Why did I decide to become a relief teacher ?
All last year I felt like I was purely a crowd-controlling babysitter, and the guilt I felt, because I didn't feel like I was teaching anything beyond social grace education kind of got to me. So I decided to change the nature of what I was doing.
There are many plus points to being a relief teacher..
Great money.
I am out the door at 3pm.
I have no responsibility beyond immediate care and the passing on of fair, accurate info, in relation to behaviour.
No planning.
No parent meetings.
No after school meetings.
No late night PL. ( Prof Learning )
No reports.
Down sides include...
Until you are well known, work may be infrequent, or schools may not require relief. ( This will never happen at my school, it is big, and I am well known ).
Not much consistency with the classes you get, you get who you are given from day to day, although if one person is away for a while, you get a little more consistency with the same classes.
You don't know the students as well as if you have your own class ( sometimes a good thing, sometimes not ).
You have little say in the material you present.
You may have to teach in a weird area, such as metalwork ( which isn't weird per se, but is if you are say, an English teacher ).
No holiday or sick pay.
Sometimes treated as a second class teacher by the students.
Interesting thoughts about relief teaching...
Flexibility to work when you want to.
If you build up a relationship with one or two schools, you will never be out of work.You will also become integrated with everyone anyway.
Chance to do something else whenever you want to by not working that day.
If a class drives you mad, then chances are you won't have to see them again.
If you get a good class ( like Grade 10 English ) where they read privately for ages, you can make reflective lists like this.
Being a relief teacher is very immediate, so for example, you go to class, supervise, check room is tidy at the end of the lesson, and pass on any harder issues to others. Over....next...
Having worked at the school I relief teach at now for several years, I am familiar with many children, I know the drill...so it's working a-ok so far...
