lessons provide life-long recreational and survival skills (I have never met anyone that has never swam at least once in their life), promotes trusting relationships between learners and allows children to experience a fun activity that many of them wouldn’t get the chance to outside of school.

Unlike my secondary work in PE I wasn’t actually required to teach the swimming at this age. A lifeguard and instructor had that responsibility. I simply had to observe, motivate and ensure positive behaviour. At times I had to reassure certain students that the instructor was right in saying that they weren’t quite ready to take off the armbands!

It was a great experience to see the learners pleased with themselves after getting to grips with swimming for the first time. When I do swimming at the secondary level most of the students have already been swimming for many years.

If asked, I would strongly encourage any teachers or teaching assistants to attend such visits. It was a nice break from the classroom and it was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

~ by James, a PE teacher working in primary schools in Sheffield through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by James.

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Secondary Teacher: Defending Teenagers!

2011-10-15T12:53:00.000+01:00

Just a Teenage Dirtbag?

In the wake of the London Riots it is easy for people to rehash the same old stereotypes about teenagers. They’re selfish, rude, undisciplined. Society is doomed if this is the group of people who will one day be in charge. We weren’t this bad when WE were their age, we were responsible young adults. Technology has ruined them. They just want instant gratification.

Well, I’m here to rebut these accusations.

As a secondary English teacher I get to see all sides of the bizarre species known as teenagers. I am the first to admit that these creatures drive me nuts for the majority of the day. But at the same time, they amaze me.

Let’s start with a kid crying in a classroom, as he’s had a falling out with his mate. I almost had to physically hold back my entire form class. They all wanted to go over and comfort him. Eventually, I encouraged them to let him be and left the counselling up to one of the boys in the form. This 14 year old talked to his peer about what had happened and from what I overheard, he was more successful than any school psychologist. He negotiated reconciliation between the two friends. And people say that teenagers are self centred and irresponsible?

A few weeks ago, I was teaching my Year 9 class and took off my cardigan. Unbeknownst to me, my new shirt had ripped at the seam on the back, exposing my bright pink bra. The assumption is that the class would snigger and whisper and I would find out about my shirt from a colleague later in the day (after embarrassing myself). This was not the case. A sweet girl at the back of the class quietly motioned me over and let me know about my shirt. One of the boys who had witnessed the event said, “Is there a breeze in here, Miss?” and instantly I felt grateful to the girl and to him, for making a joke out of a potentially horrifying incident.

Each and every day I see examples of teenage spirit and determination. The kids who come to school and work hard, despite the horrors happening at home. A girl who has had an operation but wants me to send her the work so she doesn’t fall behind. The kid who admits he made a mistake and apologises. Another kid who helps out without being asked. I see their ability to keep trying and asking for help. Their ability to make it clear when they don’t understand something. The girl who wisely says, “Boys. What can you do with them?” The outrage they show when you tell them of events involving racism or sexism. Their ability to change what they believe or think and accept new knowledge.

I could come up with other examples but you get the picture. Although teenagers can be difficult, they still manage to surprise you everyday with their compassion, enthusiasm, intelligence, positivity and, most of all, their ability to laugh. So every time I hear someone bagging teenagers I want to turn to them and ask: Do you actually KNOW any teenagers? Because I do. And I think that the future is in safe, technologically experienced hands.

~ by Georgina, a secondary English teacher currently teaching in UK schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Georgina.

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Teaching English as a Foreign Language

2011-10-12T10:06:00.000+01:00

In this blog, secondary teacher Jim continues his story about Teaching EFL.

Read Teaching EFL: Part One.

My first class contained 16 children at the elementary level (ranging from virtually no English to approximately level 2a in NC-speak); age range 11-14, mixed gender and consisting of a mix of Hong Kong Chinese and Chinese from Inner Mongolia. Fortunately the majority had "English" names, including the unfortunately-named Dick. (He wasn't, of course. A lovely boy of the kind you wouldn't mind having by the classful.) Naturally they weren't all that lovely, but they were POLITE and RESPECTFUL. You might need to look those up in a dictionary to remind yourself. And ...... THEY ALL STOOD UP TO ANSWER A QUESTION!!!!!! I feel faint just thinking about it. It was a little disconcerting at first, but I soon got used to it.

I then took on an advanced class, consisting of 6 Turkish girls (lovely), 4 Inner Mongolians (2 of each and lovely) and 2 HK Chinese boys (lovely); all 15+. This class was a proper joy. It was just like teaching your dream A-level students.

Over my 2-week stint I got to know these kids pretty well and, in the end, Old Mr Grumpy (that's me) had to admit that it was a real pleasure to teach them. It was what I imagined being in a classroom should be about when I first went into teaching. OK, the pay's not great (as a residential teacher I got £290/week, all meals and accommodation), but over my time there I only spent £20, and that was on coffee and cake when the kids had free time on their excursions. And OK, sometimes the planning was a bit tough when my rota left me with consecutive days consisting of teaching, afternoon excursion AND evening activity. But an EFL lesson plan only has 3 stages (yes - only 3) - Engage, Study, Activate, and NO MARKING - YAAAAAAAAY!!! And the teaching and activities staff where I was were fantastic - friendly, welcoming and supportive (and not the pot and sandals brigade I was expecting).

Teaching EFL isn't for everyone, and I know it's not always as great an experience as I've set out here, but if you're feeling a bit jaded and would like to remind yourself of what it was about teaching that attracted you in the first place, you might like to give it a thought.

~ by Jim, a secondary teacher working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Jim.

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Primary Teaching: Managing Group Work

2011-10-05T11:00:00.000+01:00

I'm back into the new term with renewed energy and enjoying my new class! However, it is becoming apparent that when it comes to group work some children are less keen on being paired together as they occasionally think they could have been paired ‘better’. However, I have come across the HAT programme. It is a free to download programme which enables the teacher to upload a class list and the programme will then randomly pick individual children or pairs of children. To make the lottery style pick even more exciting, the list of children is shuffled first and each name or pair of children gets picked out of a hat with the accompaniment of a fanfare.

As strange as it sounds the children never grumble when the HAT does the selection as there is something almost magical about the whole process. The children will frequently ask for the HAT to do the selections when working across abilities or picking teams etc. It has proven to be a real hit to use the HAT. Mhmh, sure there is a little phonics game in there ... HIT to HAT. Maybe this one is too easy but the children often have a go at the " How to get from one word to another in as few moves as possible" game. Think I will use that one tomorrow and use the HAT to generate the teams competing against each other.

The hat can be found doing a Google search for the HAT or via this link: http://www.harmonyhollow.net/hat.shtml

Enjoy this!

~ by Inge, a primary teacher working in schools in Cambridge through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Inge.

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The Joy of Supply Teaching: Staffroom Protocol!

2011-09-30T12:41:00.001+01:00

One of the things I found most difficult when I first started doing supply was the staffroom protocol!

Each setting seems to have a completely different routine and it's sometimes hard to get the balance right. I have learnt that in some schools staff seem to have seats that “belong to them” and woe betide anyone who sits in that seat at break time! I have experienced, “the look” and comments made in jest about “oh my seats being used” It is often difficult to know whether to ignore this or to offer to move, I usually go for the offer to move option, rather than upset someone! Usually this results in the reply , No it's okay I can sit somewhere else...but at least I offered.

My usual routine is now to try and find a friendly face to go down to the staffroom with and follow their guide as to where to sit.... It is also nicer to have someone to chat to at break-time rather than sit alone whilst everyone else is chatting. On a long term booking the staff room dilemma becomes much easier and you get to know the routine and where people like to sit. On these bookings I always look out for the newbie and try to be that friendly face to help someone else out and make them feel welcome. We all have to have a first time at a school and someone to help out and point you in the right direction can make all the difference.

~ by Audrey, a teaching assistant working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Audrey.

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Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Part 1)

2011-09-29T14:20:00.000+01:00

Ever thought of teaching EFL?

After I retired last year, (I taught Modern Foreign Languages/MFL) I decided to do a TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages) course and had a vague idea that I might be able to get to China or India on the strength of it, and I do still have that ambition - especially after my recent experience.

Firstly, I have to say that the TESOL course itself was good fun. I did it as a part-time evening course but there are other routes. There were people of all ages and backgrounds on it, and you don't have to be an academic or a languages teacher to take it on. A comfortable knowledge of English grammar is desirable but not essential. I did mine at Sheffield Hallam University, and would rate it as first class.

There are different ways of teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language). You can teach adults in evening classes; usually immigrants seeking to improve their English to enhance their job prospects, or simply to help them integrate with English society. You can teach foreign students who need to get up to speed in order to be able to follow their courses at Uni. You can teach abroad through organisations such as The British Council and VSO. You can teach in Summer schools either in England or abroad (Spain and Italy run a lot). None of the options pays a lot, and compared to a mainscale teaching post, it looks like a pittance, but you wouldn't take it on purely for the money in the first place. I should also say that there are some companies running Summer schools who are, to put it bluntly, cowboys, and there are many horror stories of teachers not being paid, courses not organised, shambolic administration, and so on. So take care and always do your research - mainly in terms of getting recommendations about which schools are properly run. British Council accreditation is a good pointer.

My first experience of EFL teaching was at a Summer school in England run by Stafford House (good company and recommended). I spent two weeks in Bath staying at a private boarding school which the company uses as a base. They also have centres in London, Edinburgh, York and various other locations around the UK. I was taken on as a late replacement for a teacher who simply hadn't turned up (shocking lack of professionalism), and so was rather thrown in at the deep end. That was where my teaching experience really came in handy. At this point I must say that if you've ever handled bottom set Y9 on a Friday afternoon (or any time come to that), this is a doddle. My timetable was to teach 2 x 90 minute lessons in the morning, 5 days a week, on top of which I also accompanied afternoon and whole-day excursions (in Bath - no trial!) and helped with evening activities. In theory, only 1 day a week off, but with total weekly hours being 39-ish, there were plenty of free afternoons and evenings.

More on this story later...

~ by Jim, a secondary teacher working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. This is Jim's first blog for us, so why not comment below?

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Tackling Lunchtime: an Early Years Account

2011-09-27T10:11:00.000+01:00

Eat up, it’ll make you grow nice and strong…

Trying to getting a child who won’t eat to take a nibble of their food can be like trying to get blood out of a stone. I, personally, find banging my head against a brick wall more productive. But there is one fail-safe tip that is always effective …

Whilst visiting my former nursery class I joined in with circle time to share in the selection of satsuma segments and raisins. As guest of honour I found myself being the spoilt with gifts of a wide variety of squashed and fingered fruit, for all of which I expressed my gratitude profusely before surreptitiously sneaking them back into the plastic bowls to be sucked on by the intended recipients.

Joe, sitting to my right, particularly proudly presented me with a squished raisin, alongside a beaming smile and a self-satisfied stance.

'For you.’ He proclaimed, staring over without blinking as if challenging me to risk slipping it back into his bowl.

‘Thanks Joey!’ I held the raisin, deciding that one couldn’t do too much damage. ’Are you going to eat some of your fruit too?’ Joey hesitated before wrinkling up his nose and diverting his gaze to his bowl. I watched to see where he was going until my attention was distracted by Benjamin. He was sitting so close to Joey that he was practically in his lap, and demanding raisins as his bowl had only held satsuma.

‘Look Ben,’ I indicated Joey’s bowl. ‘Joey has lots of raisins, I’m sure he’ll share them with you.’ Of course what I actually meant was Joey ‘will share his raisins with you, and if he refuses he will get a mini-lecture on the need to be nice to our friends and will be forced to hand over a raisin and ‘be kind‘ whether he likes it or not.’

Joe hesitated before looking down at his massive stash of dried grapes, but in the intermittent period Kiara, sitting on my other side, decided to take control of the situation. Standing up with a giggle of pleasure at her impending good deed she leant over and plucked the raisin Joey had given me out of my hand, holding it tightly between her forefinger and thumb as if it were a precious stone, before gazing round the whole room in great concentration and finding Benjamin, still all but sat in Joey’s lap. Very deliberately she toddled over towards Ben and presented him with a broad smile and the, by now split and flattened, sacred raisin.

‘Thank you,’ Ben said, all seriously.

‘It’s ok.’ Kiara replied, matching Ben’s grave demeanour.

Ben raised his hand to his mouth and took the raisin, chewing slowly and deliberately for what seemed like at least five minutes before swallowing with a self-satisfied gulp.

‘Do you want some more Ben?’ I questioned, aware that Joey was still clinging onto his supply that was practically spilling over the rim whilst Ben’s bowl was empty but for a speck of rejected pith.

‘No, I’m full now.’ He declared, rubbing his stomach and breathing deeply.

Kiara patted him on the head before returning to her space and looking over for a bit of reassurance that she had, indeed, ‘been kind to her friends’. I gave her a smile, then glanced back over at Joey, who was now hoovering up raisins as if his life depended on it. It never fails - no way is as effective at getting a child to eat as threatening - explicitly or otherwise - to give their food to one of their peers.

~ by Elizabeth, an Early Years teacher working in schools and nurseries in London through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Elizabeth.

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First Day Back at School!

2011-09-26T13:42:00.002+01:00

After an enjoyable summer break I would be lying if I said I couldn’t wait to leave the foreign sun behind to get back to work! That said, I do enjoy my work and was just about ready to roll when I got the call from Protocol Sheffield for the ‘first day back’.

Seeing all the familiar faces of the staff and students made for a good day, even if it only took about 8 seconds to make me feel I’d never left for the summer! Good-natured craziness one teacher calls it, in reference to the first day. Mixed student emotions fly around – excitement to be back, yet sadness in leaving the summer behind.

Sitting in assembly I noticed that uniforms were the closest to perfect I have ever seen them, with parents clearly re-stocking over the summer. It was also interesting to watch students reacting to the several new students in their classes, shaking up the classroom dynamic. Most students had even done their optional holiday homework!

One thing you do have to remember as a teacher is that you are very lucky to have such good holidays, with many people having much less time off, often in inconvenient times of the year. So here’s to another year of hard, but enjoyable, work, ready for next summer!

~ by James, a primary and secondary teacher working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by James.

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Teaching in the UK: Six Months (Part 1)

2011-09-23T09:03:00.000+01:00

Ready, set...Quit?

Ok the new school year has started and we’re into the third week. I’ve contacted my agencies and they tell me, it’s been very quiet and as soon as anything comes in they’ll call. My USB stick is all loaded up with alphabet books, I have printed a few things in readiness and have even more ideas written in my notebook.
I cannot believe I’ve been in the UK for six months already. Which is why when I look at the title of my piece, I’m disappointed. My visa is for two years and I’m ready to leave inside the first one? Well, not exactly, there is still too much I want to see travel wise (I’ve barely scratched Europe’s surface) and I also want to prove to myself that I can do this!!!

That is how I found myself searching for motivational poems on this Monday morning. Two caught my eye, the first of which is Don’t Quit, by an unknown author.

Don't Quit

by: Unknown Author

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,
When funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh.
When care is pressing you down a bit.
Rest, if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns
As every one of us sometimes learns.
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out:
Don't give up though the pace seems slow -
You may succeed with another blow.
Success is failure turned inside out -
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt.
And you never can tell how close you are.
It may be near when it seems so far:
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.

Turns out that my timing was a little off, as work in the summer term is not always plentiful and I have used an awful lot of my savings to stay over here. I admit it is tempting to throw in the towel and give up, though I don’t usually do that too easily. So I won’t quit. I just hope things turn around this week and by Friday I will have been back in the classroom a few times!!!

~ by Kate, an Australian teacher working in Leeds schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Kate.

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Helpful Advice for the Newbie Supply Teacher

2011-09-21T11:29:00.001+01:00

It’s September! I thought in honour of the new school year, I’d share a bit of what I learned in my first year on primary supply teaching in England through Protocol Education. Day-to-day supply teaching always worked well for me, and I chose to stick with it. Don’t worry too much about rushing into a full-time position… there are definite advantages to finding your feet in this country first. Here we go!

1. Arrival

Canadian Teacher Kathryn

- It's tempting to leave your police check at home because no one ever looks at it. But inevitably, the day you don't have it with you is the day you get asked for it. In total, I was asked for it three times last year, and the very first time I forgot it. Fail.

2. Introduction
- Don’t give your name until your students are all listening attentively on the carpet. If they prove to be a difficult bunch, this may be the last time you have such an advantage.
- Learn the names of the ones who give you a difficult time immediately. Write them down. You'll need them.
- Establish a behaviour management tool. I draw a big star on the board labelled "Stars of the Day". When I see good behaviour that anticipates my instructions, the student can write his name on the star and get a sticker at the end of the day! It helps a lot when you get them thinking not just about doing what you tell them, but doing what they know they should be doing anyway. (Click here for more behaviour management blogs)

3. Lessons
- Happily, it's a rare day when there's absolutely no planning provided. If there's another year group teacher, find out what she's doing and do that. No need to reinvent the wheel.
- Tons of lessons can be drawn from a storybook. One of my favourite go-to books for primary classes is Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. They love listening to it (20-minute chunks works well) and you can then get them to do character studies, diagrams and descriptions of a candy machine, sweets word searches, advertisements, you name it. No photocopying required.

4. Breaks
- Do the children go outside? Do they get their lunches? Line the children up and get the one in front to lead the way. They like this, and no one has ever led me wrong.
- Eat in the staff room. Apparently, a lot of us don't do this, because I find that headteachers are often pleased to see the supply teacher making the effort to be involved in the school. If you want to be asked back, being visible is a good start.
- Get marking! Schools in Canada max out at a 45-minute lunch, so the rest is still just gravy to me. Don't leave your marking to the end of the day. Don't you want to go home?

5. Protocol Education Timesheets
- When you are filling in your Protocol Education timesheet, the address portion can be quickly and easily filled in by cracking open the nearest school-owned book. The address and postcode are always stamped inside.
- After you get your signature, ask if you can fax off your timesheet. You always can.
- If you liked a school and you know the teacher was off ill, ask if you can cover him tomorrow if needed. It never hurts to ask.
Ultimately, find your rhythm. If it works, do it every single day. On supply, you get to!

~ by Kathryn, a Canadian teacher working in London schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Kathryn.

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Supply Teacher Daily Routine: Part Two

2011-09-20T09:41:00.000+01:00

Click here to read Supply Teacher Daily Routine: Part One

~9.10am: Spend a few minutes outlining your behavioural expectations with the students. I try to ALWAYS do this, as it sets the tone for the day (do it after assembly if you need to). I start with rewards for good behaviour, and ask the students to tell you what their teacher does for this (stickers/house points/certificates etc). Ask them to give you examples of good behaviour, then pick a couple of important ones to watch for. I usually tell students that I’ll watch for people who listen well, give their work their best go and who pack up well and I’ll be giving out stickers/housepoints etc to those people (I often give out a sticker at this point to someone who’s listening well to reinforce the point). Then look at not-so-good behaviour, and for some examples. This can be a chance for the ‘trouble’ students to put their hands up and tell you, as they are used to hearing about them - difference is, this time they get praised for telling you! Talk about consequences for bad behaviour (set your own if the school doesn’t have any) so that the students are clear on what will be happening.

~9.15am: Get started on the work for the day. Follow any given plans as closely as possible, but try not to stress if you can’t get some done. Remember to keep giving out rewards to those doing the right things as incentive for all to behave properly.

~10.45-11am: Break. Do break duty if necessary (bring a whistle, just in case!) otherwise get yourself set up for the next lesson/talk to any students you need to/liaise with TA/go to the loo.

~12pm: Lunchtime. Have a break! Have something to eat and a cuppa, and perhaps start on some marking to ease your workload at the end of the day. Enjoy the quiet. If anything is going drastically wrong, go and talk to someone higher up for advice, as they may be able to help you out.

~ by Renata, an Australian teacher working in Cambridge schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Renata.

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If Music Be The Food Of Love, Play On...

2011-09-19T11:34:00.000+01:00

Primary Music Lessons

I have a confession. I am tone deaf. I can’t play an instrument, I can’t sing and I cringe at the thought of taking a singing assembly let alone educating the masses in the art of music.

I also do not think that I am alone.

When I was at school back in the 1980’s, apart from having appalling dress sense, I was appalling at anything musical. I tried. Believe me I tried. I joined the recorder club, the orchestra (as a recorder player – who ever heard of the recorder being part of an orchestra?) and the choir but I didn’t stick any of them out for long. The only reason my teacher allowed me to join recorder group was because my fingers had such wide spacing I could reach the holes in the giant tenor recorder. But I suppose you could say I enjoyed it in my own way as I sat desperately trying to stay in time whilst playing ‘Penny Lane’ by the Beatles during orchestra practice.

"If Music Be The Food Of Love"

When I was at school, there were fantastically talented teachers who could play the piano to accompany hymn practice. You just don’t get that in Primary schools anymore. Pianos have been overtaken by CD players and MP3s. I am eternally grateful for CD’s… when they work!!!! That awkward moment when the whole school is sitting up straight, awaiting the start of ‘Morning has broken’ and the blasted CD is scratched!!!! So, some excellent ideas for those of you who, like me, cower at the thought of performing in front of the whole school during signing assembly:

• Boom Chicka Boom: This is a fun warm up to use with children of all ages. Say each line to the children as they repeat them back one line at a time in a different voice, e.g. loud, quiet, whisper, squeaky, deep, angry, happy, sad etc.

"I said a Boom Chicka Boom
I said a Boom Chicka Boom
I said a Boom Chicka Rocka Chicka Rocka Chicka Boom
Uh huh
Oh yeah
One more time"

• Body percussion: Start a rhythm by clapping your hands, tapping your knees, stamping your feet, clicking your fingers etc. and get children to copy these beats. Get children to continue your beat while you change yours. When you shout ‘change’ they change their beat to follow yours. There are so many variations to this activity, just have fun with it!

• Toe, Knee, Heart: This is a great song that can be repeated and speeded up and slowed down if necessary.

"Tony Chestnut Knows I love you,

Tony knows, Tony knows,

Tony Chestnut Knows I love you,

That's what Tony knows."

While singing, point to different parts of your body, like this: Toe knee chest nut (head) Nose eye Love (heart) You (point to others) Toe knee nose.

If you have any other music resources we can all use and abuse, please add them to the comments below. Thank you!

~by Clare, a Primary Teacher with QTS currently teaching through Protocol Education Essex. Click here to read more by Clare.

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The Big Write: Right or Wrong?

2011-09-14T12:54:00.000+01:00

The Big Write has been something that I have come across in some of the schools I have taught in. It is called the big write as the whole school participates in this at the same time. It is essentially and hour of writing about a topic, and normally a story with certain critera that must be included, for example a witch and a house. There is around 15 minutes of discussion, where they are not allowed to record any of their ideas and then the children have 45 minutes to write story. There is no help given during this time. I am still undecided when it comes to the big write, I agree with some points but disagree with others.

The good points

The big write makes children use the writing skills that they have learnt.
When marking the Big Write the teacher can easily see which areas need development and where the child’s strengths lie, making it easier to assess and set targets.
It is preparing the children for their exams so they are not left in a position where they are at a disadvantage in an exam.

The bad points

It is a lot of pressure for the children, writing for an extended period of time with no planning written down.
Although the Big Write is good exam practice, being able to write a story with no forward planning may not be a life skill that they will need in their future.

So whats the verdict?

Well there are good and bad points to the Big Write, I can still understand both sides and I think I am still leaning towards the bad points. If schools did this once every few weeks, even then there is still pressure, it is almost like a big exam every week. Ultimately it is the exam boards that need to change the way they give exams, you cant blame a school for trying to ensure their pupils have the best chance of success.

~ by Faye, a primary teacher working in Newcastle schools through Protocol Education. This is her first blog, so why not comment below?

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Trepidation about Starting Supply...

2011-09-13T12:19:00.001+01:00

Registering as a Supply Teacher

Soon I am to become a supply teacher through Protocol Education. I am really excited and utterly terrified about it in about equal measures. I have been a teacher for about 7 years (more if you count volunteering and tutoring) and started doing advisory teaching work alongside that about three years ago (my specialist area is sex education- it being a weak subject area for schools meant that I would get drafted into work with other schools).

Anyhow we recently moved areas, my daughter started nursery and I found I was really, really missing being in the classroom (in the last year or so much of my work has involved writing lesson plans from my office/spare room/laundry room/general dumping ground) so I thought supply teaching would be an ideal opportunity for me to get to know local schools and get back to working directly with young people.

Back to the Classroom

I am excited because I miss the buzz of schools- the people, the young people even the smell of the photocopier! It will be fantastic to be back in such a vibrant environment and I think it will be a really good experience for me professionally to get back in front of the class and make sure my behaviour management skills etc haven't gone too rusty in the time I have been away from the classroom. I doubt it- I have been practising them on a very wilful toddler for a while now- and to be honest give me a classful of Y9's last thing rainy Friday afternoon after a PE lesson over a tantrumming toddler anyday!

I am terrified because I know how students treat supply teachers - especially an unfamiliar one. I did supply for 3weeks before I started as an NQT in my current school- boy was that a learning experience! Having 5 extra kids join your class because they think you won't twig or even kids hide in cupboards to get out of the lesson! Having the head of department not support you with the behaviour management policy because it's only a cover lesson. Not having any work set and having to come up with something off the top of your head. So I do know what I am letting myself in for.

I also know the role of a supply teacher can still be a lonely experience- I know working as a teacher in my department we were often too busy to talk to or welcome a supply teacher who was only going to be here today- gone tomorrow never to be seen again. So I know it can still be a lonely job maybe even more so than sat at my desk typing umpteen lesson objectives.

Trepidation

I think I am also a bit scared because if I see bad practice in sex education or PSHE I am going to have to bite my tongue. As a supply teacher that isn't my job- but as it is my passion and my career I think I am going to find that quite difficult. Also I won't tolerate any homophobia in my classroom but if I work in a school were such language goes unchallenged and I challenge it suddenly I could become "the teacher who talked about gay people" and I'm suddenly I'm not hired again. :( I wouldn't get into a discussion about it with students as it won't be on the lesson plan and it definitely isn't my role in my capacity as a supply teacher (although generally alot of my work surrounds supporting schools to challenge homophobia)- but I also will not be able to stay quiet if I witness homophobia in the classroom and that could prove difficult if I challenge it in a school that will not back me up on that.

So I think I have very interesting and challenging times ahead- and I can't wait! (so please hurry up CRB clearance so I can get started!).

~ by Alice, a secondary teacher working in Bristol schools through Protocol Education. This is Alice's first blog for us, so please leave her a comment or give feedback to her on Twitter @sexedukation

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Beginning the School Year...

2011-09-12T16:51:00.004+01:00

Dreaming of September...

It’s the middle of August and I’ve just arrived back from a summer exploration of Switzerland. My holiday budget was stretched to its limit, though I loved every piece of Swiss chocolate I consumed.

The first thought to enter my head is, I must call Protocol Education and advise them of my availability for the new school year. The anticipation of new teaching experiences just around the corner, make me excited and nervous while I eagerly browse for new activities and worksheets on the internet.

Where to begin? Letter formation and counting for Reception and Year 1 and of course phonics!!!

Year 2 need simple addition, subtraction and grouping, as well as some revision of punctuation.

While Year 3 and 4 can start the year with times table practice and revising the steps involved in writing a recount. As for science, history, geography and the rest...they will have to come later as my brain, computer (and the library printer), move into overdrive.

~ by Kate, a primary teacher currently working in Leeds schools through Protocol Education. This is Kate's first blog, so why not comment below?

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Teaching in the UK: Perks of the Job

2011-09-12T13:09:00.000+01:00

The Decision...

The decision to live and work overseas was not a difficult one. It didn’t require sleepless nights caught up weighing the positives against the negatives, it didn’t conjure nightmares which found me waking up in a pool of sweat shivering about the thought of being so far away for home. Maybe I’m lucky. Perhaps it boiled down to the fact that I always wanted to live and work in a different country. The sheer challenge of it all excited me beyond belief. Don’t get me wrong, I felt nervous, the butterflies did a real number on my stomach a few days before my flight. I felt like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, readying myself to jump into the dark below. I felt as if I was looking directly into my future and having no clue what I was doing or how I was going to survive the jump. I’ve been told that this is standard.

The Jump...

It was at this point, when I was questioning my decision at the 12th hour, that I was pushed towards the edge by every cliché you can imagine; ‘you’ll never know if you never go’ and ‘you only live once’ etc…

So I jumped.

And I fell.

But what a great ride it was.

So where did I land? Well, at this point I haven’t really landed anywhere, it was more like a bounce and I’ve continued to bounce ever since arriving, which brings me, finally, to my point. The perks.

I landed in London, found a place with relative ease and started work within two days of my UK Induction with Protocol Education. I made new friends, almost a temporary family and I discovered what all the fuss was about living in London. I worked, saved and when summer came I bounced again.

The Options!

At this very moment I’m sitting in a sunny café in Madrid, sipping on an espresso (un café) with a Spanish omelette (tortilla de patata), after just arriving from surfing the stunning south coast of Portugal for a few weeks and I’m loving life.

Working supply for Protocol Education gives you a freedom to choose your own adventures. The team look after you and will offer everything they can to help, even if it’s only being a little jealous that you are off spending your hard earned cash in a sunny paradise.

So will you make the decision to choose your own adventure? Take the leap? Really, as captain planet says (I know, lame 90’s cartoon references are always needed), ‘the power is yours’.

Enjoy the ride and I’ll see you soon!

~ by Mike, an Australian teacher working in London schools through Protocol Education. This is Mike's first blog, so why not comment below?

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Supply Teacher Daily Routine: The Morning

2011-09-09T11:48:00.000+01:00

Starting out as a supply teacher

So you’re just ready to begin work as a supply teacher. What do you have to do? What are your extra responsibilities? What schedule should you follow? What if the kids are mean or the other teachers don’t like you? Hopefully this daily schedule helps to answer some of those questions, and maybe a few more.

~6am: Get up. If you have no work booked, it’s best to be ready to leave the house by around 7am, giving you the best chance to get to work on time. As basic as it may seem to mention, remember to dress professionally (no cleavage, flip flops, jeans, t-shirts, singlet tops etc)& wear appropriate shoes (for example no high heels, as there’s ALWAYS a chance you may be teaching PE).

~8.15am: Arrive at work. Arriving this early shows that you are professional and ready to work. It also gives you a chance to look through any work left for you, work out how you’ll teach it, gather resources, get the laptop logged on etc. I always ask three main questions of the teacher next door/TA/person who shows me to the classroom: “Is there a behaviour-management (BM) system we use?”, “Is there anything I should know about any of the students?” and “Where do I collect/drop off the students?” If there is a BM system in place, you now know how it works. The second question means you find out about any challenging children in the class, or any that you need to support (eg I’ve taught children on their first or second day at the school, and a child whose father had recently died) or be aware of (eg children who are only allowed to go home with one of their parents). If you cannot find a timetable with times on it, go and ask someone what time school starts/finishes and break/lunchtime (I often write them on the board to remind myself). If someone tells you that you have break duty, do it. If no one tells you, don’t go asking about it! I’ve been given extra because I asked :(

~8.45-8.55am: Adrenaline time! Go and collect your students or open the classroom door. I try to greet students with a smile and an instruction - “Good morning! Please get your reading book out/sit on the carpet.” This helps students settle as they know what they should be doing. If they ask who you are, just say “I’ll introduce myself when everyone’s here” otherwise you’ll say your name 10 times. Settle students so that they are completely quiet, and then introduce yourself. This is really important, as the students have no idea who you are and may be upset that their normal teacher isn’t there. Mark the register/dinner register, taking a little time to start to learn students’ names. Check for notices/money/anything for the office and then send the register with either the register monitor or a responsible child (I usually say something like, “I’m looking for a responsible person who’s sitting nicely to take the register to the office.”)

More on this story soon...

~ by Renata, an Australian teacher working in Cambridge schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Renata.

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A Canadian Teacher: Leaving for the UK

2011-09-08T14:27:00.001+01:00

Should I Stay or Should I Go (to London)?

One of the things that I found the most challenging in this entire process was leaving my family, close friends and all things I sought comfort in. In hindsight making the decision to go abroad was the best choice I could have made for my personal growth and development. I remember many friends and family reassuring me that they would visit me during my time in London and I recall rolling my eyes and thinking yeah right.

That was rather foolish of me to do because within the first month of the relocation, I had my first visitor! Ready or not, there I was at Victoria station greeting my friend after her six hour flight from Toronto. I was both excited and nervous to have her. We explored London as best we could with our limited knowledge of the city. By the end of her two week visit I felt more at ease with the place I now called home. Since that first visit (9 months ago) I have had six other groups of friends and family visit me in London. I’ve explored not only this city but other parts of England and several countries as well.

The visitors lessened the blow of homesickness that I definitely thought I was going experience. While my current visitors (my mom and dad) pack their belongings to leave me behind and head back home I am both sad and proud of the choices I have made. They kept reminding me of how brave I was to make this transition over to London and I think to myself, meh it was nothing. As I get ready to enter a new school year, I’m amazed at the abundance of confidence I’ve acquired and I’m driven with a willingness to give it my all. It’s going to be great!

~ by Steffanie, a Canadian teacher currently working in London schools through Protocol Education. This is Steffanie's first blog, so why not comment below?

About Steffanie

Steffanie wanted to teach in the UK, so she registered with Protocol Education Canada. She then had help through our Teacher Services Department with her move to the UK. Upon her arrival to the UK Steffanie attended a UK Teaching Induction, and is now teaching in London!

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The Joy of Supply Teaching: Part Two

2011-09-08T11:12:00.000+01:00

Teaching Assistant Audrey

What a surprise!

After my initial contact with Protocol Education in Sheffield I walked away from the office full of anticipation and excitement, looking forward to the next chapter of my working life in September. Little did I know the surprise that was in store just a few days later when the manager of the Sheffield office rang to say she had work for me and was I interested?

Was I interested? Why yes I definitely was, though a little nervous at the same time. I was told the job was in a school nursery just three hours a day for a week, and as the school was trying Protocol Education for the first time, I was to be their ambassador! No pressure there then! Still, in for a penny in for a pound and having checked I was able to get there I rang back and said yes I would love it. It would take some juggling, as at that time I was still working in the afternoons at the nursery with the SEN children in Doncaster, and the school nursery was in Sheffield - almost 25 miles away!

Diane at Protocol said she would send me all the information I needed by email and would ring me after my first day to see how it went.

My first job!

As I said earlier, the placement was at a school nursery in Sheffield, and I was eagerly looking forward to my first day. When I arrived I must admit to being a little apprehensive, as by nature I am quite shy until I get to know people. I knew I had to conquer this if I was going to be successful doing supply teaching work. I arrived half an hour early to be sure I had time to find out where I had to go and take a loo break!

I found the admin office and asked to speak to the contact I had been given by Diane. This lady was lovely and soon put me at my ease. She took me down to meet Ann, who was in charge of the Nursery Class. Ann introduced me to Sue and Michelle - the other two ladies who worked in the class. The morning flew past and I felt as though I had worked there for months, as all the staff made me feel welcome and the children were a joy. I had never had such an enjoyable first morning in a job! At the end of the session I had just 50 minutes to get back to my next job in Doncaster...

The week in the Nursery Class flew by and I was sad when my time at the school came to an end. Ann thanked me for my work with them and said they would ask Protocol for me if they needed someone again (I did return to this school again and enjoyed it as much as the first time). At the end of my last day, I was directed to the Admin office to get my Protocol Education time-sheet signed, and left feeling confident I was going to love supply work.

~ by Audrey, a teaching assistant working in Sheffield schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Audrey.

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Teaching in London: Lessons Learned in Hallways

2011-09-06T11:48:00.003+01:00

Australian Teacher Liam

Coming over from Australia

As a teacher in Australia for ten years I felt comfortable. I had experienced a lot in a very short time. I’d been a classroom teacher and a special needs teacher. I had taught every year level within the primary realm. I had even for the last three years of my Australian teaching worked as the school’s Teacher-Librarian and art specialist. It was a fruitful and exciting experience and a difficult one to let go, however, in August of last year I made the decision to leave Mabel Park State School and experience the greater wonder of the world beyond not only my school’s gates but the boundaries of my country.

As the end of the 2010 school year drew to a close I began to realise the enormity of my decision. Gone would be the comfort and stability of a job within a reliably strong and robust education system. Gone would be the safety-net of close family, friends and colleagues. But perhaps most significantly, gone would be the sense of feeling confident in what it was I knew to be a teacher. For, whilst the skills and techniques and strategies, once learned, are seldom forgotten, I was left slightly anxious at my ability to transfer all I knew to a completely different world of education.

The reputation of London pupils

It is perhaps slightly politically incorrect but not wrong to identify that there are horror stories bandied about regarding the world of teaching in inner London schools. It’s as if the bogeyman has retired and this monstrous juggernaut known as the London pupil has taken its throne. Many of those I spoke to who passed this information on did it with good intention, I’m sure, but they did nothing but perhaps establish an even greater unknown. For I taught in a difficult school and yet I was being told that teaching in London was by far more difficult than anything I would ever experience. I was essentially being put on notice. So it was with great trepidation that armed with my essentials of pencil case, timesheet, stickers, a couple of books, some lesson ideas, my lunch and a reassuring mantra of, “I can do this,” that I ventured out to a three-day stint at a school in London’s South-East. That mantra, I can tell you, got a thorough working over.

A learning curve

Those three days taught me a lot in a learning curve so steep I’m not sure I ever quite saw the peak of it. But for all that I struggled with the incessant talking and the out and out refusal to pay attention or listen or even the constantly brewing tension between students, one thing that struck me was that these students were in an incredibly similar situation to me. For the very change I was frightened of in teaching in London schools was a very real fear for them also. For who was I but an impostor to the regularity of their routine? Who was I but a teacher struggling to come to terms with that very fact? I was the teacher and yet I somehow didn’t feel like one.

More on this story soon...

~ by Liam, an Australian teacher currently working in London schools through Protocol Education. This is Liam's first blog, so why not post a comment for him below?

To get to teach in the UK, Liam did the following: Contact the Australian branch, complete the Protocol Education registration, Attend a UK Induction. Read here about registering to teach in the UK.

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Primary Teaching: Inclusion, Inclusion, Inclusion!

2011-09-05T11:46:00.001+01:00

The Importance of Inclusion

If you ask any of my colleagues they will tell you how important inclusion is to me as a teacher. I firmly believe, like all teachers do, that every child deserves the right to be treated equally and to receive the same quality of education as everyone else. I have worked with children from a variety of ethnical and religious backgrounds, and with children with varying educational needs and abilities. I constantly adapt my teaching style, learning environment and activities to suit every child in my class.

However, no matter how inclusive I am as a classroom teacher, I am ashamed to admit that I do have a tiny skeleton in my closet from years gone by…. A tiny skeleton that reared it’s ugly head in my husband’s speech at our wedding much to my embarrassment!

Working with Hearing-Impaired Students

I was fairly new to supply when I came to be working at a delightful school one week. I was intrigued when I got the phone call and was asked to cover a Reception class for two days in a mainstream school with a Unit for Hearing Impaired children attached. My head was full of questions – What would this unit look like? Can Deaf children speak? How do I teach a class of mixed hearing and Deaf children at the same time? So with trepidation I arrived at the school. I shouldn’t have worried though, the class was fully staffed with 1:1 learning support assistants who could sign and translated everything I said to the children. My relief was immense.
On this particular day I found myself yet again at the lull before lunch. The children were tired and hungry from the morning’s activities and I had about 10 minutes to kill so what did I do?

Chinese Whispers?

I decided to play a game of the old faithful… Chinese Whispers.

Now, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that Chinese Whispers may not be the most appropriate game to play when there are Deaf children in the room. However, I was so busy trying to keep the children happy that the thought had not even entered my impatient head. And so Chinese Whispers came back to haunt me for a second time.

I told the children to sit quietly in a circle, the LSA’s were oblivious to my plan and the children were shuffling excitedly in their seats. The game began, as before with me passing round a silly sentence to the child to my left. There were quiet giggles as the hearing children passed on the message around the circle and all was going well. Until, of course, it came to this particular Deaf child. In my mind, the realisation dawned upon me for the first time and I caught the LSA’s eye as she glared at me in surprise and said, “I’m not sure that this game was the best choice for this class”. I could have died. I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. Needless to say, I have NEVER played Chinese Whispers with a class, hearing or deaf, since!

Learning Sign Language

On a positive note, the experience I had at the school with Deaf and hearing children inspired me to learn British Sign Language. I signed myself up to evening classes and achieved my Level 1 and 2 BSL of which I am extremely proud of. I am more aware of the challenges faced by Deaf children and adults and I enjoy attending signing clubs with my friends. I went on to work with Deaf children in a mainstream school and spent two years teaching them Literacy and Numeracy, translating for them in assembly and working 1:1 with each child in their own class. Who knows, if I had never decided to play that fateful game of Chinese Whispers, maybe I would never have learnt sign language and worked with the fantastic children at my school.

~ by Clare, a primary school teacher working supply in Essex schools through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Clare.

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Teacher Postcard Competition Entries!

2011-09-02T15:08:00.004+01:00

At the beginning of the summer, Protocol Education invited all of their registered teachers and support staff to enter a Teacher Postcard Competition, for the chance to win a £20 High Street Voucher...

I now invite you to vote for your favourite postcard by either commenting below or contacting us over Facebook, Twitter or email (cro@protocol-education.com)

Here are this year's entries:

1) From Gemma, in Greece (3D Card!)

2) From David, in Bulgaria

3) From Darren and Renata, in Austria

4) From Gemma, in Greece

5) From Sophie, in Portugal

I do apologise for the naked theme (we did our best at censorship)!!

How to Vote:

Please use the comment box below to vote for your favourite, using the name of the person who sent the postcard. You can also vote on our Facebook and Twitter pages or simply email Cordelia on cro@protocol-education.com

The competition winner will be announced soon...

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Keep In Touch:

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Back to School after the Summer Holidays

2011-08-31T09:25:00.001+01:00

Teacher – why oh why?

As I enjoy the 6 weeks off with my family I notice the pile of laundry, dirty dishes, cutting the grass, cleaning the house and ironing the shirts are being entirely left for me to do. After all I have 6 weeks off, don’t I?

Before I go on I aught to explain. I am in the fortunate position to have a permanent part time job 3 days per week and I do the occasional supply cover through Protocol Education. A decision was made many moons ago that my husband would be the main breadwinner with me taking the lead at home with the family and so the story goes. I realise that working part time is a privilege but as those of you in a similar situation surely knows, teaching is never really part time. It just means working within the normal working hours rather than slogging over plans in the evenings and on a Sunday afternoon as many a full time teacher will acknowledge.

Personal Pride

So this brings me back to the teaching and why oh why? Why do we do this exceptional job? Frequently vilified, occasionally praised and often taken for granted by the public and elsewhere. I am certain that there are many reasons for choosing this profession but speaking from a personal perspective I wanted to make a positive contribution, feel responsible for my work load, use an opportunity to feel pride in a job well done etc. These are all good reasons for choosing any job but I also know that the slightest ‘mistake’ in the class room be it marking with a tick rather than an elaborate description on how to move the pupil on in their learning, not picking the exactly right encouragement for a distraught pupil or showing a lacking enthusiasm for another government initiative can leave me feeling that I have not been quite good enough that day. This personal pride is what drives anyone on in their profession.

Six Weeks Off

In our profession our down time in our daily working life is minimal and the working hours are certainly getting longer despite the introduction of PPA time. It is this that makes me look at the piles of laundry and then gaze at my school bag knowing that there are lots of plans to put together and a classroom to tidy up. I admit I get slightly snappy when people remark on how lucky I am to have 6 weeks off in the summer as I wonder if we ever really do get time off from this job.

Should I feel guilty about taking extra time to put together the next term’s plans, dream of new exciting projects to do with the children, look into booking the term’s day out, make a mental note to enquire about Laura’s sick hamster and cut out elaborate signs and labels? There is huge satisfaction in walking into the classroom feeling prepared, inspired and refreshed. The children feel it and my colleagues show it too. On that first day back we feel it, why oh why did we choose teaching? This is why! So enjoy the 6 weeks.

~ by Inge, a primary teacher working in Cambridgeshire schools through Protocol Education. This is Inge's first blog, so why not leave a comment below?

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Early Years: A Lesson in the Humanities

2011-08-25T11:25:00.000+01:00

Visiting my old school

Geography. Or KUW, as we know it in the Early Years. It’s tricky for the little ones; their knowledge of place is undeveloped and their concept of distance is, well, rather skewed. Bless them.

I went to visit my old class the other day and was met by amazement and disbelief that I hadn‘t simply ceased to exist (except from Davey, of the sage sleeping advice. I’m not convinced that he had even noticed I had gone…). Then after the initial excitement had calmed down the Nursery Nurse asked me if I would like to do a question time with the children, so of course I agreed (I’m yet to learn…).

Question Time

So after twenty minutes of shuffling and moving and moving and shuffling we had the children in a circle and I waited expectantly for the questions. We went through why I had left and where I had gone, then the topic moved on to where I had come from that morning.

It was Maddy who started the interrogation, with ‘but did you have to get an aeroplane here?’

    Smiling I gently replied, ‘No Maddy, I came on the bus.’

    She frowned. ‘But why didn’t you get an aeroplane?’

    ‘Well I haven’t really come that far Maddy, I only needed to get a bus.’     She relaxed for a second with an ‘oh’ of understanding, before her cogs started turning again.

    ‘Well did you come from Japan?’ She questioned.

    ‘No Maddy,’ I replied, ‘I only came from a place called Swiss Cottage, it’s not very far away so that’s why I took the bus.’

    ‘Oh. Well why didn’t you get the aeroplane from Japan?’

    Closed eyes, deep breath … ‘I didn’t come from Japan, Maddy. I came from another place in London. It’s not very far away.’

    ‘Oh. Well what’s that place called?’

    ‘Swiss Cottage.’ (Did I not say that already?)

     ‘Oh.’ She paused and I held my breath - had we finally got somewhere? She looked away and I thought we were moving on, but then she turned back.

    ‘Well is Swiss Cottage in Japan?’

    I hesitated before deciding to take the easy way out…    ‘Um, nearly!‘ I replied. ‘Well it’s in the same hemisphere … ’ I inhaled. ‘Mrs Smith?’ I called. ‘I think I’d better make a move. I’ll come and visit again sometime!’ As I was leaving I heard that unmistakeable lilt of Maddy’s follow me out through the door.

    ‘I know where miss is going.’ She asserted to her classmates. ‘She’s going to Japan. And she’s going on an aeroplane! But don’t worry, she’ll visit us again soon.’ And I will, I promise …

~ by Elizabeth, and Early Years Educator working in North London schools and nurseries through Protocol Education. Click here to read more by Elizabeth.

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Gemma's Blog: Teachers and Social Networking

2011-08-24T11:33:00.001+01:00

We live in an age dominated by computers and advancing technology, which for the most part can seem great. But with all these advancements we seem to run into all sorts of complications that just never seemed relevant a few years ago…

I’m currently 22 years old, have been working in a school as a supply teaching assistant for the last year and am just about to embark on my PGCE course. I have also been involved with social networking sites since I was 14 years old, dabbling in Bebo, Myspace and now Facebook. To date I have 1,600 photos of myself spanning the last 7 years available for my friends to view on my Facebook profile.

I quite like the technological ease of being able to share photos with my friends in this way. I remember one time at college after a party (and when none of my friends were yet on Facebook) I had to print off 30 photos and bring them in for people to look at because that was the only way to share them. A right nuisance, and a waste of ink! Whereas now not only can I display them to all my friends easily, but we can also have discussions and make comments on the photos that remain documented so that months later when we’re trudging back over them we can have a giggle at what amusing captions people left on the pictures. In this sense the technological freedom is amazing and makes keeping in touch with friends and sharing memories delightfully simple.

Should teachers use Facebook?

However I am also aware of the possible negative outcomes of this simplicity. As I said there are currently 1,600 photos of myself in all sorts of situations. Stood in front of landmarks, riding a segway, attending parties, but also many photos of me drunk, pulling silly faces, and even clubbing in my PJ’s for a university pyjama party event. They’re all great photos that I love because they remind me of happy times with friends and some of the varied and silly things I got up to as a student (and still get up to today when so inclined). But the danger seems to be that these photos could be taken badly out of context and false judgements on my character could be made.

Perhaps these issues are not as apparent in some career sectors such as retail, sports or office work. But individuals who work in the public sector, such as teachers and doctors, whose faces are well known to the community could be shunned by the very public they are helping. I’ve heard a few times in school that photographs of teachers out drinking with friends have managed to find their way into parent’s hands by some degree of snooping or ‘friend of a friend’ means. These parents have then gone mental to learn that teachers can be so irresponsible...

Why not?

Now hold on a minute either these parents are extremely naive and believe that teachers are so perfect or boring that they don’t go out partying on a Friday night like the rest of the world. Or they’re hypocritical and think that teachers have to be such upstanding members of the community that they simply aren’t allowed to enjoy themselves in the same way that people in other career paths do.

Obviously responsibility does come into it. I think its perfectly fine for teachers, or anyone for that matter, to do what they like on their own time (within the law and general social acceptance) as long as they are sensible about it. By all means get drunk, dance on tables, climb trees, go laser questing etc. But don’t let the kids you’re working with see the photos and certainly never go to work hungover (or worse still drunk) because that is a blatant disregard for the job you’ve committed to doing. But as long as you are responsible and are still capable of doing your job effectively what does it matter what you choose to do in the evenings or at the weekend?

Despite this logical argument I still don’t think parents, and maybe even some head teachers and council members see it that way. If any one of these individuals did manage to get hold of photos of this nature would they want you to teach their kids? Would they want to hire you? Would they want you to be a teacher at all? It seems like we have been put in an unfair position where we must make the choice between sharing our photos as everyone else does or hide them away for fear of being penalised.

Check your privacy settings

My current solution to the problem is to up my privacy settings to the max so that only my friends see the photos I upload, and I’m very careful as to who I accept as a friend. I get by this way and would like to hope that if any of my photos were seen by a parent or official that they would give me the chance to argue my point on having a right to do what I like in my private life as long as it doesn’t affect my work. I hope that this solution will see me through.

However, I have a friend in business coaching who is rather high up in his field and in even more of an awkward position. As a freelance coach his clients choose him based on his public image so he spends a lot of time worrying about how his clients view him. Even to the point that he cannot relax when he is out socialising in case he pulls the wrong face in a photo or something that he does for fun gets recorded. He feels that even if he doesn’t allow himself to be tagged in these photos it will not be enough to protect his career, as people may share the pictures on a ‘friend of a friend’ basis until they fall into the wrong hands. In a rather saddening turn of events his solution to the problem is that he can’t avoid people taking photos in this technological day and age, so instead he’ll just have to stop attending social events altogether. Now that says to me that something has gone very wrong along the way when advances in technology are becoming a genuine hindrance on every day life.

I don’t know what the solution is to this problem, or who we should be blaming if at all. Can we be annoyed that technology is making life simpler and things easy to share, probably not. It’s not technology’s fault what sort of images are being shared.

Should we be annoyed at parents and other people who judge us based on our photos, maybe. If they never saw the photos they would judge us only on our teaching abilities, which is the most important factor in all of this, isn’t it?

Or should we be blaming ourselves for choosing to have a silly and sometimes seemingly compromising social life in addition to a professional career in the public sector. I certainly hope not, but maybe in this day and age that is the choice we have to make :(

~ by Gemma, a Teaching Assistant working through Protocol Education's Sheffield branch. Click here to read more by Gemma.

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Behaviour Management: Quick Guide for Supply Teachers

2011-08-19T14:12:00.002+01:00

Arguably, the single biggest challenge supply teachers face each day of their working life is the issue of behaviour management, especially if joining a school during the course of the academic year, not uncommonly after a chain of supply teachers.

Having been a supply teacher for a number of years, what follows is a summary of the strategies I have found to be most effective in maintaining discipline in the classroom environment:

Read the Behaviour Management Policy
As soon as you are appointed, ensure you obtain a copy of the schools’s behaviour management policy and familiarise yourself with its salient points. One of the first things you should do when teaching each class, for the first time, is remind them of the school’s behaviour management policy's main features and expectations. This immediately lets pupils know that you know what they should and should not be doing! This has a powerful effect on students, reinforcing good behaviour. You may also want to mention the names of key members of staff, such as the head of department, head of year, headteacher etc. This too has a profound impact upon pupils and helps reinforce appropriate behaviour. You may also wish to add that, whilst new to the school, you are not new to teaching, being an experienced teacher and that your expectations are identical to the school’s.

Identify Key Staff Members
From the outset, identify the key members of staff especially with behaviour management and pastoral remits. As stated above, quote their names during first contact with classes.

Create a Seating Plan
In the opening lesson with each class, create a seating plan, so as to familiarise yourself with pupils’ names and faces. Insist students sit according to the plan. That said, be prepared to move students in order to maintain good behaviour. Whenever talking to pupils use their first names. Demonstrating you know who they are also helps reinforce appropriate behaviour and prevent disruption.

Be Everywhere
Try to create a sense of being ubiquitous, by constantly moving around the room, rather than remaining sedentary. This also helps maintain good behaviour as students are more aware of being observed.

Don't Engage in Arguments
Never argue with students. Calmly state what is expected of them, referring to the school rules as appropriate. Some pupils look to embroil teachers in disputes, avoid at all costs. They may also encourage you to express your opinion on a certain school rule or member of staff. Again, avoid doing so. Make it clear that you are only willing to engage in constructive conversation relating to the work in hand.

Reward Good Behaviour
Always reward good behaviour, by verbal praise or using the school’s reward system as appropriate (avoid the temptation to go overboard, however). Likewise, sanction inappropriate behaviour, again according to the school’s procedure. Document both the worst instances and repetition of disruption from lesson to lesson.

Say Hello
As far as possible, openly acknowledge pupils around the school. This helps cement rapport. That said, not all students like to engage in this, so use with discretion.

Don't Take it Personally
Never take inappropriate, disruptive behaviour personally. Remember, most challenging behaviour by students is directed at teachers across the curriculum. Sometimes the underlying causes lie outside of the classroom and school. If you have good reason to believe this to be the case, then bring this to the attention of your line manager and/or pastoral staff as appropriate.

Ask for Help
Supply staff especially are often reluctant to ask for help from other staff members, fearing this will be seen as a sign of weakness on their part. It is not. All teachers face students whose behaviour is highly challenging and we all need support from colleagues at certain times. When you receive support from other teachers, always openly thank them.

Contact a Parent
In some instances, it can be useful to contact a parent/carer about their son’s/daughter’s inappropriate behaviour (and good behaviour too). Generally speaking, parents’/carers’ contact numbers are available. That said, if you decide to do so, speak first to your line manager or senior member of staff, who will advise you accordingly. It is always a good idea to make such ‘phone calls with another staff member present, in order to cover you in terms of what you say.

Leave Your Day at Work
Never take your day home with you – as with all professions, teachers have good days and bad days. Even on the most challenging of days, leave your feelings of frustration at school. If you take it home with you, you will just end up arguing with your partner and family. As above, never take disruptive behaviour personally.

Implementation of each of these strategies will help you maintain more effective control in the classroom. Good luck !

~ by Edward, a secondary teacher working through Protocol Education Essex. This is Edward's debut blog - so please comment below to give him feedback!

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Supply Teaching: The Summer Holidays

2011-08-18T15:55:00.001+01:00

After my first full year of supply teaching work I am enjoying the summer break so far, catching up with friends, having the occasional lie-in and enjoying the sunshine. At the same though I have been keeping an eye on any openings for September.

I am in regular contact with my local Protocol Education offices and I am hopeful that I will be able to find some medium-term work – something that I enjoyed doing when covering maternity leave before the holidays. Ideally I would like to continue my work in primary and I hope to carry on my work in several Sheffield schools that I now have a good working relationship with.

The holidays have also given me some spare time to organise all of the paperwork that I have accumulated this year. I have made two folders (one for primary, one for secondary) and have put all the worksheets and resources that I have created or photocopied into each. I would strongly recommend keeping things like this because you never know when they might come in handy. On the rare occasions when work is not set or simply when you need an extension task for quick workers these worksheets can be really helpful.

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer break and good luck in finding teaching work for September!

~ by James, a primary and secondary teacher working through Protocol Education Sheffield. Click here to read more by James.

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End of Term: Tidying up the Classroom

2011-08-17T09:59:00.002+01:00

Packing up the Classroom

Last day of term. Waved goodbye to the kids at 1.30 and trekked back to the class. Rolled up our sleeves and broke open the chocolates. It was time to pack up the classroom.

Every single item in the classroom had to be packed and moved, as most of the school is transferring into a brand new building over the holidays.

Our hearts sank as we realised the implication of what ‘packing’ really meant. It meant crates and boxes and zip bags and plastic bags and canvas bags. It meant labels and stickers and piles and stacks. It meant cries of ‘Where is this going?’ ‘What is this anyway?’ and ‘Has anyone seen the lead for this?’ And endless pritt sticks without lids. Endless. Honestly.

Memory Cards and Fluorescent Jelly

Bin bags for rubbish, blue boxes for recycling, and a pile for games with bits missing. I was working my way through contents of the class, packing half of it carefully and throwing out anything that was on its last legs.
As we waded deeper into the contents of the room, pulling out filing cabinets and digging to the bottom of draws, we found relics from the year that we had long thought lost. One student’s favourite ball that we had been convinced disappeared over the wall in the playground at Easter, here it had been behind the filing cabinet all along. Whoops.

That memory card for the camera which vanished mysteriously just before Christmas and took two months to replace, here it was at the bottom of the penny tin at the back of the cupboard. Hmm. And how did that fluorescent jelly end up under the sink when we all remember (how could be forget?) that in a fit of temper one student had thrown it all over the floor and ground it into the reading mat?

Making History

Looking at these little mysteries I was reminded by just how much we had all gone through this year. The students and the staff. How many hours. How many lessons and games. How many conversations and tantrums and tears and laughs. How many achievements. All that history.

I’m certain the new building will be great. Clean. New. But it’s going to need some history. Maybe I should send over a couple of pritt sticks without lids. A little bit of history to start it off.

~ by Emma, a Classroom Assistant working in London through Protocol Education Wimbledon.

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